Facts & History

The arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in Cebu in April 1521 marked a pivotal moment in Philippine history, as it heralded the beginning of European exploration and colonization in the archipelago. Magellan, a Portuguese explorer sailing under the Spanish flag, was on a quest to find a westward route to the Spice Islands. His expedition, which…

Before the arrival of foreign powers, Cebu was a thriving center of trade and culture, inhabited by various indigenous groups who had established their own social structures and belief systems. The early inhabitants of Cebu were primarily Austronesian peoples, who engaged in agriculture, fishing, and trade with neighboring islands. They cultivated rice, root crops, and…