Why Cebu Should Not Be the Capital of the Philippines

Cebu was once the capital of Philippines during the time of the Spanish colonization in the 1500s.

After the Spaniards denuded Cebu of its resources they transferred to Maynila, and made this progressive city as the new capital, it has been up to the present time. I believe Manila would still be the capital in the next one thousand years.

Although Cebu or even Davao is capable of being the capital, but Cebu should not push for this exhausting idea.

Here are my reasons:
1. Focus. Cebu should concentrate on taking care of its economy; maintain the peace and order situation and making the Cebuanos happy. If the Cebu government is good at sustaining the factors I mentioned, investors would shell out their money, businesses would spring up here and there. Consequently, a Cebuano or bisayan television station would arise that the Cebuanos or even surrounding Visayans can relate with.

2. Look at Manila. I don’t like to pessimistic, but presently Philippines is not so good at the moment. Cebu, do you want to be blamed for the ills that this country is having now? But I’m still having optimistic ideas that Manila will do good in the near future. I don’t exactly know when is that “near future” will be.

17 comments

  1. Very right. Better yet, why not a Republic of Cebu. At the rate the country is going, Cebu will be dragged into the political mess these Manila jokers are doing. There is not much to look forward to in the country’s future considering the majority’s (luzon’s) tendencies. Unless Cebuanoes will be on their own, we will be having a Kris Aquino as president in the future with boy abunda as vice president. Come to think of it

  2. to roland ochoa:

    in my travels around the country, from north to south, it seems cebuanos are the most insecure about their place in the country. true, cebuano talent and passion rank among the best but why the constant need to compare yourselves to manilenos? why always this “we can do better than them” attitude? i’ve been hearing this since the 70’s and upon careful observation, there’s more talk than action in cebu.

    i say do your best in your own terms. stop the empty comparisons. Republic of Cebu? you think cebu is free from corruption, scandals and violence? you think you’re above pinoy mentality? i can cite so many instances of “manila-like” corruption in cebu.

    the truth is cebuano pride hides cebuano insecurity. the day cebu learns to stand on its own feet without pouting about manila is the day there is real bisdak identity. i know you know that. so focus more on action than attitude.

    david
    (i’m ilocano, by the way, but i’ve been traveling in vis-min for years)

  3. yup i totally agree, cebu nor davao cannot be the capital considering that this cities are nearer to Mindanao….. kamu nai sabot!!

  4. to dave,

    its not about insecurity boss. its pride of place. if you look at precolonial history, cebu never heard of manila nor the other way around. if spain never had introduced manila to cebu knowing that at that time cebu thrives as a settlement ruled by powerful rajas, cebuanos would not have thought manila is more powerful than them just because spain made it the center of government. now, you may say that because you are not a cebuano so i understand you brother. cebu could have denied accepting manila’s aim of building a country and chose to be independent or if not, cebu might join the philippines just like how the states entered the union. States are previously independent countries but joined together to form one country under a federal set-up.

  5. Cebuano-speaking regions in the Philippines.
    Cebuano is spoken in Cebu , Bohol , Negros Oriental , westernparts of Leyte , some parts of Samar , Negros Occidental , Biliran islands, southern region of Masbate island and Mindanao . Some dialects of Cebuano have different names for the language. Ethnic groupsfrom Bohol may refer to Cebuano as Bol-anon while Cebuano speakers in Leyte identify their dialect as Kana .

  6. response to dave:

    I understand now, why you are mumbling about comparing Cebuano to Manileno’s coz you are fucked up. Coz you are an Ilocano, and I know very much that Ilocano’s hated Bisaya soo much. And the Bisaya dont know about this not unless if they will travel abroad. My dear Bisaya Ilokanos hated us soo much especially Ilokanos from Luzon. No the Ilokano speaking in Mindanao. Your tribe is the most fuck-up tribe in this country! Damn it!

    1. Yep even Manilenos hate Cebuanos… because most of the people in Cebu are fucked up… by the way matitigok kayong insecure sa Manilenos hahahaha!

  7. cebu could be another singapore in the future. no need to compete with manila. what cebuanos have to do is just unite and invest for the economic development of cebu. let us make use of our cebuano talents for the progress of cebu.
    manila will just later on sink due to shaky foundation. cebu is different. it has batong bantilis as the foundation. mabuhi ang mga sugbo-anon!

  8. making cebu the capital, could do more harm than good towards the city. I can agree with all of you here. That place is almost a paradise, just surpress the crime and the drugs, rid it of corruption and the “I am wealthy so don’t touch me!” and “I am cebuano!” kind of mentality of the people, and it’s going to be fine. Foods, world-class society and infastructures, beaches and mountains after the longride, and beautiful bisaya-speaking salad of locality, it’s a city of it’s own class.

  9. Actually, Cebuanos are so stupid to blame Manila for being the capital city of the Philippines. Isn’t it the Spaniards who transferred the seat of power from Cebu to Manila? Actually, the main reason why they have done this is because Manila, which is previously known as Kota Selurong, was a much richer kingdom than the Rajahnate of Cebu, for the fact that it has direct trade relations with China, India, Brunei and Java, while Cebu relied heavily on second-hand trade from goods passing in their island from various parts of the archipelago. Actually in 1569, Spaniards already left Cebu for Panay island, because the place is a lot abundant with food and teeming with natural resources. Then transferred the seat of power again from Panay island (Iloilo), to Manila. There we have it, it is not the fault of the Tagalog people. Blame the stupid people who conquered, ravaged and looted your island.

  10. Hahah Cebu? Manila?
    Maybe they’re right. There’s no “Unity” in the Phillipines. Since the beginning until now. Nagkakaisa lang naman kayo pag nanalo si Many P. or if nanalo kayo sa MU. Madali lang maconquer ang bansang walang unity. So sad.

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