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Major Cities
Home » The Philippines » Philippines - Major Cities and Regions » Major Cities1) Bacolod
Bacolod, or Bacolod City, is located in the central part of The Philippines, on Negros Island. It is the capital of the Negros Occidental Province. Sugar milling and fishing are the chief industries in the city, which is also a trade center in an area producing sugarcane and rice.
2) Cagayan de Oro
Known as the “City of Golden Friendship" Cagayan de Oro is a little less than 500 miles south of Manila. Cagayan de Oro is the capital of Misamis Oriental Province and the principal city of Northern Mindanao. The native Cagayanon is a mixture of American, Chinese, Bukidnon and Maranaw blood. Bisaya local dialect however most of the locals can speak and understand Tagalog and English. Roman Catholic is the dominant religion. Originally just Cagayan, Spaniards added “de Oro”, which means gold, pertaining to gold they had found in the Cagayan River.
3) Cebu
When Portuguese explorer Magellan and his ragtag Spanish fleet chanced upon a string of islands after an epic voyage across the Pacific Ocean, what pushed them to sail on after a brief stop in Homonhon and Limasawa? The dream of finding the Spice Islands.
On March 16, 1521, these adventurers found Cebu. It wasn’t surprising that the local chieftain, Rajah Humabon and his wife, Humamay, welcomed the first Westerners to set foot on the island with smiles. Foreigners were not strangers to them. In fact, ships laden with porcelain, silk, spices, iron and other barter goods from the Orient regularly docked in the channel between Cebu and its satellite island called Mactan.
Magellan and his crew charmed the Chieftain and his wife, planted the cross on shore and baptized the natives in the Christian faith. But the initial goodwill quickly deteriorated and resulted in the death of Magellan in the hands of Lapulapu, chieftain of Mactan. The survivors fled and sailed away.
After a 40-year interlude, the Spaniards came back to Cebu and colonized the entire Philippine archipelago. Almost 500 years later, Magellan’s cross still stands in downtown Cebu, symbol of Christianity, the strongest legacy of Spain. And still enshrined in the Sto. Niño church is the gift of Magellan to the native queen, the image of the Child Jesus, venerated with passion by Cebuanos to this day.
Cebu is now the most important trading hub and commercial center outside of Manila. Strongly entrepreneurial, Cebu is a sophisticated metropolis with the charms of an island destination – not too far from world class resorts in nearby Mactan Island yet offering a vibrant lifestyle that only a modern urban center can give.
There’s more to Cebu than sweet mangos, fine guitars and gentle people. Shopping, dining and entertainment complement the other facets of Cebu: world class furniture and other exports, special economic zones, IT Parks, central business districts, universities, colleges, hospitals and other facilities that make Cebu one of the best cities in Asia.
Located in the heart of the archipelago and at the crossroads of air and sea travel, Cebu is linked not only to the Visayan Islands but also to the rest of the country and international destinations.
4) Davao - Among the many things that are uniquely Davao: Mt. Apo, the country's highest peak and home to the Philippine monkey eating Eagle, which is an endangered species, and the waling-waling, a rare orchid. The famous Pearl Farm Beach Resort is a world class resort that is visited by hundreds of travelers each year.
The increase of modern leisure establishments in Davao city has made her become a popular tourist destination. Some tourist must-sees include Dabaw Etnica, a tiny settlement of the Mandaya Tribe, Dabaw Museum where one could see tribal artifacts and costumes. Travelers should also visit the Taoist and Lon Wa Buddhist Temples.
Shoppers in Davao may treat themselves with shopping sprees at Gaisano Mall of Davao, Victoria Plaza, JSGaisano Citimall, New City Commercial Center, Makro-Davao and SM City Davao. The best place to purchase souvenirs is the Aldevinco Shopping Center. It has a wide range of batik garments, brass products, ethnic accessories and souvenir shirts.
5) Manila
Manila, being the premier city, is the main embarkation point of tourists and visitors. Major tourism offices, attractions and accommodations facilities are located in the city. Varied tourist destinations cater to local, as well as foreign visitors, abound in the city both of natural and man-made attractions. There are also luxury hotels, standard and economy class motels, pensions and inns that are always ready to welcome these guests.
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