ARC 035

PLANNING 2
FUNDAMENTALS OF URBAN
DESIGN
& COMMUNITY ARCHITECTURE

"ORIGIN OF THE CITY OF CEBU,

PHILIPPINES”
Case Study 1 (LOCAL)
Date Given: January 17, 2022
Date Due: January 29, 2022

College of Engineering & Architecture

University of Pangasinan - PEN

Marrielle M. Balagot
Student name

Archt. Maria Teresa Cuares - Velasco

Instructor
 Table of Contents

I. BACKGROUND 2
1.2 Abstract 2
1.3 History of the locality 2
1.3.1 Old photos of the city with captions & reference 4
1.3.2 Geographical location 12
II. BODY 13
2.1 Current Economic & Urban Planning of the place. 13
2.2 Current Urban Issues & status (Prob. Of Urban Growth) 17
2.3 Current / actual situation of the city 21
2.3.1 Current Pictures with captions and reference 24
III. CONCLUSION 29
3.1 Summary of the Topic 29
3.2 Recommended solution to the problem 29

REFERENCES 30

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 I. BACKGROUND

1.2. ABSTRACT
The construction industry has grown greatly as the global and national
economies have become more stable. New architectural concepts have been
introduced, and new structures have been constructed. As the city grows,
Cebuanos will need to find more environmentally friendly ways to live and
work. But in order to do that, some issues are needed to be solved such as
traffic congestion, floods, garbage that clogged drainage systems and lastly,
poverty.

This study aims to provide further information about Cebu city and its
current economic and urban planning of the place, current urban issues and
status, and recommendations on how to solve the problem of the locality. This
study aims to inform local and international tourists, as well as the city's
management and government, that the city can have a greater background
review. Only if, the people of the city will be capable on contributing a solution
on how to fix some issues. In addition, changes and actions is needed to
promote, protect, strengthen, and maintain its stability.

1.3 HISTORY OF THE LOCALITY

Before the Spanish arrived, Cebu was known as "Sugbu" or "Zubu."
Cebu was a trading port visited by marchants from China, Thailand, the East
Indies, and the Arabian kingdom. Ferdinand Magellan, an explorer, arrived in
Cebu on April 7, 1571. King Humabon, who ruled Cebu at the time, greeted
Magellan warmly and converted to Catholicism along with Queen Juana and
400 servants.
Magellan remembered them by erecting the cross and bestowing santo
nio, which is the scripture of the young Christ. Following that, Magellan was
defeated and killed by Lapu-Lapu, the ruler of Mactan Island. However,
Legazpi and Urdaneta arrived in Cebu with a Spanish army and began to
immigrate on April 28, 1565. They also constructed the Santo Nio Church, the
University of San Carlos, and Coron Street. The Philippines had its first church,
university, and street. Cebu served as the capital of the Philippines for six
years following the arrival of the Spanish. Following the Spanish–American
War in 1898, American governments established infrastructure during
America's rule, and Cebu developed as a trade center. During World War II,

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Cebu was Japan's main army base, particularly at Antoanga and Babak, which
were bombed.
The Philippines gained independence from the United States in 1946,
and Cebu is now developing alongside Manila. Today, Cebu is a popular tourist
destination because it has some of the best beach resorts in the world.
Cebu holds the distinction of being the Philippines' oldest town, having
been founded by Magellan himself. After leaving Spain with five ships in 1519,
Magellan landed at Cebu on April 7, 1521, with his three remaining vessels,
set up a cross on the shore at a place called Zubu, and baptized their chief,
Humabon, his wife Juana, and 800 of their followers after receiving a friendly
reception from the natives.
As a result, Cebu became the Philippines' first Christian center.
Pigafetta, a Spanish chronicler, recorded the impact on Europeans of seeing
the natives with their tattoos and silk turbans, the attractive native women
who painted their lips and nails and wore flowers in their hair, and the Arab,
Siamese, and Chinese vessels in the harbor. Unfortunately for Magellan, he
did not receive the same warm welcome on the nearby island of Mactan. When
the Spaniards attempted to land, they were met with a hail of arrows, and
Magellan was killed in the ensuing battle (27 April 1521). His body was never
found. His opponent, the native chief Lapu Lapu, has become a national hero
in the Philippines, the personification of resistance to invaders. Nonetheless,
the Filipinos honor both opposing leaders jointly, and monuments to both are
located in Punta Engao, Lapu-lapu City. A species of fish commonly found in
the waters of the Philippines and frequently seen on restaurant menus has
been given the name lapu-lapu.
After Magellan’s death the Spaniards fled only one ship with 26
survivors, returned to Spain and Humabon abandoned his Christian faith.
When a further Spanish expedition led by Miguel de Legazpi and Fray Andres
de Urdaneta arrived on 27 April 1565 it was received with hostile
demonstrations by chieftain Rajah Tupas. After the battle which followed a
soldier named Juan de Camus found in the ruins of a burned down hut a
statuette of the Infant Jesus, which was presumed to be Magellan’s baptismal
gift to queen Juana: this was the origin of the cult of the Santo Niño de Cebu.
The Spanish post established at this period bore the name of San Miguel, later
changed to Villa Santissimo Nombre de Jesus (Village of the Holy Name of
Jesus). The fort built on the coast was named after Legazpi’s flagship, San

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Pedro. It is not known when the town reverted to the name of Cebu. After
being abandoned for a time in the face of Portuguese activity in the area, Cebu
became active again in the 17th century as the trading centre of the Visayas.
On 3 April 1898 rebels seized the town and laid siege to the fort, which was
saved only by the arrival of Spanish warships. The leader of the rising, Leon
Kilat, withdrew into the interior to wage guerrilla war against the Spaniards.
Guerrilla activity continued against the American forces that landed in
February 1899, and only came to an end after three years of fighting. It was
resumed, under very different circumstances, during the Japanese occupation.
The Japanese forces who landed on Cebu on 10 April 1942 after a bombing
which caused heavy damage in the town were never able to suppress the
guerrillas who had taken to the mountains and from time to time were able to
carry out actions in the town itself. Cebu was liberated on 26 March 1945 after
the American landing.
Mt. Manunggal trek, honours the death anniversary of President Ramon
Magsaysay who was tragically killed in an air crash on Mt. Manunggal
Balamban, Cebu.
1.3.1 OLD PHOTOS OF THE CITY

Source:https://sugbo.ph/2020/old-photos-of-cebu/

Source:https://sugbo.ph/2020/old-photos-of-cebu/

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Source:https://sugbo.ph/2020/old-photos-of-cebu/

Source:https://sugbo.ph/2020/old-photos-of-cebu/

Source:https://sugbo.ph/2020/old-photos-of-cebu/

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Source:https://sugbo.ph/2020/old-photos-of-cebu/

Source:https://sugbo.ph/2020/old-photos-of-cebu/

Source:https://sugbo.ph/2020/old-photos-of-cebu/

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Source:https://sugbo.ph/2020/old-photos-of-cebu/

Source:https://sugbo.ph/2020/old-photos-of-cebu/

Source:https://sugbo.ph/2020/old-photos-of-cebu/

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Source:https://sugbo.ph/2020/old-photos-of-cebu/

Source:https://sugbo.ph/2020/old-photos-of-cebu/

Source:https://sugbo.ph/2020/old-photos-of-cebu/

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Source:https://sugbo.ph/2020/old-photos-of-cebu/

Source:https://sugbo.ph/2020/old-photos-of-cebu/

Source:https://sugbo.ph/2020/old-photos-of-cebu/

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Source:https://sugbo.ph/2020/old-photos-of-cebu/

Source:https://sugbo.ph/2020/old-photos-of-cebu/

Source:https://sugbo.ph/2020/old-photos-of-cebu/

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Source:https://sugbo.ph/2020/old-photos-of-cebu/

Source:https://sugbo.ph/2020/old-photos-of-cebu/

Source:https://sugbo.ph/2020/old-photos-of-cebu/

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 Source:https://sugbo.ph/2020/old-photos-of-cebu/

Source:https://sugbo.ph/2020/old-photos-of-cebu/

1.3.2 GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION

Cebu, with a total land area of 5,000 square
kilometers, is located in Central Visayas (Region 7)
and is the center of the Philippine archipelago.
Negros is to the east, Bohol is to the southeast, and
Leyte is to the west. The Bohol Strait connects Cebu
and Bohol, while the Tanon Strait connects Cebu and
Negros.

Cebu has an abundance of beauty. From the

central mountains to the coral sands, the island is a
natural wonder. Most of the archipelago's 8,120
species of flowering plants can be found in Cebu. 5,832 are unique to the

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country. Birds migrating from Russia stop enroute to Australia at the Olango
Bird Sanctuary.

Sumilon Island, Mactan Islands, Olango Island, Camotes Islands,

Malapascua Island, and Bantayan Islands are all part of Cebu. Some of the
hundreds of uninhabited islands that surround Cebu are uninhabited. Beaches,
coral atolls, renowned diving spots in Moalboal, abundant fishing grounds, and
well-known islands such as Mactan Island, Malapascua Island, and Bantayan
Island surround and embody Cebu. Its central location, proximity to unusually
exotic tourist destinations, easy access to a variety of plant, animal, and
geological wonders within the island, and isolation from earthquake and
typhoon activity are some of the unique characteristics that contribute to
Cebu's success. Exposure to nature's wonders allows busy families to unwind
and recharge their batteries.

II. BODY
2.1 CURRENT ECONOMIC & URBAN PLANNING
Based on the 2018 to 2020 annual average share, the following
industries drive the economy of the Province of Cebu: manufacturing (17.6%),
wholesale and retail trade (13.7%), motor vehicle and motorcycle repair
(13.7%), real estate and dwelling ownership (11.5%), and professional and
business services (11.5%). The province's economy grew by 4.7 percent in
2019, but fell by 8.9 percent in 2020.

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 The Province of Cebu ranked second in Central Visayas' 6.2 percent
economic growth in 2019, accounting for 1.5 percentage points of the total
regional economy. Meanwhile, Cebu Province contributed -2.7 percentage
points to the Central Visayas' -9.9% in 2020.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), which was established by

Republic Act No. 10625, or The Philippine Statistical Act of 2013, is responsible
for compiling and maintaining macroeconomic accounts and indicators at the
national and subnational levels, among other things. The Provincial Product
Accounts (PPA) are a tool used at the provincial level to measure the
province's or highly urbanized cities' (HUCs) economic performance over time.

Starting this year, the PSA will release annual economic performance
data at the provincial level based on the identified pilot provinces and HUCs.
In 2021, the province of Cebu will be one of the PPA pilot provinces.

Cebu City is part of a larger metropolitan area that has seen rapid
population growth in recent decades, growing from 1.5 million people in 1990
to 2.8 million people in 2015. Due to the mountainous topography and high
vulnerability risk, development stretches along the coast, limiting viable land
allocation for urban expansion. This was not matched by a corresponding
development of services and businesses in the other Metro Cebu
municipalities, resulting in the formation of a monocentric urban system
centered in Cebu City.

This, combined with inefficient land use, a lack of public transportation,

and inadequate road network development, has resulted in traffic congestion
as well as a high demand for service delivery and housing. Coastal reclamation
is a second strategy for expanding urban areas, but it has the potential to
harm the coastal environment and marine ecology, as well as change the
regional groundwater regime, which could alter the coastal environment,
flooding patterns, and slope and foundation stability. Unsustainable
urbanization jeopardizes Cebu's economic performance, increasing the costs
of traffic congestion, pollution, social and spatial segregation, and
environmental risks.

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 The city's difficult metropolitan governance and lack of planning tools
do not provide the necessary tools for long-term sustainable urban planning.
This, combined with a lack of data availability, data management, and
analysis, prevents the city from making appropriate evidence-based planning
decisions.

The city of Cebu wants to change this trend by improving its strategies
and urban planning mechanisms in order to promote sustainable urban
development for the upcoming decade's urban expansion, which is expected
to be driven by continuous migration and population growth. In this regard, it
is necessary to improve spatial and evidence-based planning for sustainable
development and to concretely advance the implementation of the Sustainable
Development Goals by promoting sustainable modes of transportation,
disaster resilience, public space, and affordable housing.

Description of the Intervention The interventions for Cebu City aim to

address Cebu's unsustainable urbanization trends in two ways:

1) Cebu City Strategy

The city of Cebu currently lacks a strategy that directs urban

development and establishes long-term objectives. The Global Future Cities
Program aims to assist in the development of the strategy with the specific
goal of advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and addressing
transportation, resilience, and housing challenges.

Main activities include:

• A comprehensive diagnosis and context evaluation based on

evidence-based data analysis that establishes a baseline of the city's
main urban challenges;
• Develop the strategy's main objectives, which will be in line with
national and regional plans as well as the SDGs;
• Engaging community groups, the private sector, and key
stakeholders from city and metropolitan governments in a
participatory stakeholder engagement process;
• Development of a city spatial plan that proposes efficient land use
and a connected, mixed-use, inclusive, and compact city form;

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 • Establishing a road map for achieving the SDGs, which will include
mechanisms for evaluation and monitoring;
• Identifying catalytic projects that are aligned with the city strategy's
goals and can help with implementation;
• Develop a funding and financing strategy for the city strategy's
implementation, with a particular focus on Cebu City's municipal
finance capacity.

2) Cebu Data Hub

In Cebu City, there is a scarcity of data, which makes it difficult to develop

solid, evidence-based strategies and plans. The Global Future Cities Program
aims to assist in the creation of a data center that allows data to be shared
across city departments and improves evidence-based planning throughout
the city.

Main activities include:

• An evaluation of the current data and IT framework that identifies

data needs and gaps, particularly in relation to the development of
the City Strategy.
• Determine the data hub's purpose and mandate, as well as how it
should be used for planning purposes.
• The intervention will conduct the necessary data collection activities
for the development of the city strategy based on the identification
of data gaps.
• Establish a data architecture that includes data sharing protocols,
quality assessment custodianship guidelines, a citizen engagement
platform, and a big data strategy.
• Determining the appropriate data science platform for the data hub
• Capacity-building training for the relevant teams in the management
and use of the data hub will be provided.
• Establishment of an institutionalization framework strategy, including
where the data hub will be housed within the city governance
structure and who will make up the team.

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 Cebu experienced significant population growth as a result of the
migration that followed the 1980s economic boom. The available land within
Cebu City's boundaries was quickly filled, and the city sprawled into the
neighboring Local Government Unit (LGU). When comparing the city's urban
extent in 1993, 2000, and 2014, this is especially visible spatially.
Densification of Cebu City's urban core and extension to Mandaue and
Consolacion municipalities are among the observed patterns. Urbanization has
occurred along the coast from Danao to San Fernando, with particularly strong
growth in Cordova and Lapu-Lapu City. In response to the steeply sloped land
further inland, the observed urban expansion has also concentrated on a
narrow stretch along the coastal areas. There is increasing pressure on
available construction land; approximately 76% of Cebu City's land is
considered hazardous and unsuitable for urban development. Due to lack of
land and rapid urban expansion, it is crucial to consider the future
development 8 of Metro Cebu, which includes Cebu City and nearby cities, as
an integrated metropolitan area rather than as isolated cities. Due to a lack of
land and rapid urbanization, future development 8 of Metro Cebu, which
includes Cebu City and nearby cities, must be considered as an integrated
metropolitan area rather than as isolated cities.

2.2 CURRENT URBAN ISSUES & STATUS

Poverty

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The prevalence of poverty in Central Visayas

has dropped dramatically, according to a 2018 survey conducted by the
Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). PSA-7 regional director Ariel Florendo
stated that the region's poverty incidence dropped from 24.7 percent in 2015
to 13.2 percent in 2018, a drop of more than 11 percent He also stated that
the agency recorded 242,000 poverty magnitudes in 2018, which is
significantly lower than the 420,000 poverty magnitudes recorded in 2015.
According to the 2015 survey, only 242,000 people in the region are
impoverished.

According to PSA assistant national statistician Wilma Guillen, one of the

major drivers of this development is an increase in household income.
According to her, the number of households whose income has increased by
a hundred percent in 2019 has increased by a hundred percent. Aside from

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that, they noticed a significant increase in the wages of workers in the region
in comparison to the rise in the prices of goods and basic commodities.

She went on to say that the survey's findings were based on a

combination of foods that Filipinos typically consume, their prices, and a
household's total income. Guillen stated that a five-member household in
Central Visayas must earn at least P10,705 to be classified as poor. The stated
amount includes both food and non-food items. Efen Carreon, regional director
of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), welcomed this
development. "The outcome confirms that our efforts, both government and
private sector, have paid off," Carreon said.

He also stated that NEDA-7 recorded a 7.6 percent increase in the

regional economy in 2018, which he translated to have contributed to poverty
reduction. Aside from an increase in income, Carreon stated that the
implementation of social protection programs such as the Pantawid Pamilyang
Pilipino Program (4Ps), social pension, and Kalahi-CIDSS, among others, have
also contributed to the reduction of poverty in the region.

Cebu City floods blamed on trash, clogged waterways

CEBU CITY—Garbage that clogged drainage systems and shanties built

in waterways all contributed to Tuesday night's flash floods that submerged
parts of this city and killed at least two people. "That was the first time we
had that magnitude of [flooding], and one of the things we discovered as we
went around was the volume of garbage." "There was a lot of trash," Mayor
Edgardo Labella stated. Personnel from the city's Department of Public
Services, he said, had begun clearing garbage from the city's streets and
waterways. So far, 140 tons of solid waste have been collected. Labella stated
that funds had already been set aside by the Department of Public Works and
Highways for the relocation of settlers who live along creeks and whose
structures obstruct the flow of water from the mountains to the sea.

"Our challenge is to figure out how to ask or remove the settlers there."
I believe they have already agreed in principle to be relocated. "We assure
them that they will be relocated," the mayor said. A heavy downpour caused
by a localized thunderstorm and Tropical Depression "Ofel" overflowed the
city's rivers. Rising water flooded roads and stranded vehicles. According to
Ramil Ayuman, officer in charge of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and

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Management Office, this was the first time some areas in the uptown district
were flooded. "What occurred was unprecedented." We haven't seen anything
like this in years." Ayuman also mentioned the need for residents to relocate
who live within the 3-meter easement zones of rivers and creeks.

Cebu's silent and expensive waste problem

CEBU, Philippines — In 2000, the Ecological Solid Waste Management
Act (Republic Act No. 9003) was enacted with the goal of establishing a
systematic, comprehensive, and ecological solid waste management program
that would, among other things, protect public health and the environment.

More than two decades later, Cebu's three highly urbanized cities are
still struggling to meet some of the law's most important requirements.

Section 32 of the Revised Act According to Section 9003, "every

barangay or cluster of barangays shall have an established Materials Recovery
Facility (MRF)." The facility must be built on land owned or leased by the
barangay, or in any suitable open space determined by the barangay through
its Sanggunian."

According to the law, an MRF is a facility that houses a solid waste

transfer station or sorting station, a drop-off center, a composting facility, and
a recycling facility.

However, many of Cebu's barangays have yet to establish the long-

needed MRF.

Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu, three highly urbanized cities, have 80,
27, and 30 barangays, respectively, for a total of 137 barangays. Despite this,
there are only six operational MRFs in these three key cities at the moment –
four in Mandaue, a centralized MRF in Lapu-Lapu, and a makeshift one in Cebu
City.

All three HUCs rely on the ARN Central Waste Management, a privately
owned landfill in Barangay Binaliw, Cebu City, to dispose of their waste.

Traffic ‘solution’ causes heavier buildup in Cebu town

The first day of the implementation of the 'no left turn, no crossing'
policy in the national highway of Consolacion town on December 8 – a holiday
– was marked by significantly heavier traffic buildup.

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What was supposed to be a traffic mitigation scheme ended up heavily
exacerbating traffic congestion in northern Metro Cebu.

The first day of the implementation of the “no left turn, no crossing” policy in
the national highway of Consolacion town on Tuesday, December 8 – a holiday
– was marked by significantly heavier traffic buildup that began as early as
mid-afternoon.

Consolacion is a first-class municipality in Cebu, 20 kilometers from Cebu City.

The policy was agreed upon by representatives from the Department of

Public Works and Highways-Central Visayas, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn
Garcia, Consolacion Mayor Johannes Alegado, and League of Municipalities of
the Philippines-Cebu president Liloan mayor Christina Frasco in a meeting held
on December 1. It is meant to address initial traffic problems in the area.

According to Sugbo News, the official news site of the Cebu Public Information
Office, DPWH-7 identified 3 choke points in Consolacion that caused the
buildup of traffic in the area during peak hours.

It was then agreed upon to allocate only 4 U-turn slots in the entire
stretch of the town’s national highway: two for southbound vehicles and two
for northbound vehicles.

Barriers were put up in the middle of the roads to bar vehicles and
pedestrians from crossing.

However, residents who experienced the first day of the new rule told
Rappler that they got stuck in traffic for about two hours.

Another resident sent a video to Rappler of the heavy vehicular traffic.

saying they had to drive until the town’s boundary, waiting in the traffic jam
for over an hour, in order to cross to their destination that was supposed to
be mere minutes from them.

“Nangutana gane mi sa enforcer ganina. Kurat siya kay holiday daw

unya grabe ka-traffic,” he said. (We even asked the enforcer about it. He was
even shocked because it was a holiday but the traffic congestion was intense.)

In a text message to Rappler, Alegado said the local government had been
monitoring the traffic situation in the area the entire day. He identified the U-

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turn slots near a gas station and a convenience store to have caused the
buildup of traffic.

Alegado added that they are considering opening up more U-turn slots.

“As per discussion with my traffic management team, maybe there is

really a need to open up again some of our intersections to lessen the volume
of vehicles taking the U-turn. We will appeal this to Governor Gwen and the
Provincial Traffic Management Board,” he told Rappler.

2.3 CURRENT/ACTUAL SITUATION OF THE CITY

CLI to build condo for Cebu City informal settlers
Cebu Landmasters, Inc. (CLI) is donating a P115-million condominium
to Cebu City to offer in-city housing for informal settlers in Cebu City’s
Barangay Lorega-San Miguel.

“CLI’s goal to help the VisMin (Visayas-Mindanao) housing gap includes

well-planned projects for the marginalized,” Jose R. Soberano III, president
and chief executive officer of Cebu Landmasters, said in a statement on Friday.

The company said it signed an agreement with the local city government
for the development, which will be the first and tallest government-owned
socialized housing project in the VisMin region.

It was planned in collaboration with the Department of Human

Settlements and Urban Development. Cebu Landmasters broke ground for the
project on Friday, where Mr. Soberano was joined by Cebu City Vice Mayor
Michael L. Rama and Housing Secretary Eduardo D. del Rosario. The medium-
rise building tenement housing project will stand five-storey high on a 1,350
square meter (sq.m.) property. It is said to be accessible to employment
opportunities, being within walking and biking distance from the city’s
business areas.

“Beneficiaries will be selected by the Department of Welfare for the

Urban Poor and Local Housing Board in compliance with the city’s Local Shelter
Ordinance,” CLI said.

The socialized housing condo will feature 100 units, each with a gross
floor area of 25 sq.m. Units will have sun baffles on balconies and planters will
be provided. Open spaces, parking areas, a chapel, and a multi-purpose

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training hall will be included in the project. Cebu Landmasters said it will also
provide ramps to cater to persons with disabilities and senior citizens.

Meanwhile, the project’s common areas will be powered by renewable

energy using solar panels and it will also have a sewage treatment plant for
liquid waste management. On Friday, shares of Cebu Landmasters at the stock
exchange rose by 4.09% or 15 centavos to close at P3.82 each. — Keren
Concepcion G. Valmonte

260 tourism firms damaged by Odette in Cebu province

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Typhoon Odette damaged 260 tourism

establishments in Cebu province, the Cebu Provincial Tourism Office said on
Friday, January 7.

“Estimated damages from tourism businesses cover about 50-90% of

the properties, taking away many jobs from the tourism sector,” the tourism
office posted on their Facebook page.

Odette whipped Cebu island with strong winds and torrential rain on
December 16, 2021. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and
Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) placed the southern and
central parts of the island under Signal No. 4, with wind intensity at 175
kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 240 km/h.

Majority of the worst-hit establishments are in the southern part of

Cebu, where some municipalities were isolated for days due to destroyed and
blocked roads, a blackout, and the loss of telecommunications signals.

Among the southern local government units that recorded damage in

their tourism properties are Alcoy, Barili, Carcar City, Dalaguete, Malabuyoc,
Minglanilla, Moalboal, Naga City, Oslob, Samboan, and Talisay City.

COVID-19 deaths in Cebu ‘rising fast’

CEBU CITY, Philippines—In a span of 22 days, at least 105 people had

died of COVID-19 in public and private hospitals in Cebu, with most of the
fatalities yet to get vaccinated, the Department of Health (DOH) said.

Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, chief pathologist of the DOH in Central Visayas
region, said the number of COVID-19 deaths had been rising fast based on
their monitoring.

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 At least 66 deaths were recorded in eight hospitals run by the DOH while
39 were reported by private hospitals in the province this month.

Loreche said 83, or majority of 105 fatalities, were unvaccinated.

“We cannot joke that there were only a few deaths because one death
is one life wasted,” said Loreche during a briefing at the Visayas Vaccination
Operations Center on Monday.In the DOH-run hospitals, 56 (85 percent)
fatalities were unvaccinated, eight were fully vaccinated and two were partially
vaccinated against COVID-19.

Dangerous situation

Of the 39 fatalities in private hospitals, 27 (69 percent) were

unvaccinated while 12 were fully vaccinated. Loreche said the reported deaths
were based on the details provided by the patients upon admission.

“Those who died at home are not included here yet. So, we cannot
downplay these numbers,” she said. Loreche urged the public not to
underestimate the Omicron variant of COVID-19, which is more transmissible
than the previously dominant Delta variant.

“I call on the people not to be complacent. I hope the public will have
themselves vaccinated against COVID-19 since the situation is dangerous for
the vulnerable population,” she said. Last week, Loreche announced the
presence of at least 22 cases of the Omicron variant in Cebu and other parts
of Central Visayas. “Even before the variant was detected, the increasing
number of people who got infected showed that the Omicron was already in
Cebu (and the other parts of the region),” she said.

Loreche said they were not discounting the possibility that a local
transmission of Omicron was happening in the region. “Local transmission
means that the presence of a variant of concern is not linked to an outside
exposure (overseas Filipino workers, international traveler, returning overseas
Filipino) and that the sample submitted is from the community. It is not a far
possibility that it is locally present considering the rapid increase in cases,”
she said.

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2.3.1 CURRENT PICTURES WITH CAPTION AND REFERENCES

VISION THEATRE
Source: https://emjaefotos.com/cebu-then-and-now/

MAGELLAN’S CROSS
Source: https://emjaefotos.com/cebu-then-and-now/

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 CEBU METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL

Source:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cebu_Metropolitan_Cathedral

RIZAL MEMORIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEM

Source: https://emjaefotos.com/cebu-then-and-now/

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 UNIVERSITY OF SAN CARLOS
Source: https://emjaefotos.com/cebu-then-and-now/

FUENTE OSMEÑA CIRCLE

Source: https://emjaefotos.com/cebu-then-and-now/

26
A man stands beside damaged homes along a swollen river due to Typhoon Rai
in Talisay, Cebu province, central Philippines on Dec. 17.
SOURCE:https://www.npr.org/sections/pictureshow/2021/12/20/1066049450/supe
r-typhoon-rai-leaves-a-path-of-devastation-and-uncertainty

In this photo taken early December 16, 2021, residents sleep inside a
sports complex turned into an evacuation center in Dapa town, Siargao island,
Surigao del Norte province in southern island of Mindanao, ahead of Typhoon
Rai's landfall in the province.
SOURCE:https://www.npr.org/sections/pictureshow/2021/12/20/1066
049450/super-typhoon-rai-leaves-a-path-of-devastation-and-uncertainty

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 Ships run aground after Typhoon Rai tore through Cebu city, central
Philippines on Dec. 17.
SOURCE:https://www.npr.org/sections/pictureshow/2021/12/20/1066
049450/super-typhoon-rai-leaves-a-path-of-devastation-and-uncertainty

BOOSTER. With the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases, Cebu residents

receive booster shots at a vaccination site near Cebu City Hall.

SOURCE:https://www.rappler.com/nation/cebu-city-encourages-
home-isolation-mild-covid-19-cases/

VAX BENEFITS. Most of the Covid-19 patients in Cebu City since

January 2 are either asymptomatic or mildly ill, the Emergency Operations
Center (EOC) said Tuesday (Jan. 25, 2022). Dr. Carol Cajegas, a data analyst
of the EOC, said this is proof of the advantage of being vaccinated against the
virus. (PNA file photo by John Rey Saavedra)

SOURCE: https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1166331

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 III. CONCLUSION
3.1 SUMMARY OF THE TOPIC
Cebu is the Philippines' second-most populous and urbanized city. Rapid
urbanization has resulted in a slew of urban-related issues, including traffic
congestion, waste problem, flooding, and unemployment, to name a few, the
most serious of which is urban sprawl. As a result, there is a growing demand
in Cebu today for comprehensive metro-wide planning. Redefining the city
through socio-ecological resilient methods for sustainability would be a
strategic initiative.

Rapid urbanization and climate change are two recent global

phenomena that have prompted experts to research the resilience and
sustainability of cities. These two terms have recently gained prominence in
the aftermath of the Visayas Region's recent twin disasters. Resilience has
long been interpreted as a physical manifestation of rebuilding infrastructure
damaged by natural or man-made disasters.

3.2 RECOMMENDED SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM

In cities all over the world, traffic congestion is one of the problems.
Congestion will worsen as cities grow. Adopting alternative modes of
transportation and constructing traffic management systems will help in
further reducing traffic congestion. Beyond numbers, we must do more to
listen to those who suffer the most, address the indignities they face, and
address the power structures that keep them from being included in society.
We must be reminded that our own survival is inextricably linked to the well-
being of our planet; this means eradicating poverty within global boundaries
and putting human dignity at the center of policy and action. Creating jobs is
a fantastic method for reducing poverty. People who have jobs have income,
and people who have income are more likely to be able to escape poverty. As
public concern about the environment grows, so does the use of technology
and human creativity to address sustainability-related issues. It is impossible
to predict how things will turn out, but it is possible to have an innovative
solution to the country’s garbage problem. We clean up our canals after floods
to solve cl flooding. Canals are occasionally reconstructed. However, a solution
without a strategy is ineffective, they'll only be a temporary but if we help
each other, we can overcome it.

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References:
• The History of Cebu (https://i-
lands.co.jp/project/cebu/english/history/)
• History of Cebu City(https://www.visitphilippines.org/discover-
it/history-of-cebu-city/)
• The economy of the Province of Cebu is mainly driven by
Manufacturing from 2018 to
2020(http://rsso07.psa.gov.ph/article/economy-province-cebu-mainly-
driven-manufacturing-2018-2020)
• Cebu city context report
(https://www.globalfuturecities.org/sites/default/files/2020-
07/Philippines_Cebu_CCR.pdf)
• Traffic ‘solution’ causes heavier buildup in Cebu town
(https://www.rappler.com/nation/visayas/traffic-solution-causes-
heavier-buildup-in-cebu-town/)
• 260 tourism firms damaged by Odette in Cebu province
(https://www.rappler.com/nation/tourism-firms-cebu-damage-
typhoon-odette-january-7-2022/)
• Cebu City floods blamed on trash, clogged waterways
(https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1348485/cebu-city-floods-blamed-on-
trash-clogged-waterways#ixzz7JHbzyZlx)
• Region’s poverty incidence drops
dramatically(https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/284594/regions-
poverty-incidence-drops-dramatically)
• Cebu's silent and expensive waste problem
(https://www.philstar.com/the-freeman/cebu-
news/2021/05/10/2097184/cebus-silent-and-expensive-waste-
problem-part-1)
• DOH: COVID-19 deaths in Cebu ‘rising fast’
(https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1545161/doh-covid-19-deaths-in-cebu-
rising-fast#ixzz7JGtkwVup)
• CLI to build condo for Cebu City informal settlers
(https://www.bworldonline.com/cli-to-build-condo-for-cebu-city-
informal-settlers/)

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