Cebú Heritage Watch

LordCarnal · December 30th, 2005, 12:34 PM

THE CEBU HERITAGE WALK
(Strolling Through the Heritage Sites of Cebu)
Photos by A.C.F.S.

Text Source: Colon Street Heritage Markers, Life in Old Parian

WALK ONE: Mabini-Colon Street

Our walk starts here and ends at the Osmeña Boulevard intersection. Walk One (Mabini-Colon Street) involves the entire stretch of Colon. Colon street also known as Parian is the Philippines’ oldest street built by the Spaniards when they arrived in Cebu in 1565 on board the San Pedro, San Pablo, and San Juan ships under the leadership of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi (presently interred at the San Agustin Church in Intramuros, Manila)..

The pictures and text below are arranged in order.

GUIDETTI’S STUDIO

Dante Guidetti was an expatriate Italian artist who, upon his discharge from the Italian army in the early years of the 20th century, found himself in Cebu. He established his studio on Colon Street where he made a name for himself as practitioner of classical sculptor and a mentor of the young artist of Cebu. He carved the figures from Greek mythology, which adorned the façade of Vision Theater and which created quite a furor among the pious sectors of the populace in the 1930s. Other works of Guidetti include the Osmena Mausoleum in San Miguel and the statues in the Talisay Town Plaza.

VAñO RESIDENCE

The Vaños were descended from a Portuguese gentlemen, Don Juan Reyes, whose daughter Mariquita married Don Jaime Vaño, a Spanish mestizo from the Ilocos. The Vano descendants married into such affluent mestizo families like the Corominasm Garces, Vano, Escaño, and Sanson.

RALLOS RESIDENCE

One of the biggest landowner in Cebu was Don Florentino Rallos who was the President or Mayor of Cebu City during the early American era. He owned almost the entire block. One of the descendants, Florentino Rallos III, is a very successful businessman, exporter and importer.

STUDYING IN COLON

Many of the prominent schools and universities in Cebu today have at one time or another set up shop along one section in Colon where it intersects Jakosalem Street. There was the Southern Institute, forerunner of the University of Southern Philippines, along one corner. Across it was built the Visayan Institute, which later became the University of the Visayas. Opposite this was the Spanish era Colegio Logarta which later gave way to Cebu Normal School. And, still later UP Junior College. The Southern Institute, founded in 1927, was originally an elementary and high school founded by Don Agustin Jereza, his wife Dona Beatriz Duterte Jereza, her sister Dona Soledad Sanson and other prominent Cebuanos. His home was a one-room Bahay na Bato with tiled roof. Later it was moved to Mabini street and became the Southern College and then as the University of Southern Philippines (Mabini Branch).

DOñA MODESTA SINGSON-GAISANO RESIDENCE

A modest house on this site was the residence of one of the greatest Philanthropists of Cebu. Doña Modesta Singson-Gaisano, matriarch of the Singson-Gaisano Clan, which owns and operates the biggest chain of department stores in Cebu. Doña Modesta’s memory is perpetuated through the scholarships, which her descendants continue to provide to poor but intelligent students.

SOUTHERN INSTITUTE

Southern Institute started as a high school. Its founder president was Don Agustin Jereza and Doña Soledad Duterte Sanson. The high school grew later into a university, the University of Southern Philippines which was transferred to Mabini street. The present university now occupies a much bigger area in Lahug under the helm of its president, former Cebu City Mayor Ronald Duterte. The family has maintained a Southern Institute in Bantayan, Cebu.

RESIDENCE OF DON VICTORIANO OSMEñA AND DR. MAMERTO ESCAñO

Don Victoriano Osmena was an elder half-brother of Dona Juana Osmena, mother of Don Sergio Osmena Sr. while his siblings opted to live in Carcar, don Victoriano preferred to reside in Parian, having married a long-time resident of the district, Dona Januaria Cabrera. Don Victoriano ran a shipping office on Colon Street. A daughter of Don Victoriano, Juanita, married Governor Arsenio Climaco.

On this site stood the imposing mansion of Dr. Mamerto Escaño and his wife, Doña Filomena Fortich de Escaño. The Escaños hailed from Malitbog, Leyte but operated several big businesses in Cebu, the most important of which was a shipping company (Escaño Lines).

RESIDENCE OF DON TOMAS OSMEñA

Don Tomas Osmeña was a wealthy uncle of the late President Sergio Osmeña Sr. It was he who carefully nurtured the career of the brilliant student and promising leader of Cebu and the country as well. Tomas R. Osmeña, current Mayor of Cebu City (when this marker was put up) was named after him.

DIMSUM HOUSE

Originally home of Gavino Sepulveda, a Cebuano who fought in the Filipino-American War. In 1926 one part became Casino Español de Cebu, an exclusive clubhouse for the affluent Spanish residents while its other part became Menzi, a paper company. In 1960s Don Tirso Uytengsu, a Chinese businessman acquired and put up the family-owned General Milling Corporation Office. In 1981, Henry Uytengsu transferred his Ding How Dimsum House, Cebu’s original dimsum restaurant, to this location.

ELITE BAKERY

Built in 1920 this building owned by Quirino Rodriguez was the site of the famed Elite Bakery owned and operated by Emilio Osmeña (beheaded during WWII) and his wife Mary Renner (a German mestiza). Elite Bakery became one of the most patronized refreshment parlor by the elite few of Cebu. The original building though was destroyed during World War II and the present building was rebuilt by Jose Humiliano Timteo Inez Rodriguez de Pages.

OTHER PICTURES

Vision Theater

- Designed by Dante Guidetti (see top page)

Oriente Theater

Art Deco Building

Cebu Business Hotel

Plaza Fair

Vistarama Theater

@Photos maybe lifted as long as credits are given where it is due.

LordCarnal · December 30th, 2005, 12:34 PM