MACTAN ISLAND
Mactan is a small island that lies a few kilometers to the southeast of the main island of Cebu. The island is connected to Cebu by two bridges – one of which is the Marcelo Fernan Bridge. The Mactan-Cebu International Airport, the country's second busiest airport, is also found on Mactan Island.

Brief History
The Battle of Mactan was the first battle between native Filipinos and Europeans, which was fought on April 27, 1521. The warriors of Lapu-Lapu, a native chieftain of Mactan Island, defeated Spanish sailors and soldiers under the command of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. The spot in the northeast where Magellan fell is marked with a monument, known as the Mactan Shrine. Lapu-lapu, regarded as the first Filipino to defeat a Western conqueror, is a national hero.

Products
Guitars and mangoes are two of the more popular products of Mactan. Guitar-making is a common occupation of the locals. Cebu is famous, not only for its fresh mangoes but its export-quality dried mangoes as well.

CEBU CITY
Often called the “ Queen City of the South” and is the country's oldest city, Cebu City has grown in popularity as a top destination in the Philippines. Aside from having a rich historic past, Cebu has evolved into a highly urbanized metropolitan center, which now serves as a focal point of growth and development in Southern Philippines.

Sinulog Festival
Considered as the oldest religious relic in the Philippines, the image of the Santo Niño, or Holy Child, was given by Ferdinand Magellan to Queen Juana, among the first Filipinos to be Christianized, as a baptismal gift in 1521. The image survived a great fire in 1565 unscathed.

The Sinulog Festival is Cebu’s biggest and most popular festival and is a feast in honor of Senyor Santo Niño de Cebu. The Sinulog celebration traditionally lasts for nine days, culminating on the final day with the Sinulog Grand Parade, which is celebrated every third Sunday of January. Leading up to the grand parade, devotees in the tens of thousands, converge in the streets of Cebu City to join in a grand solemn procession. Another major activity for the Sinulog celebration is the Fluvial Parade at dawn on the day before the mardi gras.

TRAVELERS QUICK FACTS

Language
Cebuano is the native tongue
Filipino is commonly understood and spoken
The English language is widely used

Climate
Cebu is best from December to May when the climate turns dry
Temperature can rise as high as 37°C in the summer which is from March to May
The rainy season begins in July

Business Hours
Banks – 9am to 3pm Monday to Friday
Government agencies and offices – 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday
Department stores and malls – 10am to 8pm everyday

Public Transport
One may take a jeepney, a bus or a taxicab in getting around Cebu.
Private transport services are also widely available.

Electrical Appliances
Most areas in Cebu are supplied with 220-volt electrical outlets
A plug with 2 flat parallel prongs is the norm
A plug with 2 round parallel prongs is not uncommon