5 city barangays eyed as heritage district

CEBU, Philippines — Declaring the area around San Nicolas Proper and its surrounding barangays as a heritage district of Cebu City has gained attention following some discussions during the just-concluded 1st Cebu City Summit.

Participants are hoping that an ordinance proposing to declare the heritage district (of San Nicolas) as a heritage site will be done soon.

The area they want to be part of this heritage district includes five barangays – Pahina San Nicolas, Sawang Calero, Pasil, Suba, and San Nicolas Proper as reported by the city's PIO.

These barangays are currently home to several heritage resources such as the use of horse-drawn carriages or “tartanillas,” dried fish and other local delicacies for pasalubong at the Taboan Market, a school for the national martial art of arnis, and the celebration of the Kaplag Festival.

Architect Jessica Banaag discussed the history of the San Nicolas District and its significance as a heritage area.

“Several historical accounts point out that San Nicolas is one of the oldest, if not the oldest town in the Philippines,” Banaad said.

The image of the Holy Child Jesus was discovered in San Nicolas back on April 27, 1565.

This came 40 years after Ferdinand Magellan’s defeat in Mactan and during the arrival of Spanish explorer Miguel Lopez de Legaspi.

This incident is celebrated by the Archdiocesan Shrine of San Nicolas de Tolentino annually through the Kaplag Festival.

“Rajah Humabon and Queen Juana, who were the first Filipinos to be baptized by the Spaniards, were natives of San Nicolas,” added Banaag.

Accordingly, the original territorial boundaries of San Nicolas District included more than a dozen barrios, and its Friar Lands extended all the way to Carcar City in the south, to Guadalupe, Cebu City in the north, and to the City of Lapu-Lapu in the east. — GMR (FREEMAN)