Beautiful Philippines: A Handbook of General InformationPhilippine Islands. Commission of Independence
History
Beautiful Philippines: A Handbook of General Information
Philippine Islands. Commission of Independence
Philippines -- Description and travel; Philippines -- Economic conditions
[Silliman Institute]
The principal points of interest in Dumaguete are the old watch-tower
on the plaza, built to guard against surprise by piratical Moro
fleets, and the buildings of the Silliman Institute. This latter is
a high-grade Protestant endowed school, with preparatory, classical,
and industrial departments; in it are enrolled some 500 students,
representing a wide range of localities. It was founded in 1901 with
a gift of Dr. Horace B. Silliman, of New York, and is now maintained
by the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions. The buildings are
located on the beach, about five minutes' walk from the central part
of the town.
[Other Places of Interest]
There are a few other places of some interest within a moderate
distance of Dumaguete. Among these are some hot springs, about 6
kilometers (about 4 miles) west of the town. There is a fairly good
horse trail to within a few minutes' walk of them, and the scenery
along the route is picturesque. Of more interest is the active Volcano
of Magaso, which lies 14 kilometers to the south. It is accessible by
a good trail; and a horse can be ridden to the top of the crater. The
descent into the latter is not difficult.
CEBU PROVINCE.--The Island of Cebu which is co-extensive with
the province of that name was discovered by Magellan on April 7,
1521. The town was then under the rule of Raja Humabon, a powerful
chief who had eight subordinate chieftains and a force of some two
thousand warriors under him. Magellan made friends with Humabon and
succeeded in baptizing him, his wife, and as many as eight hundred
of his men. Magellan also endeavored to bring the people of Mactan
under Spanish influence. In this attempt, he was killed while engaged
in battle with the people of Opon who were then under Chief Lapulapu.
[First Spanish Settlement]
Forty-four years after Magellan's time, Legaspi occupied the town
of Cebu which was then under the rule of Tupas. Here Legaspi founded
the first Spanish settlement in the Philippines which he called San
Miguel. The town, which was planned in the shape of a triangle, was
defended on the land side by a palisade and on the two sides facing
the sea by artillery. The name of the town was later changed to the
City of the Most Holy Name of Jesus "in honor of an image of the
Child Jesus which a soldier had found in one of the houses."
The establishment of the Spanish settlement in Cebu brought to
this island the Portuguese who then disputed the ownership of the
Archipelago. In 1566, 1568, and 1570, Portuguese expeditionary forces
were sent to Cebu to drive away the Spaniards. First in 1568 and
again in 1570, the Portuguese blockaded Cebu, but in both cases the
blockade resulted in a failure.
The plains yield as many as three crops of corn a year. Coconuts,
sugar cane, abaca, peanuts, bananas, pineapples, camotes, and tobacco
are other products.
[Industries]
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