BORBON AS THE HIDING PLACE FOR THE GRAND OLD MAN OF CEBU

The National Historical Commission of the Philippines highlighted the town of Borbon, Cebu, Philippines in the annals of Philippine History.

It’s when the Grand Old Man of Cebu, President Sergio Osmena went into hiding after the Spaniards identified his involvement in the anti-Spanish uprising in Manila in 1897.

NHCP says, “the outbreak of the Revolution in Manila forced Sergio Osmena to return to Cebu to continue his studies. He worked as a part-time court recorder for the Cebu Audiencia and a personal aide to the Spanish military governor of Cebu. At the same time, he was a contributor of articles to El Boletin de Cebu, the only provincial newspaper at that time; and to the Spanish Manila- based periodical, El Comercio. Sergio’s excellence as a journalist earned him the prestigious Medalla del Merito Civil. Sergio went back to Manila in 1897 to resume his studies. However, new anti-Spanish uprisings forced him to flee to Borbon, Cebu since he was identified with the Spaniards”.

Many Borbonanons especially young generations doesn’t exactly know this relevant piece of history. What we only learned about the Osmena’s, was that they belong to powerful political clans in Cebu and apparently their influence proliferates to the whole of Cebu and even in neighboring provinces. Evidently in our municipality, we have had a private high school in upland barangay named after Don Emilio Osmena and another elementary school named after Dona Mary Osmena among others, as cenotaphs of their bequest.

Without knowing that no less than the Grand Old Man himself, was for one time, during the Spanish period came to our peaceful little town to take shelter and concealed from the preying eyes of the Spaniards. We brought up this topic in order to give relevance to one historical account where our town was mentioned by NHCP and for us, Borbonanons to have some sense of personal or rather historical gratifications. That Borbonanons are proud, warmth and friendly people willing to lend a hand for those who come to our aid.

May it be the most powerful man in the country or the least fortunate in our society.

SILMUGI FESTIVAL OF BORBON

20th of January (Borbon)
"Silmugi" is an old name of the town of Borbon and the festival is in honor of its patron saint for the bountiful harvest. The street dancing which is one of the highlights is participated in by the different barangays.

Borbon Cebu has its own festival celebration, the Silmugi Festival where in,  Silmugi is an old name of the town of Borbon. Feel to visit a popular place which is  the Lugo, a quite  place that has known for puto  cheese and budbud .Other attractions that you would like to enjoy are Nonoc Cave at Barangay Cadaruhan, Borbon, Silmogue River, Old Church and Grotto, San Sebastian Church. There are also nearest hotel in Borbon like Waterfront  Cebu City Hotel & Casino, Marco Polo Plaza Cebu Phils, Metro Park Hotel, Waterfront Airport Hotel & Casino, Crowne Garden Hotel, Nikkei Garden Business Hotel,  St. Mortiz Hotel, Palazzo Pensionne, ALTA Cebu Village  Resort,  Sirangan Beach  Resort.
 

Travel Directions: To reach Borbon, go to Cebu North Terminal and  find a bus that  route to Borbon destination, just ride a bus or else  if  you want to travel comfortably just  choose  to ride  a V-hire. It takes 2 hours to travel.

HISTORY

It is believed that the Silmugi River played a big part during Borbon’s formulation as a town because when the rainwater was cascading from the mountainbarangay's and flowed into the Silmugi River, it got so big and wide that a boat can travel by it. 

 No wonder that in the list of Borbon folktales, the Silmugi River is a favorite subject circulating among locals.  As the story goes, one day a boat load of exploratory Spaniards reached the shores of Borbon right where the Salmugi River meets the sea. As they disembarked from their boat, they inquired from the natives the name of the place. Not understanding the language being spoken, the Spaniards resorted to some hand gestures and pointed to the ground that they stepped on. So the locals answered with a smile that it is “BONBON”, a term given to the soft clay part of the soil along the shore. Hence, the Spaniards took the name “BORBON”.

Another story circulating on how Borbon got its name is that when the Spaniards landed in the place, it didn’t have a name. So they asked a local couple what the name of the place was but unfortunately the couple did not understand what the Spaniards asked, so they answered by giving their nicknames, “Bor” and “Bon”. So, that’s how the place came to be named Borbon.

According to the Panublion publication, Borbon was established as a parish on 15 September 1862 and had San Sebastian, martyr, as patron saint.  Today, St. Sebastian’s fiesta is celebrated every January 20th. Borbon was formerly a visita or an extension community of the town of Sogod.  That is why many of the very first settlers of Borbon are families with roots that can be traced back to relatives in Sogod. 

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 In addition, Redondo (1886, 163) describes the Borbon church made of wood and tabique resting on a base of mortar, dimensions 22.5 fathoms long, 7.5 wide.  The church was thatched with grass.  The original church mentioned here is believed to be one of the oldest churches in Cebu prior to its burning during World War II.