Sibonga, officially the Municipality of Sibonga ( ceb, Lungsod sa Sibonga; tgl, Bayan ng Sibonga), is a 3rd class

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality ...

in the

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions outsi ...

Cebu Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and ...

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 53,424 people. Sibonga is bordered to the north by the city of

Carcar Carcar, officially the City of Carcar ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Carcar; fil, Lungsod ng Carcar), is a 5th class component city in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 136,453 people. Carcar City is ...

, to the west are the towns of

Barili Barili, officially the Municipality of Barili ( ceb, Lungsod sa Barili; tgl, Bayan ng Barili), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 80,715 people. History The w ...

and Dumanjug, to the east is the

Cebu Strait Cebu Strait (Tagalog: ''Kipot ng Cebú''; also Bohol Strait) is a strait in the Central Visayas region in the Philippines. Geography The Cebu Strait (and its 3 channels, the Mactan, the Olango, & the Hilutangan) connects the western part of th ...

, and to the south is the town of

Argao Argao, officially the Municipality of Argao ( ceb, Lungsod sa Argao; tgl, Bayan ng Argao), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 78,187 people. Geography The munic ...

. It is from

Cebu City Cebu City, officially the City of Cebu ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Sugbo; fil, Lungsod ng Cebu; hil, Dakbanwa sang Sugbo), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines and capital of the Cebu Province. A ...

History

The town fiesta is every August 10 every year, this celebrates the feast of

Saint Philomena Philomena ( el, Ἁγία Φιλομένα), also known as Saint Philomena or ''Philomena of Rome'' was a young virgin martyr whose remains were discovered on May 24–25, 1802, in the Catacomb of Priscilla. Three tiles enclosing the tomb bore ...

& October 11

Our Lady of the Pillar Our Lady of the Pillar ( es, Nuestra Señora del Pilar) is the name given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in the context of the traditional belief that Mary, while living in Jerusalem, supernaturally appeared to the Apostle James the Greater in A ...

. Sibonga has 2 patron saints:

and

. One of the highlights of the fiesta is the ''Bonga Festival'' which features cultural dancing and the town's local produce. It is a home of many historical houses built in the Spanish era. ''Tulay'' or wharf is a common place where people of Sibonga and visitors spend time to relax - sightseeing, camping and merely having a siesta time. The Catholic Church is one of the most beautiful Churches in Cebu. It has a beautiful ''Tan'' ''Tinoy'' Park (named after a former barrio captain Tinoy) in front of the Sibonga Municipal Office. The ''escuela'' (school) houses during the Spanish era are still standing adjacent to the Catholic Church. There is ''Tubig'' ''Mainit'' (hot water) spring in Barangay Can-aga.

Geography

Barangays

Sibonga comprises 25 barangays:

Climate

Demographics

Economy

Sibonga has begun developing the town to become more industrial while still preserving its natural bounty. Sibonga is abundant in root crops, corn, rice, coconuts among others. The public market is held every Saturday in Poblacion. Each barangay has its own ''agora'' or marketplace with its own specific days of function. For example, in Barangay Papan, people from neighboring barangays convene in every Thursday for trade. Sibonga now has Sibonga Community College which offers 4-year courses to its inhabitants.

Culture

''Pastores de Sibonga''

''Pastores de Sibonga'' is a short Christmas play which narrates the nativity as performed in Magcagong. The play depicts the shepherds' adoration of the child Jesus. Pastores de Sibonga dates back to the 1920s. Pastores de Sibonga is performed by at least four dancers. The female dancer wears a red blouse or shirt paired with a long white skirt. The male dancer wears a red shirt paired with black pants. Accessories include a round hat decorated with cut-outs of the sun, moon and stars in yellow, red, green, and other brightly colored papers together with a yellow sash placed across the body. It is performed used red fans and white handkerchiefs. An oval-shaped native fan is used and held by the right hand during the performance. The white square handkerchief is held by the left hand folded into a triangular shape. The accompaniment music is a

rondalla The rondalla is an ensemble of stringed instruments played with the plectrum or pick and generally known as plectrum instruments. It originated in Medieval Spain, especially in the ancient Crown of Aragon: Catalonia, Aragon, Murcia, and Valencia. ...

– an ensemble (guitar,

bandurria The bandurria is a plucked chordophone from Spain, similar to the mandolin and bandola, primarily used in Spanish folk music, but also found in former Spanish colonies. Instrument development Prior to the 18th century, the bandurria had a round ...

, and banjo), played with the

plectrum A plectrum is a small flat tool used for plucking or strumming of a stringed instrument. For hand-held instruments such as guitars and mandolins, the plectrum is often called a pick and is held as a separate tool in the player's hand. In harpsic ...

. The lyrics tell of the pre-, nativity, and post-nativity settings. It expresses happiness, joy, and worship, and offers praises and gifts for Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

Notable personalities

* Gloria Sevilla - actress *

Amapola Cabase Maria Amapola Cabase, better known by her stage name Amapola, is a Filipina singer, actress, musician, television and radio host. She is widely known in the Philippines as the original artist for the song "Kapantay ay Langit", which was later ...

- singer, musician, actress

References

Sources

* * *

External links

* Philippine Standard Geographic Code {{Authority control Municipalities of Cebu Cebuano culture Culture of Cebu