By Jose Eleazar Bersales
Sociology-Anthropology Department
University of San Carlos
I was pleasantly surprised by the swift and positive outcome of my column (and my calls to the National Museum) last week regarding the looting of artifacts at Plaza Independencia. The National Museum (NM) immediately sent a team, led by its assistant director, Noel Cuevas, to meet with Vice Mayor Mike Rama, as well as the management of the subway project at the plaza, to check the reports. Continue Reading »
By Jose Eleazar Bersales
Sociology-Anthropology Department
University of San Carlos
It was called plaza de armas in the early 1600s, alluding to generic term for a public square used as military training and parade grounds. Later it was widened, bordering the properties across the Cathedral of Cebu, and was aptly called plaza mayor. Toward the twilight of Spanish colonial rule, it was landscaped, with borders finally defined and was christened Plaza Maria Cristina, in honor of the queen regent. When the Americans came, it was called Plaza Libertad, as the Americans were asserting that they had liberated Cebuanos from the yoke of Spanish oppression. Still, when the colonial masters had all left, it became what it has come to be called now: Plaza Independencia. Continue Reading »
Above:Movie trailer of Deep Gold, an upcoming movie produced by New Cebu Films of Bigfoot Entertainment. (Video from YouTube)
Prior to the 1960s and even up to the mid 1970s, lots of films were produced in Cebu some of which brought home prestigious awards from international film competitions like the Asian Film Festival. Cebu as the Visayan capital of filmmaking was home to Visayans actors and actresses which made their mark in the Philippine filmmaking industry. Continue Reading »
