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| Plaza Parian circa 1910 (Casa Gorordo in Cebu Urban Residence in A Philippine Province 1860-1920) |
The Parian District in Cebu City is the counterpart of Manila's Binondo. It was originally slated as a Chinese ghetto, according to American Professor and Historian, Michael Cullinane, but eventually, over the centuries, it emerged as the conclave of converted Chinese Mestizos (Mestizo de Sangley), who assimilated into Cebu society.
By the mid-19th Century and onwards, the Parian District was a bustling neighborhood, full of commercial businesses and residential areas. It became the sought-after neighborhood for the local elite. Most of today's prominent Cebuano families can trace their ancestry to those who lived on the streets of the Parian. Familiar surnames like Osmena, Leyson, Alducente, Andrada, Cabajug, Villa, Avila, Alburo, Reynes, Chiong Veloso, Noel, Garces, Gandiongco, Suico, Sanson, Rallos, Regner, Garces, and Climaco, are just some of the residents of the Parian.
Years ago, I wrote an article about various markers found on Colon Street that identified family houses and businesses. I haven't walked around Colon for years now, and I'm not sure if those markers still exist. It was an ambitious endeavor to promote Cultural and Historical Heritage in Cebu, but conservation and preservation, even for those markers, were not sustained.
At the end of the 19th century, Law offices, schools, a horse and carriage shop, blacksmiths, and even a photo studio were just some of the enterprises that could be found in the area.
Parian became a wealthy neighborhood, which was reflected in its Parish Church. Unfortunately, because of jealousy, the Parian church was dissolved and the building taken down.
In Resil Mojares' book about Casa Gorordo, published by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc., there is a visual depiction of the Parian District dating from 1900 to 1920. It shows who were still living in Parian. By this time, the American Colonial Government was slowly divesting the Spanish Orders of their haciendas and selling them to the public. Most of the families who had been residing in Parian for decades or even centuries moved away and created new neighborhoods.
Map of the Parian District circa 1900-1920
1) Gorordo, 2) Sanson and the Office of Ang Suga, 3) Villa, 4) Aglipayan Church, 5) Garces, 6) Sidebottom, 7) Rodriguez, 6) Jesuit Residence 1730, 9) Gandionco, 10) Villa, 11) Del Mar, 12) Cui-Jakosalem, 13) Cui, 14) Avila, 15) Cui-Sanson, 16) Osmena-Cuenco, 17) Cuenco, 18) Climaco, 19) Veloso, 20) Cuenco, 21) Osmena, 22) Gantuangco, 22) Valle, 23) Chiong-Veloso, 24) Vano, 25) Singson, 26) Garces, 27) Veloso, 28) Rallos, 29) Sepulveda, 30) Veloso-Osmena, 31) Club Ingles, 32) Osmena, 33) Casino Espanol, 34) Hijos del Pueblo, 35) Borromeo, *Cross marks where the Parian Church used to be
REFERENCES:
Casa Gorordo in Cebu Urban Residence in a Philippine Province 1860-1920 New Edition, Resil Mojares, 2017, Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc.
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