Is Cebu a Dull Place with Dull People?
Some time ago, we read a blog article about an American tourist who had a lot of things to say about Cebu. To be fair, some of the things she pointed out were true. Like pollution, drab architecture and horrendous traffic. We do respect tourists' opinions and we are honored that you took time to write a review about Cebu City.(This article -> http://www.lashworldtour.com/2012/05/arrival-in-cebu-city-philippines.html)
Now this is the other side of the story.
We do not feel the need to justify our traffic congestion, pollution, unsafe roads and lack of modern architecture (it is what it is). However, we would like to share some insights on most Cebuanos’ behavior.
1. We ignore you.
Most Cebuanos hate being stared at(openly, that is). The simple act of staring has caused too many street fights and shouting matches. Staring is considered rude – it doesn’t matter if you look relatively ugly or gorgeous, posh or unwashed. Because most Cebuanos hate being stared at, the will not to the same thing to you, lest it makes you uncomfortable.
Furthermore, Cebuanos are exposed to different races. We have a lot of American, Japanese, Korean, French, Chinese, German, British, etc. nationals who have made Cebu their home. So, pardon us if our jaws don’t drop at the sight of someone whose skin isn’t the same color as ours.
2. Our clothes are dull.
A few Cebuanos do have awesome fashion sense. But you won’t find them walking in Colon Street or most sidewalks for that matter. You will find them in exclusive party venues or the trendier malls. Most Cebuanos who are milling around the streets know that dressing practical is the best way to go. Why should we wear something frivolous and attention-grabbing when we are trying to run errands (under the sweltering heat) while deliberately trying not to attract attention from snatchers/thieves/perverts?
Admittedly, most Cebuanos do prefer toned-down, "boring" clothing. Expect to see T-shirts, jeans, slippers/sandals, running shoes, shorts and tank tops on a daily basis. These are our wardrobe staples for practical reasons (mini skirts won’t help when women take public transport) and maybe because a lot of offices and universities frown upon avante-garde, fashion-forward choices.
3. Our youth are not expressive and are dull as the rest of us.
Yes, the youth won’t have colored hair, tattoos and piercings. Why? We’re predominantly Catholic and Cebu has so many Catholic Sectarian schools that strictly disallow colored hair, piercings, make-up – AND we should point out, smoking and drinking. As much as these kids want some outlet for their teenage angst, we’re pretty sure they are smart enough not to risk dyeing their hair purple and get dropped from school. So, yes, majority of the Cebuano youth is dull.
4. We’re stiff. Polite but stiff.
Yes, we are. Some tourists get offended and read wrongly when locals get too friendly with them. So, we try to stay polite without invading your personal space.
5. We don’t speak Tagalog – the national language of the Philippines.
This is one of the comments we read under that same blog. A Filipino wife (living somewhere in Luzon) visited Cebu with her foreigner husband and complained about how very few Cebuanos speak Tagalog. It’s not that we don’t want to. We are not arrogant. We learned it in school – from elementary to high school, in fact. It is just that most of us have funny Tagalog accents – or we find Tagalog funny (shrug). Anyway, the point is, it is not our mother tongue. For most of us, it is a lot more comfortable to speak English than Tagalog.
Disclaimer: This article is not defending the disgusting behavior of some Cebuanos. We do not condone rudeness, theft, swindling, spitting, littering or any of those acts in any way. Nor do we tolerate name-calling and harassment by people who disagree with other people’s opinions. This article merely addresses some issues (that we feel warrant a fair explanation) this American blogger highlighted in her blog.
