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Carcar

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A culinary waypoint on the island road

Carcar’s reputation as a food haven goes beyond its famous lechon; the city’s street-side stalls offer a lesson in how Filipino flavours evolve when they meet coastal supply chains. Early mornings reveal vendors preparing fresh kinilaw with fish caught just offshore, while late afternoons see the aroma of toasted piaya, a flaky pastry brushed with muscovado sugar, wafting from modest family bakeries. For travellers who have already roamed the more tourist‑centred eateries of Cebu City, a slow walk along the historic Avenida lets you compare the precision of the city’s pastry chefs with the more rustic, home‑grown versions found in neighbouring towns. Pair a bite with a locally brewed tuba for an experience that mirrors the region’s blend of tradition and modest modernity.

When the monsoon paints the town

The rainy season, typically from June to October, brings a hushed quality to Carcar’s colonial streets, highlighting the interplay of stone and shadow around the old municipal hall. Rather than avoiding travel during this period, consider timing your visit to coincide with the lighter showers that soften the heat without drowning the city’s outdoor markets. The reduced humidity makes walking the heritage precinct far more comfortable, and the locals often host impromptu cooking demonstrations under canvas awnings, sharing recipes that are rarely featured in guidebooks. This seasonal rhythm offers a glimpse of everyday life that is both authentic and surprisingly intimate.

Beyond the plaza: small‑scale heritage tours

While Carcar’s central plaza is the obvious starting point, a short trek northward leads to a cluster of ancestral homes that escaped the larger‑scale restorations seen in other Visayan cities. These structures, often still occupied by descendants of the original families, provide a living museum of Spanish‑Filipino architecture, complete with original balustrades and wooden shutters. Guided by a local historian—often a retired teacher or a member of the city council—you can explore the subtle differences in floorplans that hint at the economic status of the original owners. Such tours are typically organised through community cultural centres rather than mainstream travel agencies, offering a deeper, grassroots perspective on Carcar’s built heritage.

Introduction

Component city in Cebu, Philippines For the town in Spain, see Cárcar. For the Woody Guthrie song, see Car Car. Component city in Central Visayas, PhilippinesCarcarComponent cityCity of CarcarCarcar Old Town Plaza as seen from the bell tower of St. Catherine of Alexandria Church SealNickname: Heritage City of the SouthMotto:  Sidlak Carcar!, Sadya Carcar!Anthem: Ganghaan sa habagatanEnglish: Gateway to the SouthMap of Cebu with Carcar highlightedInteractive map of CarcarCarcarLocation within the PhilippinesCoordinates: 10°07′N 123°38′E / 10.12°N 123.63°E / 10.12; 123.63CountryPhilippinesRegionCentral VisayasProvinceCebuDistrict 1st districtFounded1599CityhoodJuly 1, 2007 (Lost cityhood in 2008 and 2010)Affirmed CityhoodFebruary 15, 2011Barangays15 (see Barangays)Government  • TypeSangguniang Panlungsod • MayorMario Patricio P. Barcenas (NP) • Vice MayorHervy Alejandro B. de Dios (NP) • RepresentativeRhea Mae A. Gullas (Lakas) • City Council Members Rey Anthony L. LawasMa. Bernadith R. BarcenasIsidro M. AlbercaVincent Raymund L. EscobidoMichelle Amistad-ZozobradoJeson B. FernandezRoy O. VelezArchilles L. GantuangcoNicepuro L. ApuraLorena Mae A. TaboraGiovanni Quijano ‡Jhesidy Thea G. Alberca ◌‡ ex officio ABC president◌ ex officio SK chairman  • Electorate87,040 voters (2025)Area • Total116.78 km2 (45.09 sq mi)Elevation97 m (318 ft)Highest elevation807 m (2,648 ft)Lowest elevation0 m (0 ft)Population (2024 census) • Total140,308 • Density1,201.5/km2 (3,111.8/sq mi) • Households32,075Economy • Income class3rd city income class • Poverty incidence30.71% (2021) • Revenue₱ 1,004 million (2024) • Assets₱ 4,425 million (2024) • Expenditure₱ 434.4 million (2024) • Liabilities₱ 1,059 million (2024)Service provider • ElectricityCebu 1 Electric Cooperative (CEBECO 1)Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)ZIP code6019PSGC072214000IDD : area code +63 (0)32Native languagesCebuano Tagalog Carcar, officially the City of Carcar (Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Carcar; Filipino: Lungsod ng Carcar), is a component city in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 140,308 people.

History

[edit] Before Spanish colonization, Carcar was known as "Kabkad" and it was part of area called "Sialo" which was ruled by the Sri Lumay (Rajahmura Lumaya), who had established his kingdom in Cebu Island and ruled from the Singhapala (present-day Mabolo in the north part of Cebu City). Sri Lumay had 4 sons, namely Alho, Ukob, Parang the Limp, and Bantug (father of Rajah Humabon). Sri Alho ruled a land south of Cebu, which was known as Sialo, which included Singhapala to Carcar-Valladolid (on the central east coast of Cebu Island) and beyond up to Santander (southern end of Cebu Island, 200 km from Mabolo). Spanish rule[edit] It became a town in 1599. Carcar is considered one of the oldest towns in Cebu, with its Spanish influence lasting for more than 300 years. World War II and the Koga papers[edit] See also: Operation Z (1944) In early April 1944, fishermen Pedro Gantuangko and Rufo Wamar, both residents of Carcar, discovered a wooden box floating off the coast of San Fernando, Cebu after they were alerted to the crash of a Japanese plane at sea. Upon retrieving the box from the shore, they discovered a water-soaked portfolio containing various Japanese-language documents, which they dried for the next two days and kept hidden from Japanese authorities. Gantuangko eventually handed over the documents to local guerrillas, with the papers soon reaching Lt. Col. James M. Cushing. Japanese military officers murdered numerous civilians in their persistent search for the documents, with both Gantuangko and Wamar separately fleeing to Bohol to hide from authorities. The documents, later named the "Koga papers" after General Mineichi Koga, were picked up by the American submarine USS Crevalle in Negros Oriental and sent to Brisbane, Australia, where it was discovered by General Douglas MacArthur to contain plans called Operation Z that revealed the Japanese' tactics in the Pacific theatre. The papers soon proved crucial to the forming of the Allied plan to liberate the Philippines, pushing the planned Allied invasion of the country to October 1944, two months ahead of schedule. Cityhood[edit] Main article: Cities of the Philippines For further information, see League of Cities of the Philippines v. COMELEC. In July 2007, the municipality of Carcar was converted into a component city of the province of Cebu after ratification of Republic Act 9436. On November 18, 2008, Supreme Court ruled that the cityhood charters of Carcar and 15 other cities as unconstitutional as a result of a petition filed by the League of Cities of the Philippines. A year later, on December 22, Carcar and 15 other municipalities regained their status as cities again after the court reversed its November 18, 2008, ruling. On August 23, 2010, the court reinstated its ruling on November 18, 2008, causing Carcar and 15 cities to revert to municipalities. Finally on February 15, 2011, Carcar and the other 15 municipalities regained their cityhood status. In 2013, after a six-year legal battle, the League of Cities of the Philippines acknowledged and recognized the cityhood of Carcar and 15 other cities on July 19, 2013.

Geography

[edit] Carcar City is bordered to the north by the town of San Fernando, to the west are the towns of Barili and Aloguinsan, to the east is the Cebu Strait, and to the south is the town of Sibonga. Carcar is 40 kilometres (25 mi) from Cebu City, 23 kilometres (14 mi) from Barili, and 26 kilometres (16 mi) from Aloguinsan. It has a land area of 116.78 square kilometres (45.09 sq mi). Carcar lies on the southeastern part of Metro Cebu area. Topography The land is generally level with less than 18% slope comprising 78.7% of the total land area. Areas with slopes ranging from 18 to 50% cover 19.3% of the total land area and those over 50% slope comprise approximately 1.9%. The highest recorded elevation is a little over 660 metres (2,170 ft) above sea level, located within the barangay of Napo. Soil type The municipality has five dominant soil types namely: Faraon Clay, Steep Phase, the Lugo Clay, the Mandaue clay loam & the Hydrosol type. Barangays[edit] Carcar is politically subdivided into 15 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios. PSGC Barangay Population ±% p.a. 2024 2010 072214001 Bolinawan 7.8% 10,881 10,852 ▴ 0.02% 072214002 Buenavista 1.9% 2,662 2,294 ▴ 1.06% 072214003 Calidngan 2.3% 3,258 2,953 ▴ 0.70% 072214004 Can‑asujan 6.5% 9,114 7,845 ▴ 1.07% 072214005 Guadalupe 9.0% 12,641 10,633 ▴ 1.23% 072214006 Liburon 5.4% 7,606 6,749 ▴ 0.85% 072214007 Napo 4.6% 6,427 6,344 ▴ 0.09% 072214008 Ocaña 6.7% 9,361 8,507 ▴ 0.68% 072214009 Perrelos 10.1% 14,129 12,901 ▴ 0.65% 072214012 Poblacion I 7.8% 10,919 8,996 ▴ 1.38% 072214013 Poblacion II 1.9% 2,680 2,432 ▴ 0.69% 072214014 Poblacion III 4.9% 6,898 5,763 ▴ 1.28% 072214015 Tuyom 4.3% 6,080 5,563 ▴ 0.63% 072214010 Valencia 3.9% 5,485 4,885 ▴ 0.82% 072214011 Valladolid 8.2% 11,523 10,606 ▴ 0.59% Total 140,308 107,323 ▴ 1.92% Climate[edit] The wet season occurs during the months of June to October and the dry season, from January to May. Climate data for Carcar, Cebu Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 28(82) 29(84) 30(86) 31(88) 31(88) 30(86) 30(86) 30(86) 30(86) 29(84) 29(84) 28(82) 30(85) Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 23(73) 23(73) 23(73) 24(75) 25(77) 25(77) 25(77) 25(77) 25(77) 25(77) 24(75) 23(73) 24(75) Average precipitation mm (inches) 70(2.8) 49(1.9) 62(2.4) 78(3.1) 138(5.4) 201(7.9) 192(7.6) 185(7.3) 192(7.6) 205(8.1) 156(6.1) 111(4.4) 1,639(64.6) Average rainy days 13.4 10.6 13.1 14.5 24.2 27.9 28.4 27.7 27.1 27.4 22.5 15.9 252.7 Source: Meteoblue (Use with caution: this is modeled/calculated data, not measured locally.)

Economy

[edit] Poverty incidence of Carcar 10 20 30 40 50 2000 49.90 2003 22.88 2006 35.00 2009 27.21 2012 17.02 2015 21.39 2018 13.80 2021 30.71 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority Carcar City relies on local **Agricultural products (farming, livestocks,poultry operations,cut flowers & ornamental gardening, fishing & aquaculture) Local Broadcasting operations Business operations (Department Stores: Gaisano Grand Mall and Super Metro / Supermarkets:SM Savemore)(Hardwares: CitiHardware,Cebu Builders,&etc.) Appliance Stores Banking operations (ChinaBank, MetroBank, Security Bank, RCBC, LandBank,Allied-PNB, and etc. Maritime Training Centers Money Remittances, **Pawnshops Local manufacturing (Footwears and Shoe-making, Pottery & Ceramics,Tinsmith, Basketry, Upholstery, Amakan) Food Industries (corn snacks, chicharon, lechon, ampaw or rice crispies, gorgorias, banana chips, and eateries & carenderias)

Tourism

[edit] Mercado Ancestral Home As a heritage city of Cebu, Carcar contains various Spanish and American period structures. The Carcar plaza alone hosts several heritage structures, the Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria dominates the area. Within the complex various structures stand, including quaint houses and their distinctive architectural details. Surrounding the Rotunda and in the public market one will find the famous Carcar chicharon, lechon, ampao, bucarillo, gorgorias and puso – just some of the local delicacies. Guadalupe Mabugnao Mainit Hot Spring National Park Heritage Houses such as the Mercado Mansion, Balay na Tiesa, Noels Mansion,Mancao’s Mansion, Silva House Theotokos Archdiocesan Shrine at Nangkaan Hills, Perrellos Sacred Heart Shrine at Upper Katugasan,Can-asujan Camari Hills at Calidngan Tophills Camping Site, Upper Cogon, Poblacion 1 Carcar City Peoples Family Park Tuyom Beach – Beach Houses Bantayan Heritage Watch Tower-Tuyom Watch Tower in Bas, Perrelos,Carcar Worlds Largest Shoe open air on display at Acacia Grill, Valladolid The Carcar Rotunda Bolinawan Islet Tabyug Mangrove Forest at Sitio Bas,Perrelos Sundaze Farm, Valencia The Kabkaban Festival, which is the town's local festival in honor of St. Catherine of Alexandria. The name of the festival comes from the old name of the town, which was taken from the local term for the Oakleaf Fern (Aglaomorpha quercifolia) which is abundant in the town, even to this day. Celebrated from the November 23 to 25, it highlights the rich culture, faith, and musical history of Carcar.

Education

[edit] The public schools in Carcar are administered by the Schools Division of Carcar City. Elementary schools[edit] Bolinawan ES Buenavista ES Calidngan ES Canal ES—Canal, Bolinawan Can-asujan ES Cara-atan ES— Cara-atan, Buenavista Carcar Central ES- P. Nellas Street,Poblacion 3 Guadalupe ES Hunob ES — Hunob, Guadalupe Kalangyawon ES— Kalangyawon, Napo Kamanggahan ES-Kamanggahan, Guadalupe Kayam ES-Kayam, Napo Liburon ES Lunas ES- Lunas, Calidngan Mainit ES-Mainit, Guadalupe Manghupi ES-Manghupi, Can-asujan Maximina V. Barangan ES— Upper Cogon,Poblacion I Moag ES- Moag, Guadalupe Napo ES Ocaña Central ES Perrelos ES Pit-os ES-Pit-os, Calidngan Sacsac ES-Sacsac, Calidngan Saay ES- Saay,Can-asujan Tagaytay ES- Tagaytay, Can-asujan Tal-ot ES- Tal-ut, Valencia Tapal ES-Tapal, Guadalupe Tawog ES-Tawog, Valladolid Tuyom ES Upland ES- Poblacion I Valencia ES Valladolid ES High schools[edit] Can-asujan NHS — Can-asujan Carcar Central NHS — P. Nellas Street, Poblacion 3 Gelacio C. Babao, Sr. Memorial NHS — Valladolid Kalangyawon NHS— Kalangyawon, Napo Liburon NHS - Liburon Maximino Noel Memorial NHS— Guadalupe Hunob NHS- Guadalupe Ocaña NHS— Ocaña Perrelos NHS— Perrelos Pit-os NHS—Pit-os, Calidngan Roberto E. Sato Memorial NHS— Calidngan Tagaytay NHS- Tagaytay, Canasujan Tal-ut NHS— Tal-ut, Valencia Tuyom NHS— Tuyom Tuyom SHS(Juana Macalalag MNHS) — Tuyom Valencia NVHS— Valencia Integrated Schools[edit] Canal IS-Canal, Bolinawan Naximina V. Barangan IS(CarcarCentral NHS Extn) Moag IS-Moag, Guadalupe Puesto IS — Sitio Puesto, Napo Sacsac IS — Sacsac, Calidngan, Carcar City PRIVATE SCHOOLS: Exceed Learning Center-Caipilan,Pob.1 St.Catherines College Mother Mary’s Children School-Dapdap,Pob.3 St.Teresa’s School-GariettaHeights,Valladolid Cebu Sacred Heart College-RamosHeights,Valladolid Carcar Academy Tech.School-Pob. 1 Ocana Learning Center St.Elijah Christian Int’l Sch.-Ocana Carcar Christian School-Pob.2 Carcar Bible Baptists Academy-Cambuntan Eastside Christian Academy-Inayagan,Tuyom Colleges[edit] Carcar City College — P. Vasquez St., Poblacion I Carcar City St.Catherines College - Poblacion 1,Carcar City, Cebu Philippines Cebu Sacred Heart College-Ramos Heights ,Valladolid,Carcar City

Notable personalities

[edit] Archbishop Teofilo Bastida Camomot – now a servant of God, founded the religious Congregation Daughters of St.Terese de Avila and the current motherhouse convent is located at Garietta Heights, Valladolid,Carcar City,Cebu Bishop Manuel Porcia Yap- first Carcaranon prelate who translated the holy bible in a Cebuano version,he was the first bishop of Capiz and later assigned to Bacolod… Bishop Sincero Barcenilla Lucero- a prelate of the Diocese of Dipolog Bishop Emiritus Jose Manguiran- assigned prelate at the Diocese of Dipolog and later at the Archdiocese of Ozamis Archbishop Martin Jumoad- prelate of Basilan and currently the Archbishop of Ozamis, although born in Pardo, Cebu City but his mother’s family roots is from Valencia, Carcar City Fr.Anastacio ‘’Padre Tatyong”del Corro- the founder of St. Catherines School now a college, the longest serving parish priest Bro.Ezequiel Barangan, a lay cathechist and a religious founder of the women congregation Siervas Sisters of Nuestra Senora dela Paz (SNSP) Marcelino Navarra- from Sitio Kuasi,Tuyom,Carcar a fiction writer, poet,essayist, editor in chief of Bisaya Magazine hailed as the Father of Modern Cebuano Literature Maria Alcordo Cabigon fondly known as Manding Karya- a renowned Cebuana prolific fiction writer Sheryn Regis –recording artists and performer of ASAP and a product of Star in a Million along with Eric Santos Harry Gasser - Newscaster and anchor of Balita Ngayon on ABS-CBN from 1969 to 1972. (Carcar City) Bong Lapira - a pioneering broadcast journalist, news anchor, and radio personality. He is a veteran commentator of news programs such as Newsbreak on ABS-CBN from 1967 to 1969. (Carcar City) Martin Abellana – an author. Sinforosa Alcordo - a fiction writer during the pre-war era. (Cebu City) Jacinto Alcos - a pre-second world war writer. Epifanio Alfafara - writer in the Cebuano language of political and philosophical articles. He used Isco Anino as a pen name. (Carcar City) Sergio Alfafara - a writer. He published, authored and translated religious and missal texts in Cebuano. He published a grammar of Cebuano known as Sugboanon nga Gramatika. His pennames included Napoleon Alferez. (Carcar City) Martino Abellana "Noy Tinong" - a renowned Cebuano painter and dubbed as "The Dean of Cebuano Painters". His lifetime of works includes portraits, landscapes, and still life glowing in oil, vibrant in pastels, vivid in charcoal, they practically pulsated with life. (Carcar City) Romulo Galicano - a painter whose works are technically academic and philosophical in approach. His works are hauntingly reminiscent of the old Filipino Masters with modern sensibilities. (Carcar City) Ramon Abellana - a sculptor, his famous sculpture works are the Carcar City Rotunda, the Sergio Osmeña Sr and Lapu-Lapu at the Cebu Provincial Capitol, Humabon in Plaza Hamabar, and another statue of Don Sergio Osmeña Sr. (Carcar City)