Colon Street is probably the most famous street in the Queen City of the South. When one mentions the name Colon, images of a vibrant shopping and business district comes to mind. It is a rather busy and crowded street located in downtown Cebu. It is also the oldest street in the entire archipelago.
Old Colon Street - image source: mycebu.ph
Colon was named after the Spanish name of Christopher Columbus, Cristobal Colon. The street was established by the Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi after his arrival in the Philippines in 1565. Trendy shopping establishments, boutiques, movie houses and boutiques used to dot the stretch of Colon Street before the arrival of big malls in the 1990s. Due to this, commercial activity started to shift in the uptown area of the city as businesses transferred their operations in these areas.
Vision Theater - image source: flicker.com
Colon Street is still among the most crowded areas in the Queen City of the South. It continues to be a place for people from all walks of life to gather and look for great deals on products that may be cost more in the malls. A good number of jeepneys coming from different areas in the city typically pass by the street.
Colon Street - image source: cebudailynews.inquirer.net
In 1999, the National Historical Institute declared Colon Street as a historical landmark. Markers were set up along the side of the road showing information about the historical significance of some establishments located in the area. These markers give visitors information about the Vaño Residence, Lu Do Copra Plant, Tamayo Residence, Rallos Residence, Southern Institute, Don Victoriano Osmeña Residence and the University of the Visayas, among others.
Colon Street - image source: tripadvisor.com
City officials also exerted efforts in bringing back the glory days of Colon Street. Police officers and barangay tanods were tasked in securing the area. In an effort to revive Colon Street, the annual Night Market was established in 2007. The Night Market is held four times each year: in January, June, August or September and December. Stalls are open from 6 in the evening until 2 in the morning. The stalls occupy a wide stretch of the street and have transformed the area into a place where local residents and foreign tourists can enjoy a festive atmosphere. Numerous products are sold at the Night Market from knick-knacks to home and kitchen wares. Prices of these goods can go as low as P5 per piece, which is something one cannot easily find in the malls.
Night Market - image source: cebufinest.com
The entry of big malls in Cebu may have shifted commercial activities into the uptown areas, but if there are still people looking for great deals in the city, Colon Street will continue to be the center of business in the Queen City of the South.
Colon Street - image source: en.wikipedia.org
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