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Joe's Tales from Visayas / Philippines 1999 / 2000 by Alfred N. "Joe" Bruckner A B N C - NEWS & COMMENTARIES 
C E B U - C O L O N ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The oldest street in the Philippines got its name after the renowned explorer Cristobal Colon - Christopher Columbus. Colon Street is the heart of (my) Barangay Kalubihan in the center of "downtown" Cebu. The word "Kalubihan" is a Visayan word meaning "full of coconut trees", but there are no more trees. Old is also the name of the neighbouring Barangay Kamagayan, taken from the word "Magay", a plant which grew abundantly in swampy areas within the place. Today, Barangay Kamagayan does not have "Magay" trees but has grown to be one of the progressive Barangays in the City. It is known - according to "Profile of Cebu City Barangays" - "as a place that never sleeps because of the presence of night spots". And "Your Guide to Cebu" - issued by Department of Tourism, Central Visayas - add for Colon Street: "A glittering City by night lined with moviehouses, department stores and other establishments". Indeed, Colon has nearly everything, particularly around the two most busiest crossings in Cebu City; as first, with Osmena Boulevard, known as "Jones", and P. Lopez, as second, with Leon Kilat and Boromeo: during night, streets with vendors, BBQ-Stands, Jeepney-Stops and pedestrian lanes, decorated with traffic lights, "all in one". But, Colon is not only the "oldest" street in the Philippines: The square of Colon and Osmena Boulevard with Sanciangko and Junquera Streets in the Barangays of Kalubihan and Kamagayan is also home to the "oldest trade in the world": like in the famous "Reeperbahn" lined up with Boarding Houses, Lodges, Hotels, Hostels, Pension Houses, Bikini-Bars, Karaoke, Sing-along and - 24 hours - a heavy overstocked (open) "fleshmarket". Unlike in other Barangays in "Global Village" or in the neighbouring Cities of Mandaue and Lapu Lapu, Colon is not - at the first view - a typical "Red-Light-Area". Those establishments in the upper (price) class are more or less hidden in other (main) streets in Cebu City and owners or operators of Clubs and Bars, Karaoke, etc. are more concentrated to the pockets of "tourists" than in the area in "downtown". This area in "Downtown", west of Colon, and the two Barangays Kalubihan and Kamagayan are very well known for its "young" and "very young" chicks, some of them "delivered" also to other market places. Even "Specials" are available. To understand this situation, needs to "remove" a little bit the blanket covering the surface and needs to look to the "backstage" of said "glittering City by night": There are several universities in the area and there are hundreds of squatter families - waiting for the approach of demolition teams. A DAY IN COLON ======================================== At dawn, the traffic is still quiet. Some cocks are calling. The smell of fresh, hot bread is in the air, at day-break not covered by the smoke of BBQ-stands and exhaust-pipes of vehicles. Entrances of business establishments, arcades and passages are on change from "sleeping-rooms" for homeless people and street-children to their temporary living-rooms. Few overtired looking girls in a dark corner, the arcade opposite of Metro-Gaisano, are still waiting for "customers", their "Mamas" and pimps starting last attempts to attract bypassers for their "ware" ..... "good in massage" ....."very cheap" ..... Indeed, trend of prices is seeming like up and dowm movements of and with the hour-arm on clocks. Business is "lousy" - no customers ..... so, some are involuntary "on diet". Newspapers, local and from Manila, are delivered to news-stands and on some places distributed to news-boys. Silence, no sound from karaokes and bars; FM-stations start their morning programs, (recycled) news come from AM-stations, prepared at the evening before (because my fellow country-men are not used to work in early morning hours). Even TV-"News" are mostly replays. The Supermarket in the basement of Metro Gaisano opens at six, department stores and other business establishments follow later in the morning. People in fruit-stands and eateries along P. Gulas are awaked and prepare their stalls. Sidewalk vendors will also start later. More and more Jeepneys are on tour - following "daylight" routings according to their franchises. Colon, Osmena Boulevard, Leon Kilat, Borromeo, P. Lopez, Sanciangko, Junquera, Pelaez, Legazpi, D. Jakosalem and P. de. Rosario are the main routes in mass transortation. Nearly every Jeepney line within Cebu City pass those streets. Take care and look out! It might be "dangerous" to cross Colon at "red" or between intersections - meaning "dangerous for the pocket", to be apprehended by Traffic Enforcers for this violation - because this "special group" of CITOM - Cebu City Integrated Traffic Operational Management - is temporary "on tour" ..... An other very "active" group in order of the City Government, is waiting for "customers" - apprehending people throwing cigarett butts or other garbage to the floor. Life is back ..... Heavy traffic on all five lanes of Colon. All stores and banks are open; sidewalk vendors, stamp makers, watch repairers and other small business on tables, ticket-offices for shipping lines, "Pay-Phone" and the morning shift of "Mamas" and their "ware" is in operation. Only banks and some offices are closed on weekends and holidays; stores and most other business establishments are open daily. Music is in the air from loudspeakers in entrances of some stores. Sales-Ladies listen to the sound and sometimes they are singing. Some Traffic Enforcers give at crossing Colon / Osmena Boulevard a soloist performance in a concert for whistle and horns. In the afternoon, Colon is changing its face. BBQ-Stands prepare for evening - first on sidewalks, later one lane of Colon will be used. Peanuts are cooked, corn cobs grilled over small pots on the floor. Smoke from charcoal is mixed with exhaust-clouds from smoke-belchers. Also the former very "active" group of CITOM in reducing avoidable air pollution is at present very silent. After dusk, the first Jeepneys begin with "evening" operations and use Colon as "Terminal", particularly those "out of line" - but so more comfortable for their passengers, to reach a destination withouth additional change on route to an other vehicle. Some stores are closed - time to prepare "sleeping-rooms" again. On sidewalks are now BBQ-stands and fish-grills, ways are prepared to "dining rooms" for bypassers. Balot vendors are on tour. Trisikads (human powered bicycles with side-car) deliver water in 20-litre-containers to side-walk-BBQ's and oterh small business which is not connected with pipes of MCWD (Metro Cebu Water District). N i g h t - L i f e ======================================= It's the busy time for pimps and "Mamas" ..... to earn a little bit for the daily need ..... and to run after potential "customers". Some Foreigner are on "search" for "company" in the "Open Market", but most they prefer Karaokes or Bars - even, if the prices for beer, "lady drinks" and "bar-fine" (for "take-out") are higher ..... So, the "overstocked market" in Colon and environ is "local priced". Traffic is reduced, lanes can be used for "Terminals" and Jeepney-Stops are transfered to "night operations". Traffic (and other) rules are "temporary suspended". Trisikads are available for connecting services to Jeepney lines. Sometimes arrive "intrudors" on the stage: CITOM Traffic Group ..... it's an excellent occasion to issue in a very short time a lot of "tickets" for several violations. They come, write and move out again! After closing of Cinemas and some stores, some areas are partly in darkness due to missing street lights. After midnight, only few BBQ-stands are on duty during night-shift ..... in case night-walkers (like me), bypassers or staff and customers in Karaokes and Bars are hungry. Some Internet-Cafes are open till two or three in the morning, few during 24 hours. Colon is in the center of Cebu City. It is part of the historic old area - in walking distance to Santo Nino, Magellan's Cross, City Hall, Fort San Pedro, Carbon Market, and Southern Bus-Terminal. In the area between Colon and Carbon Market are numerous stores in the "old style". What you cannot find in the big (and modern) Shopping Malls outside of the City center, here you will be successful. So, a visit in Cebu is not complete without a walk through Colon ..... |
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 Alfred N. "Joe" Bruckner Correspondent Travel Writer - Photographer Tourist Guide A B N C - NEWS & COMMENTARIES |
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