Carcar, officially the City of Carcar ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Carcar; fil, Lungsod ng Carcar), is a 5th class
component city
A city ( fil, lungsod/siyudad) is one of the units of local government in the Philippines. All Philippine cities are chartered cities ( fil, nakakartang lungsod), whose existence as corporate and administrative entities is governed by their own ...
in the
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
of
Cebu
Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 16 ...
,
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 136,453 people.
Carcar City is bordered to the north by the town of
San Fernando
San Fernando may refer to:
People
*Ferdinand III of Castile (c. 1200–1252), called ''San Fernando'' (Spanish) or ''Saint Ferdinand'', King of Castile, León, and Galicia
Places Argentina
*San Fernando de la Buena Vista, city of Greater Buenos ...
, to the west are the towns of
Aloguinsan and
Barili
Barili, officially the Municipality of Barili ( ceb, Lungsod sa Barili; tgl, Bayan ng Barili), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 80,715 people.
History
The w ...
, to the east is the
Cebu Strait
Cebu Strait (Tagalog: ''Kipot ng Cebú''; also Bohol Strait) is a strait in the Central Visayas region in the Philippines.
Geography
The Cebu Strait (and its 3 channels, the Mactan, the Olango, & the Hilutangan) connects the western part of the ...
, and to the south is the town of
Sibonga
Sibonga, officially the Municipality of Sibonga ( ceb, Lungsod sa Sibonga; tgl, Bayan ng Sibonga), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 53,424 people.
Sibonga is ...
.
Carcar lies within
Metro Cebu
Metropolitan Cebu, or simply Metro Cebu, ( ceb, Kaulohang Sugbo; fil, Kalakhang Cebu), is the main urban center of the province of Cebu in the Philippines. Metro Cebu is located along the central eastern portion of the island including the ne ...
area.
History
Carcar was known as "Sialo" since
before the Spanish colonization. It became a municipality in 1599. Carcar is considered one of the oldest towns in Cebu, with its Spanish influence lasted more than 300 years ago.
Cityhood
On 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
The League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), also known simply as the League of Cities, is a formal organization of all cities in the Philippines. As of September 3, 2022, there are 147 cities which are part of the organization.
Statutory Basis
...
. 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 back 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
The League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), also known simply as the League of Cities, is a formal organization of all cities in the Philippines. As of September 3, 2022, there are 147 cities which are part of the organization.
Statutory Basis
...
acknowledged and recognized the cityhood of Carcar and 15 other cities on July 19, 2013.
Geography
Carcar is located south of
Cebu City
Cebu City, officially the City of Cebu ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Sugbo; fil, Lungsod ng Cebu; hil, Dakbanwa sang Sugbo), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines and capital of the Cebu Province. Acc ...
. It has a land area of .
;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 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
Carcar comprises 15 barangays:
Climate
The wet season occurs during the months of May to October and the dry season, from January to May.
Demographics
Economy
Tourism
![Mercado Ancestral Home](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/Mercado_Ancestral_Home.jpg)
* 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
A suckling pig is a piglet fed on its mother's milk (i.e., a piglet which is still a " suckling"). In culinary contexts, a suckling pig is slaughtered between the ages of two and six weeks. It is traditionally cooked whole, often roasted, ...
, ampao, bucarillo, gorgorias and
puso'' – just some of the local delicacies.
*
Guadalupe Mabugnao Mainit Hot Spring National Park
Guadalupe Mabugnao Mainit Hot Spring National Park is a protected area of the Philippines located in Barangay Guadalupe in Carcar, Cebu, some 50 kilometers from the provincial capital Cebu City. The park covers an area of 57.50 hectares occupyin ...
* Heritage Houses such as the
Mercado Mansion
Mercado is the Portuguese language, Portuguese and Spanish language, Spanish word for ''market''. It may refer to:
Public markets
* Mercado de las Carnes, a former meat market in Ponce, Puerto Rico
* Mercado Central, Valencia, a public market in ...
* Tuyom Beach – Beach Houses
* 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
''Aglaomorpha quercifolia'' (synonym ''Drynaria quercifolia''), commonly known as the oakleaf fern or oakleaf basket fern, is a species of '' Aglaomorpha'' in the family Polypodiaceae. Other common names for the fern are ''pakpak lawin'', ''gurar' ...
) 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.
Notable personalities
*
Teofilo Camomot – founded the Congregation of Blessed Virgin Missionaries
*
Sheryn Regis – singer
Gallery
Carcar City Plaza.jpg, Rizal Monument at Town Plaza
Carcar City Museum.jpg, Carcar City Museum (formerly, Carcar Dispensary)
Carcar Church 3.JPG, Carcar Church Interior
Carcar Church 8.JPG, Carcar Town Complex
References
Sources
*
External links
*
*
*
Philippine Standard Geographic Code
{{Authority control
Cities in Cebu
Cities in Metro Cebu
Populated places established in 1599
1599 establishments in the Philippines
Component cities in the Philippines