CEBU CITY, Philippines – How do you like to spend your Friday and Saturday learning about some of the most interesting cultural and heritage facts about Cebu free of charge?
Yes, you read it right.
Cebu offers free heritage walks from May 3 and 4 and you do not have to pay a single peso.
The free heritage walks is part of Jane’s Walk, an annual global festival of citizen-led walking conversations with the goal of making spaces “for people to observe, reflect, share, question and re-imagine the places in which they live, work and play.”
The walk was inspired by Jane Jacobs, a writer, urbanist and activities who passed away in 2006, but not without championing the voices of “everyday people in neighborhood planning and city-building.”
Organized by Cebu Literary Festival (CebuLitFest), Jane’s Walk Cebu is spearheaded by individuals who saw the need to connect people with the community and the environment.
Last year, 2018, two walks were organized on the “Lost Bookstores of Cebu” and “Liloan: By the Lighthouse.”
This year, 2019, four walks are lined up and will run from May 3 and 4, 2019.
Start marking your calendars and get your backpacks, caps, umbrellas ready as well as your water bottles filled up for these enriching walks.
In and Around These Walls
At 2 p.m. on May 3, Friday, participate in a walking tour of Museo Sugbo, which was then a prison during the Spanish occupation. It currently houses Museo Sugbo or the Cebu Provincial Museum. This walk will be led by curator Masi Cabanes. Meeting place will at the Museo Sugbo main entrance.
Lost Bookstores and Cinemas of Cebu
On the same day, May, at 4 p.m., participate in a walk centered around the lost bookstores and cinemas of Cebu Led by literary friends Hendri Go and Cris Ruffolo, this walk welcomes bookworms and movie buffs are welcomed to join this two-hour walk that will take us around downtown Cebu. Meet up at Halad Museum on Manalili Street located behind Gaisano Main.
Liloan Food and Heritage Walk
On May 4, Saturday, those who are interested to explore this northern Cebu town will have the chance to try the best tasting delicacies in Liloan and visit Balay Pilapil with walk leader, Rycky Pilapil. Meet up will be at 8:00 a.m in front of the Liloan City Hall.
Pasil Food and Night Market Walk
At 9 p.m. on Saturday, the walk will explore food, markets and local nightlife with Pasil native, James Derodar. Meet up will be at the 7-Eleven on GF Antigua Bldg, B. Aranas corner T. Abella St. All you have to do is to show up because the walks are for free.
No registration required for all the walks with each walk running between one to two hours so you can always find time from your busy schedules to join the walks.
All walk leaders are volunteers.
According to CebuLitFest’s press statement, these walks “inspire people to make a difference as they enable members of a community to discover and respond to the complexities of the their city and environment through personal and shared observation.”
Jacobs, who inspired these walks, did not have formal training as an urban planner, But her 1961 treatise, The Death and Life of Great American Cities, introduced groundbreaking ideas about how cities function, evolve and fail, that now seem like common sense to generations of architects, planners, politicians and activities.
Jacobs was a firm believer of the importance of local residents in giving inputs on how their neighborhoods develop. To Jacobs, this can be made possible by having people familiarize the places where they live, work and play.
Jane’s Walk Cebu runs on May 3 and 4, 2019.
Around the world, other walks are held in hundreds of cities from May 3 to 5, 2019. To join the walks, check out the Facebook page of the Cebu Literary Festival.
Trust us, Jane’s Walk Cebu is free! No scam and no hidden charges too! Just a few hours of learning and sharing about Cebu and its myriad of cultural, historical and gastronomic wonders. / celr