Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III and Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale hold a copy of one volume of the History of Cebu collection that was launched during the Gabii sa Sugbo, an evening celebration after the State of the Province address. (CDN PHOTO/ CHRISTIAN MANINGO)
Copies of the History of Cebu, s 55-volume collection that took eight years to finish, were turned over during the “Gabii Sa Sugbo” held at the Capitol last Wednesday.
Rene Alburo, project coordinator, gave a copy of one volume in a ceremonial turnover to Tuburan Mayor Democrito Diamante, president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) Cebu.
“The writing of Cebu’s history was indeed a labor of love. This is made for the love and pride of Cebu,” Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale said during the ceremony.
Magpale, who chairs the committee on history writing, said the book project started in the ‘90s under then governor Pablo Garcia and was revived in an executive order issued by Garcia’s daughter, then governor Gwendolyn Garcia in 2007.
The book project was done in partnership with the University of San Carlos (USC) and Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI).
Agreement
The History of Cebu consists of 55 volumes detailing the history of each town and component city in the province.
In his speech Alburo said they had difficulty finding writers, with some leaving in the middle of the project.
The USC-Cebuano Studies Center was commissioned to write the history book after an agreement signed between USC and the province with a project cost of P11 million for two years.
Dr. Resil B. Mojares and Dr. Erlinda K. Alburo of the Cebuano Studies Center were appointed to lead the project.
Update
Historians Emilio Pascual, Jose Eleazar Bersales, Madrileña dela Cerna, and Jocelyn Gerra edited the research of 60 writers.
Project Manager Rene Alburo requested for a one- year extension since not all writers finished their manuscripts on time.
Alburo said the Women in Literary Arts Cebu Inc. proofread and oversaw the layout of the book.
In 2011, USC submitted their manuscripts and was reviewed by all history committee members.
They were submitted to the local government units for further verification and additional input.
The committee decided to update the books and include the 2013 election results, where Gov. Hilario Davide III started his term, and the target date was moved to August 2015.
Scope
The project was delayed due to hitches in gathering available materials used for writing the book, said Wilfred Toledo, in-charge of monitoring the book’s progress under Magpale’s office.
“It’s not easy to write history, considering that this is a first of its kind in scope and length. It’s really complete,” Toledo said.
Earlier this year, RAFI donated P3.6 million and USC donated P2.68 million to support the printing of the long overdue collection.
Copies of the books are displayed in the Capitol’s mini-library and in USC. Digital versions will be made available on the provincial government’s website www.cebu.gov.ph.
Magpale said they plan to print more copies of the books which cover 44 towns, six cities and three highly urbanized cities of the province. /With Correspondent Mary Claire CAtado