Because of a government scholarship which I had passed before I finished secondary school, I had to study in Cebu as there's a specific list of schools and courses which the scholarship only recommends. From Bohol, I have to take a ship to Cebu which takes around five hours travel and from the Cebu port, I still have to travel by a cab or a local "jeepney", a traditional public use vehicle in the Philippines to get me to my apartment. That was around the year of 2005 and during that time, Cebu is really known as a place of thieves and robbers. Their favorite place to victimize someone is in the port area, it also happens that the in just a few distance away from the port is the Plaza Independencia. It has been a place where thieves run whenever they snatch something from someone, the place was too dark and no one is looking out there so it was just a perfect spot for them to stay. In fact, they had also made it as a hide out and they made their own mobile tents which can be easily moved from one spot to another so these policemen and whoever is going after them won't be able to follow them.

That time, the Plaza Independencia which was supposed to be a landmark in Cebu seemed to be taken for granted by the local government and that it was not maintained at all. Garbage can be seen all around the place, people come and go without observing cleanliness and that the trees and plants were almost dying while the seats available had been misused, most of them were really damaged. It was just an unpleasing place.

But I am super thankful that this place was renovated. The new Mayor who had taken place had made great improvement of the said place. As I have mentioned, this was supposed to be a land mark and a public place which should be safe and clean. And so after a few months of cleaning and remaking the plaza, this new place had been reestablished and is now worth visiting. The crime of stealing and snatching had been eliminated as well as there were security guards assigned for the said place, roaming day and night to keep watch of the place as well as the people visiting it. The best thing about it? It is totally free.

Let me show you around the place then.

Plaza Independencia means place of independence and this is the main entrance of the plaza, it has around four gates but this one here has the mark stating the name of the plaza with some floral landscaping. This was taken a few years ago, the new plaza is way better now. Upon seeing this, it now looks really inviting.

I like the fact that they had made this with a native feel and I believe they had made a great choice in the flower selection.

A few meters away from the main entrance is a statue of Fray Juan De San Jeronimo who was the originator and planner of the OAR Philippine Mission, he was the first missionary to go to the Philippines to negotiate and organize evangelization and pastoral care for the people of the country. The team he brought with them had docked in the port on May 12, 1606 and was the start of the evangelical mission.

Coming inside the plaza, it is definitely obvious that the trees and the plants has been restored, trees were really glowing with their branches spreading and were giving natural shade to the people in the said plaza. The photo above was  taken when I looked up and check the clouds.