colon

Colon Street is considered as the first and oldest street in the Philippines. It is located in downtown area of Cebu City, Cebu and has been the witness of so many events that happened during the Spanish settlement. It was named after Cristopher Columbus, a navigator, colonizer, and explorer from Genoa, Italy. The original plan of the town’s design was made by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, a Spanish explorer who arrived in the Philippines to constitute a settlement in 1565 on a fleet composed of the vessels San Pedro, San Pablo and San Juan.

Studying in Colon

Many of the prominent schools and universities in Cebu today have at one time or another set up shop along one section in Colon where it intersects Jakosalem Street. There was the Southern Institute, forerunner of the University of Southern Philippines, along one corner. Across it was built the Visayan Institute, which later became the University of the Visayas. Opposite this was the Spanish era Colegio Logarta which later gave way to Cebu Normal School. And, still later UP Junior College. The Southern Institute, founded in 1927, was originally an elementary and high school founded by Don Agustin Jereza, his wife Dona Beatriz Duterte Jereza, her sister Dona Soledad Sanson and other prominent Cebuanos. His home was a one-room Bahay na Bato with tiled roof. Later it was moved to Mabini street and became the Southern College and then as the University of Southern Philippines (Mabini Branch).