A Historic Visit to Oslob, Cebu | South Cebu Tour

Two weeks ago, we found ourselves in a historic municipality of Oslob, Cebu. We were on our South Cebu Tour but we stayed in Oslob – which was also our jump-off point. Why not? We’ve heard so much about this municipality, though 4th class, its tourism is thriving.

Nowadays, historical places are famous destinations in almost everyone’s bucket list. However, we are not doing this just because it’s a bandwagon. We’ve been interested in history since HISTORY was introduced to us. I’m just saying so…

History is not was, it is! ~ William Faulkner

Let’s take a look at what the place has to offer:

*Church of Immaculate Conception  

Immaculate Conception Parish

This Immaculate Conception church was among the oldest churches in Cebu. It became an independent parish in 1847. It was burned down during the Second World War liberating Cebuano guerillas against the Japanese in Oslob in 1945, and 1955 but was eventually restored.

The entrance door.

In 2008, another fire gutted the 19th-century church’s interior, including the altar and adjacent rectory, but it spared the image of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception, which was inside a glass case, and the 73 other icons near the door to the bell tower.

The church was closed during our visit, so we were unable to take a look at the interior of it. 

*Bell Tower

Church bell tower. 

This bell tower adjacent to the church was built in 1858. It fortunately survived the fire that gutted the church twice.

*The Cuartel Ruins

The Cuartel Ruins

Located at the front right of the church is this ruins of an unfinished cuartel. It resembles a Spanish-era barrack and was intended as barracks for Spanish soldiers or guardia civil but was halted during the arrival of the Americans.

The structure was made of coral blocks from the remnants of the collapsed floor of the bell tower.

The back view of the cuartel.

*Baluarte

Baluarte

Baluarte means watchtower in Spanish. This is among the seven fortifying watchtower built along the coastline of Oslob. This fortress provided a safe place for guards to observe the surrounding area. This defense strategy effectively dispelled the Moro raiders of the past.

*Museo Oslob

This museum is located at the back of the cuartel ruins. The locals told us that other remnants of the town’s history is inside.

But it was also closed that time because it was a Sunday.

Entrance door of the museum.

Our short visit in Oslob brought us back to the past. It’s overwhelming to look back to what made us today, to not just live and enjoy the ruins but to know the story behind them. Each places has its own story. Most might be painful but it is what made the place. History is not just the past. History is the present.

History despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage need not be lived again.

Over to you: do you find interest in your place or country’s history, too?

Continue following our South Cebu Tour story.

‘Til our next destination!

Keep safe!

Love, Ace and Demi