Cebu City (123.8944E 10.3033N) is the oldest port in the Philippines, founded by the Spanish in 1565. It was the Spanish capital of the Philippines until 1571 and was still the commercial center of the southern Philippines in 1941.
The town had an airstrip
and was the headquarters of the Visayan-Mindanao
Force and was garrisoned by 81 Philippine Division
when war broke out. Over 10,000,000 rounds of ammunition were at the
docks awaiting distribution.
Japanese forces took the town on 10 April 1942. An attempt was made to establish a last-ditch bastion in the rugged interior, but the troops here felt compelled to surrender upon the fall of Corregidor.
The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia (c) 2007-2008 by Kent G. Budge. Index