In Search of Fray Julian

Located between the Negros and Bohol islands, Cebu is a coraline island, 180 kilometers long and about 40 kms its widest which is amidst island, between Manduae and Toledo. The main island covers 4,421 sq. km.

The central region is rugged, with peaks rising to more than 1,000 meters. Its rugged coast line offers very little arable land for rice cultivation. Its generally arid climate has made Cebu less an agricultural area unlike the neighboring island of Negros, which is volcanic in origin and has fertile fields for extensive plantations. However, Cebu developed as an important trading center where goods from the orient were brought. Chinese traders resided in Cebu prior to the coming of the Spaniards.

Spanish conquistadors began colonizing Cebu in 1565. From their convent in Cebu City, Augustinians friars went out to evangelize the neighboring settlements as well as the neighboring islands. The arrival of other religious orders, notably the Jesuits in 1595 and the establishment of the Diocese of Cebu in the same year meant that the burden of evangelization was shared with others. The Jesuits took charge of Bohol, and the town of Mandaue, Cebu where they had an hacienda. The seculars took charge of a parish for the Chinese at Cebu’s Parian. By the 19^th century, when most of the existing churches and convents on the island were built, Cebu had been divided into districts. The Augustinians took charge of the parishes from Mabolo (Talamban) to Santander (Tañon), and the island of Mactan; the Recollects were assigned the northeastern coast; while the seculars took charge of the western coast.

With the transfer of the capital from Cebu to Manila in 1571, the economic fortunes of Cebu took a down turn. Added to this were slave raids that periodically devastated coastal settlements. The raids were particularly intense from the second half of the 18^th century to the first half of the 19^th. During this time, British economic interest in the south fomented a spate of raids which only came to an end when the Spanish armada, equipped with iron steamboats mounted an effective blockade of the southern seas.

The economic upturn of Cebu based on trade and manufacture spelled an economic boom in the south. The Cebu port was opened to foreign ships in 1860 ushering in prosperity for the island. The city of Cebu was linked by railway to as far as Carcar, a town that came be noted not just for its prosperity but for its cultural achievements.

The tour of southern Cebu brings us face to face with the handiwork of an unusual Augustinian friar, Fr. Julian Bermejo. A consummate builder, he was also a military strategist. At 25 years of age, he was assigned to the town of Boljoon, where he found a church being raised to replace one which was totally devastated by a raid in 1798. Fr. Julian saw the futility of building only to be devastated, unless some military solution could be found. He built a string of watchtowers that eventually protected the seacoast from Carcar to Santander. He also fortified Boljoon. His watchtowers were imitated by others, so that watchtowers were built as far north as Sogod. Other towns like Madridejos and Santa Fe in Bantayan and Daang Lungsod near Oslob were fortified. He also organized flotillas of well armed vessels, manned by the townspeople, to engage the raiders at sea.

So effective was Fr. Julian that his flotilla scored a decisive victory over the raiders off Sumilon Island in 1813. From then on, southern Cebu was never attacked. Fr. Julian was engaged by the crown to assist the alcalde mayor of Cebu in suppressing the remnants of Francisco Dagohoy’s followers in Bohol. Dagohoy had started a revolt which lasted more than 80 years.

Fr. Julian was popularly called "el Padre Capitán." Our tour brings us to the theater of Fr. Julian's military exploits.

• To learn more about Sugbu, where East and West Met click here.
• To tour Southern Cebu, click here.
• To begin our tour of Cebu City, click here.