A Brief History of Cebu's Freedom Park
Imagine a world where social media does not exist. Imagine where you share your deep thoughts through pen and paper—a medium for you, by you, and only you, and no one could ever know.
Well, such an era existed, and that was before the age of the internet. People at that time expressd their souls through writing, playing musial instruments, or painting. There were many mediums one could use to channel one's emotions; it’s just that social media was nonexistent at that time, and people could only share their opinions or the creations they made out of their feelings through word of mouth.
Yet, there is one unique medium, or let us just say, a place, where people outrightly express what is on their mind, heart, and soul. That is the existence of Freedom Park.
Freedom Park is an area in Magallanes Street (Cebu) where rallies and other open mics are held. Before that, the land where Freedom Park sat was originally given to the OAR or Order of Augustinian Recollects for them to build a monastery sometime in the early 17th century. However, in the 1860s, the Spanish authority that governed Cebu took over and made the place into a military camp instead. The place was going along with the different colonization eras of the Philippines. When the Americans ruled over the archipelago after overthrowing the Spaniards and purchasing the whole country from them and during that point, Freedom Park was renamed as Plaza Washington.
After those name changes, how did Freedom Park get its name? Freedom Park became even more significant during the post-war era when Cebuanos became more vocal with their opinions, especially about the country’s governance and political climate. During this time, there were discussions and debates about new policies being established, and even faith defenders used to gather in the same place. On less serious aspects, there were also open mics like spoken poetry, debates, and even pure entertainment like band showcases held in the park. Hence, the place was a hub of both art and politics.
Presently, Freedom Park has been made into a plaza with an obelisk at the center surrounded by plaques commemorating the many events that have shaped Cebu’s history. In the plaza, there is also a food hub called The Barracks – Carbon, where people can dine and unwind after making purchases in the different shops of the famous Carbon Market.
__________________________________________________________________________
Comments
Post a Comment