Before Spanish colonization, Carcar was known as "Kabkad" and it was part of area called "Sialo" which was ruled by theSri Lumay (Rajahmura Lumaya), who had established his kingdom in Cebu Island and ruled from theSinghapala (present-dayMabolo in the north part ofCebu City).[6] Sri Lumay had 4 sons, namely Alho, Ukob, Parang the Limp, and Bantug (father of Rajah Humabon).[7] Sri Alho ruled a land south of Cebu, which was known asSialo, which included Singhapala[6] to Carcar-Valladolid (on the central east coast of Cebu Island) and beyond up toSantander (southern end of Cebu Island, 200 km from Mabolo).[8][9]
In early April 1944, fishermen Pedro Gantuangko and Rufo Wamar, both residents of Carcar, discovered a wooden box floating off the coast ofSan Fernando, Cebu after they were alerted to the crash of a Japanese plane at sea. Upon retrieving the box from the shore, they discovered a water-soaked portfolio containing various Japanese-language documents, which they dried for the next two days and kept hidden from Japanese authorities. Gantuangko eventually handed over the documents to local guerrillas, with the papers soon reaching Lt. Col.James M. Cushing. Japanese military officers murdered numerous civilians in their persistent search for the documents, with both Gantuangko and Wamar separately fleeing toBohol to hide from authorities.[10][11]
The documents, later named the "Koga papers" after GeneralMineichi Koga, were picked up by the American submarineUSSCrevalle inNegros Oriental and sent toBrisbane, Australia, where it was discovered by GeneralDouglas MacArthur to contain plans calledOperation Z that revealed the Japanese' tactics in the Pacific theatre. The papers soon proved crucial to the forming of theAllied plan toliberate the Philippines, pushing the planned Allied invasion of the country to October 1944, two months ahead of schedule.[10][11]
In July 2007, the municipality of Carcar was converted into a component city of the province of Cebu after ratification of Republic Act 9436.
On November 18, 2008,Supreme Court ruled that the cityhood charters of Carcar and 15 other cities as unconstitutional as a result of a petition filed by theLeague of Cities of the Philippines. A year later, on December 22, Carcar and 15 other municipalities regained their status as cities again after the court reversed its November 18, 2008, ruling. On August 23, 2010, the court reinstated its ruling on November 18, 2008, causing Carcar and 15 cities to revert to municipalities. Finally on February 15, 2011, Carcar and the other 15 municipalities regained their cityhood status.
In 2013, after a six-year legal battle, theLeague of Cities of the Philippines acknowledged and recognized the cityhood of Carcar and 15 other cities on July 19, 2013.[12][13]
Carcar City is bordered to the north by the town ofSan Fernando, to the west are the towns ofBarili andAloguinsan, to the east is theCebu Strait, and to the south is the town ofSibonga. Carcar is 40 kilometres (25 mi) fromCebu City, 23 kilometres (14 mi) fromBarili, and 26 kilometres (16 mi) fromAloguinsan. It has a land area of 116.78 square kilometres (45.09 sq mi).
Carcar lies on the southeastern part ofMetro Cebu area.[14]
Topography
The land is generally level with less than 18% slope comprising 78.7% of the total land area. Areas with slopes ranging from 18 to 50% cover 19.3% of the total land area and those over 50% slope comprise approximately 1.9%. The highest recorded elevation is a little over 660 metres (2,170 ft) above sea level, located within the barangay of Napo.
Soil type
The municipality has five dominant soil types namely: Faraon Clay, Steep Phase, the Lugo Clay, the Mandaue clay loam & the Hydrosol type.
As a heritage city of Cebu, Carcar contains various Spanish and American period structures. The Carcar plaza alone hosts several heritage structures, theChurch of St. Catherine of Alexandria dominates the area. Within the complex various structures stand, including quaint houses and their distinctive architectural details.
Surrounding the Rotunda and in the public market one will find the famous Carcarchicharon,lechon, ampao, bucarillo, gorgorias andpuso – just some of the local delicacies.
Theotokos Archdiocesan Shrine at Nangkaan Hills, Perrellos
Sacred Heart Shrine at Upper Katugasan,Can-asujan
Camari Hills at Calidngan
Tophills Camping Site, Upper Cogon, Poblacion 1
Carcar City Peoples Family Park
Tuyom Beach – Beach Houses
Bantayan Heritage Watch Tower-Tuyom
Watch Tower in Bas, Perrelos,Carcar
Worlds Largest Shoe open air on display at Acacia Grill, Valladolid
The Carcar Rotunda
Bolinawan Islet
Tabyug Mangrove Forest at Sitio Bas,Perrelos
Sundaze Farm, Valencia
The Kabkaban Festival, which is the town's local festival in honor of St. Catherine of Alexandria. The name of the festival comes from the old name of the town, which was taken from the local term for the Oakleaf Fern (Aglaomorpha quercifolia) which is abundant in the town, even to this day. Celebrated from the November 23 to 25, it highlights the rich culture, faith, and musical history of Carcar.
Archbishop Teofilo Bastida Camomot – now a servant of God, founded the religious Congregation Daughters of St.Terese de Avila and the current motherhouse convent is located at Garietta Heights, Valladolid,Carcar City,Cebu
Bishop Manuel Porcia Yap- first Carcaranon prelate who translated the holy bible in a Cebuano version,he was the first bishop of Capiz and later assigned to Bacolod…
Bishop Sincero Barcenilla Lucero- a prelate of the Diocese of Dipolog
Archbishop Martin Jumoad- prelate of Basilan and currently theArchbishop of Ozamis, although born in Pardo, Cebu City but his mother’s family roots is from Valencia, Carcar City
Fr.Anastacio ‘’Padre Tatyong”del Corro- the founder of St. Catherines School now a college, the longest serving parish priest
Bro.Ezequiel Barangan, a lay cathechist and a religious founder of the women congregation Siervas Sisters of Nuestra Senora dela Paz (SNSP)
Marcelino Navarra- from Sitio Kuasi,Tuyom,Carcar a fiction writer, poet,essayist, editor in chief of Bisaya Magazine hailed as the Father of Modern Cebuano Literature
Maria Alcordo Cabigon fondly known as Manding Karya- a renowned Cebuana prolific fiction writer
Sheryn Regis –recording artists and performer of ASAP and a product of Star in a Million along with Eric Santos
(Administratively independent from the province but grouped under Cebu by thePhilippine Statistics Authority. However, qualified voters in Mandaue are allowed to vote in elections for Cebu provincial officials by virtue of Republic Act No. 6641, in accordance with Section 452-c of the Local Government Code of 1991.)
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Media related toCarcar at Wikimedia Commons
Carcar travel guide from Wikivoyage
