Cebu's Demographics; Literature, Languages, Religion, and Population

Cebuano literature refers to the literary works written in Cebuano, a language widely spoken in the Philippines. The term is most often extended to cover the oral literary forms in pre-Spanish Philippines.

While the majority of Cebuano writers are based in the Visayas and Mindanao, the recognized literary outlet for them, Bisaya Magasin, is based in the city of Makati, while there is also a lively community of writers in the language which is based outside the country. The term Cebuano literature, therefore, encompasses not only those Visayas- and Mindanao-based writers writing in Cebuano, but all written output in Cebuano, wherever its source.

Languages
Cebuano is the indigenous language of Cebu. It is also spoken in most parts of Central and Southern Philippine Islands, including Bohol, western Leyte, Negros Oriental, the northern and eastern coasts of Mindanao, and parts of Bukidnon, Agusan, Surigao, Davao, Cotabato, and Zamboanga del Sur. Differences exist but in many of these places the variations are slight.[2] There are more than 20 million speakers of Cebuano. [1] Cebuanos are conversant in Tagalog, English, as well as other Visayan languages such Hiligaynon and Waray-Waray.

In the Camotes Islands, a language related to Waray-Waray called Porohanon is spoken. What distinguishes it from Cebuano is that what is normally "y" in Cebuano is "j" in Porohanon. So in Camotes, maajo kaajo (very good) is said instead of maayo kaayo.

In Santa Rosa, Bantayan Visayan is spoken. It is closer to bisrock than it is to Cebuano.
Spanish is spoken by its mestizo and Spanish communities. Cebu was the first province that was influenced by the Spaniards until the capital of the country was later moved to Manila. English is also used on education, media, commerce and the government; and Chinese is spoken mainly by its Chinese community.

Religion
Magellan's Cross Kiosk
The patron of Cebu is the Our Lady of Guadalupe. But most of the natives regard the Santo Niño de Cebu, the Holy Child Jesus as their patron saint. The statue is housed in the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño, San Nicholas de Tolentino is the oldest church but was partially destroyed during the war. It is the original place where the Spaniards erected the cross and first set foot and later transferred to its current location the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. Soon, the patron was changed to the Lady of Guadalupe to conform to canonical practice of having patron saints instead of Jesus Christ himself.

According to historical accounts, the Santo Niño was given by the Portuguese sea captain and explorer Ferdinand Magellan to the wife of the chief of Cebu. That act is depicted in Cebu's largest, most popular and largest cultural event, the Sinulog where street-dancing and loud drum beats preceded by a holy Mass is the main attraction.

Cebu has a Roman Catholic Archdiocese and has several major churches, including the Basilica Minore del Sto. Nino, the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, the San Carlos Church, the Sto. Rosario Parish Church, San Jose-Recoletos Church, Sacred Heart Church, etc. as well as several other non-Catholic churches and temples.

Population
In the Census of Population and Housing (Census 2000), Cebu City recorded a total population of 718,821 persons, 56,522 more compared to the 1995 Census of Population (POPCEN) results. Metro Cebu (5 cities) and Cebu Province is estimated to have over 2.5 million inhabitants.
According to the latest census conducted by the government, as of August 2007, there were 798,000 people living in Cebu City, with over 3.5 million in the entire province.