Sibonga

Sibonga is a municipality in Cebu Province. Population was about 48,000 in the 2015 census.

Understand

Sibonga is best known for the Marist Monastery of the Holy Eucharist and a church called Simala Miraculous Mama Mary. They are in a single large building complex, and exceedingly scenic. For Catholics, especially Filipinos, this is a place of pilgrimage.

As in many Philippine municipalities, most of the population is along the coast. The monastery and church complex, however, is some distance inland.

Get in

Cebu Province in white
Sibonga in red

Sibonga is on the coastal highway that rings Cebu Island. It is the next municipality south of Carcar, which is the southernmost town of the Metro Cebu urban area.

The usual way to reach Sibonga by bus is on a Ceres bus from the South Bus Station in Cebu City. Buses bound for Dumaguete or Oslob pass through Sibonga.

See

Do

The feast day of Saint Philomena, the town's patron saint, on June 10th is the town's main fiesta. Some locals also celebrate the Sinulog festival in late January.

The Pastores de Sibonga is a Christmas show put on every year in Magcagong Barangay. It recounts the nativity in song and dance, using at least four dancers.

Go next

• Metro Cebu, not far to the north, is the region's main urban center.
• Going south, one might visit Oslob which is known for whale watching, or cross a narrow strait to the next island (Negros) and the tourist town Dumaguete.
• Across the island to the west is the diving destination Moalboal.