CEBUANO

also called Cebuan, or Sugbuhanon, the second largest cultural-linguistic group in the Philippines, numbering about 17,010,000 in the late 20th century. They speak an Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian) language and are sometimes grouped with the Hiligaynon and Samaran under the generic name of Visayan (Bisayan) peoples. The Cebuano inhabit the islands of Cebu, Siquijor, and Bohol, as well as eastern Negros, western Leyte, southern Masbate, and northern Mindanao. Most Cebuano follow a traditional way of life, tilling the soil and fishing the seas. The typical Cebuano village consists of bamboo and wooden dwellings of two or three rooms built on pilings and thatched with palm. The diet is mainly rice and fish, with some vegetables and fruits. In Cebu and eastern Negros, however, ground cornmeal replaces rice as the staple cereal. Social life centres on baptisms, marriages, funerals, school programs, annual fiestas, and the Roman Catholic religious calendar. The major Cebuano urban centre is Cebu City, situated in the most densely populated island of the Philippines, Cebu.