After around five years, Cebuanos can once again enjoy their beloved Plaza Independencia. The plaza was closed in 2006 due to the construction of the South Road Properties Tunnel (which runs directly underneath the plaza). When the tunnel was completed, the restoration, conservation, and beautification of the plaza followed. And finally, last May 8, 2011, the new Plaza Independencia was opened to the public.
The plaza is now cleaner and much more appealing. Also, security personnel are stationed in and around the plaza. When I visited the plaza last Saturday, it was refreshing to see young foreign tourists just sitting on the benches and enjoying the view of Fort San Pedro and the Malacañan Sa Sugbo. I also saw a lot of locals whiling away the hours just chatting and relaxing under the shade of the plaza’s age-old trees.
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Ladies and gentlemen, the new Plaza Independencia.
To give you an idea of how the construction of the tunnel affected the plaza, please see the map below.The map shows the CSCR Tunnel running directly underneath the plaza.
Welcome sign and front gate.
Plaza marker.
History of Plaza Independencia
Rules and regulations. Please read carefully.
I really like the big open spaces inside the plaza.
The road separating Plaza Independencia and Fort San Pedro.
The USJ-R OAR monument.
View of the SRP Tunnel.
Fort San Pedro.
Well-paved walkways complete with lights and lamp posts.
An old fountain. This fountain was rehabilitated.
Workers keeping the grass short.
Plaza Independencia wood carving. Nice!
Im not sure what this is. I think this is a plant holder. This is one of the few remaining ‘old’ objects which can still be seen inside the plaza.
Trash bins.
Nice.
Palm trees. Nice.
A gazebo right in the middle of the park. Nice.
The President Ramon Magsaysay Monument.
He was lovingly referred to as the Monching ng Bayan. He died in Mt. Manunggal in Balamban when his plane crashed on his way to Cebu City in 1957.
I’m not sure what those lights are called. But they look nice.
Nice lamp posts.
The Cebu Veterans Memorial
The memorial is right in front of the Malacañan Sa Sugbo.
The old Customs House, which became Malacañan Sa Sugbo during PGMA’s term.
The gate near the Old Customs House.
View of the road in front of the plaza. Nice.
Very clean. 🙂
Clean sidewalk. Lovely!
Fort San Pedro still looks very gorgeous.
Visit the new Plaza Independencia now!
What a lovely park… I remember passing thru it on our way to Fort San Pedro in 2008…
thanks for dropping by, bai! 🙂 visit ka ulit dito cebu. hehe
I will! tour moko ha? hehehe!!! 🙂
sure, bai! no probs! 🙂
very impressive! i love it! i remember that fountain very well. love the gazebo too! thanks for sharing it, ley.
no probs, mam ianne! 🙂
Pila na ko ka-tuig dinhi sa Cebu pero wala pa ko nangahas anha dihang dapita. Pero sa akong nakita, angay diay ko magmahay kung di makasuroy sa plaza! 🙂
mao jud…
Ley, thanks for sharing this good news about Plaza Independencia renovation. It looks lovely, clean and worth stopping by. I hope we Cebuanos can keep it that way for everyone, locals and tourists, to enjoy. Awesome pics once again. Btw, those short pathway lamps are I think solar-powered, judging by the look of it.
lami cguro mag relax dinhi noh? very refreshing ang ambiance sa park… hopefully ma maintain ni pag ayo… people of cebu dili magsagbot sagbot… 🙂
Hi Leylan, kanang lamp post dha sa plaza pangawaton na pod na pareho sa lamp post sa asean summit mahitabo…. hahaha
simbako mam. pero murag hopeful ko nga dili na mam kay daghan kaayo tanod ug police na didto pirmi. dili gani kasulod maninda ug sunglasses ug balot sa plaza. 🙂
ley, maka home sick man sad…. wala pako kita ani…thanks
ley, have to been to that place in Lilo-an o Consolacion that has like a fishing area to fish then they cook it for you, each customer get’s a bahay kubo for dining…… that is my first agenda to go when i get back home this year… if you know the place pls. let me know, thanks
wala pa raba mam. ako try ug research…
Ley, those guys “keeping the grass short,” are they cutting the grass with scissors?
im not sure sir. murag i think they’r really removing the grass gyud sir by hand. i noticed sa other parts sa plaza lain man nga klase sa grass ang gipangtanum. so, basin they’re going to replace them.
wow! nice na ang plaza…=) pohon mo anha jd ko hekhek
Wow!!! Rock on CEBU. Very good for having 24/7 tanod or police in the park.
Salamat Ley
Looking good Cebu! I’m so glad to see the plaza back to its splendor. I’ll surely visit it next trip. Thanks for the update Ley.
no probs mam judith! 🙂
I’ve passed by there recently to get my postal id. I think it’s still in the process of completing its beautification… It’s indeed great to see tourists and foreigners paying a visit.
I hope to see more trees and probably flowers and shrubs in the future.
nindota ah!!
I’ve gone to Plaza Independencia in 2008 and it looked different from the pictures here; I realize tungod diay sa constructions sa tunnel. Now I am sure be going back to this place. Kudos Ley! Ayuz! 🙂
Good pics Ley. Brings back memories. Ako mga ginikanan kai ga trabaho sa Post Office before and I went to CSCST Main during my highschool years. I always walked these paths and seeing this place again wants me to go back to my childhood days. When I feel homesick, I go directly to this site just to check my beloved homeland.
ley…naa ba bayad if mosulod sa fort san pedro?
yep. naa bayad. pero barato ra.hehe. mga 20.
Nindot kaayo pagka reconstruct ang plaza Ley, that is great! I am glad ilang gi preserve ang ubang mga kahoy nga original dinha nga plaza- the ones along the fence. I can’t remember the name of those trees but daghan kaayo nag til-as nga kahoy but it was plentiful dinha before- acacia man tingali to.
Hala nindota na d aie sa plaza independencia dili pareha sa una daghan mangunguot…
ug dira pud daw mag date2x si yaya ug si boy hehe
Plaza Independencia is strategically located between Fort San Pedro and the building that used to be the Gobierno Provincial in the downtown area of Cebu. The plaza is a popular hangout for many living or working around the area.
samut na kadatu ang contractor o ang nag-pasiugda ana nga project…kay ngano? nangubkub to ug treasure ang mga amaw diha…wais kaayo ang mga animal… pa project-project dayun ug tunnel (undreground road) nya tresure diay tuyu..ahak oi..
nice. i gotta visit…hehe
those smaller lamp posts are called bollard lamps:) thanks for advertising our very own plaza:)
thanks again ley….nice pics…i miss cebu
2006 pako ato naka suroy sa plaza..wla nako kabalik..heheh