San Fernando, Cebu

The book entitled "A Brief Survey of What Was and What is the Diocese of Cebu in the Philippine Islands" in 1886 says that San Fernando was erected as a parish by Diocesan decree on January 19, 1858. It is under the patronage of San Isidro Labrador; its mother parishes were Naga and Carcar.

Its church, according to author of the book, Fr. Felipe Redondo, was originally made of cut coral stone and lime mortar masonry (at the time of the report it was still under construction), the walls were not thick, measuring 44'46 meters long, 15'64 meters wide, and the walls were 7'87 meters high. The temporary church was made of bamboo and nipa.

The cemetery was fenced by "betuca", 62½ meters long, 46 ½ meters wide, and 1½ meters high. The barrios under the parish were Pitalo, Panadtaran, Sangat, Tuyocon, Magsico, Cabacbacon, and Bagacay.

Lawyer Gervasio Lira Lavilles, the brains of the Cebu City Charter, wrote that it was in 1854 to 1856 that the barrios of Magsico, Cabatbatan, Balungag, Sangat, Panadtaran, and Pitalo banded together in a decided move to separate from Naga.

The original name of the town was San Isidro Labrador after its patron, it was later changed to San Fernando in honor of its well-liked parish priest, Father Fernando Sanchez. The town's founder is Juan Magdidiyong, the man who is depicted carrying a torch in the center of the municipality's official seal.

The first church was located in Pitalo, It was later agreed that a new and much better church be constructed on a lot donated by Doña Clara Najarro in Taboan not far from the town's cemetery. The site of the church became what is now known as the town's Poblacion.

During the 4th Centennial of the Christianization of the Philippines in 1965, the following were its officials: Mayor Leocadio G. Llanto, Vice Mayor Severino L. Enda, municipal secretary Anito D. Ariba, Justice of the Peace Caridad G. Sarmiento (she was appointed as on April 10, 1957), treasurer Juanico Padron, chief of police Teodulfo Canas, and health officer Corazon K. Bautista. The councilors were Porferio L. Enad, Gerundio Taping, Buenaventura Medalla, Pablo Villanueva, Alberto Canubida, Simeon Siase, Fulgencio Gabaya, and Geminiano Monterona.