Cebu City The City of Cebu (Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Sugbo, Tagalog: Lungsod ng Cebu, Spanish: Ciudad de Cebú) is the capital city of the province of Cebu and is the "second city" of the Philippines. With a population of 866,171 as per the 2010 census, it is the fifth most populated city in the country. Cebu City is a significant center of commerce, trade and education in the Visayas region. The city is located on the eastern shore of Cebu island. It is the first Spanish settlement and the oldest city in the Philippines. Cebu is the Philippines' main domestic shipping port and is home to about 80% of the country's domestic shipping companies.