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Downtown Cebu More Than 20 Years Since

More than 16 years ago, this part of Colon Street looks much the same. And at least 20 years ago, the part of Jakosalem Street towards the City Hall used to be a place of a few night spots where drinks, prostitution, and red lights come together till dawn. The red lights were a few establishments trying to isolate themselves from the main reds along Sanciangko Street and nearby streetcorners or entryways.

Then as it is today, the corner streets of Colon and Jakosalem kept its identity through the long-standing presence of Gaisano Main, University of the Visayas, Rose Pharmacy, The Freeman (at corner Jakosalem-Manalili Streets), and a corner store that I no longer can remember.

Today, a Saturday, I found myself back on its sidewalks on my way to Plastic and Things along Manalili Street (now, V. Gullas Street). Although the vehicles look much numerous than in the yesteryears, the smell of drainage canal stinks much the same, if not a bit more repulsive. Gaisano Main no longer spewed in and out revellers and customers, with foot traffic one of the thickest in Cebu City in the 20th century. Looking through the glass panels, I could see sales ladies enduring the boredom of few visitors in their stalls. I no longer feel the urge to get inside and look around for things I may want to buy. New consumers may not feel the difference. But we of the older years surely notice how our hearts have broken away from these family places so many years ago. The buildings may have aged. But they seemed to look much the say two decades ago. Only that new buildings rising up in the city provide a striking contrast from these old ones.

Sidewalk traffic are lighter, surprisingly for a weekend. I passed through the place near what used to be Plaza Fair where a snatcher attempted to open the zipper of my backpack, but stopped when I turned around to face her. I cannot forget that craggy then body, almost dried up flesh and wild-looking eyes.

The Cebu City Downtown is no longer a familiar place to me. It feels like a strange land I have no dealings at all in the past. Those memories were of course neatly filed in the microbytes of my mind.
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