Philippine Cities ①｜What Kind of City Is Cebu?

Hello, this is Awork Academy.

The Philippines is one of the English-speaking countries, and since language study costs are lower there compared to Western countries,
it has become a highly popular study destination.

When you hear "the Philippines," which city comes to mind first?

Famous as a tourist destination and highly popular as a language-study location,
many people probably think of "Cebu," the Philippines' second-largest city.

Cebu is one of the Philippines' major cities, and before the capital moved to Manila, it was once considered the country's most important city.

< Cebu Is a City with Many Japanese Residents >

Many of the world's famous major cities have a large Japanese population, and Cebu is one of them.

Around town there are many convenience stores and restaurants catering to Japanese people, so there's hardly anything to worry about in daily life.

However, if you assume that "Philippines = cheap prices," keep in mind that prices at Japanese-oriented shops can be the same as in Japan or even higher, so you may find them a bit expensive at times.

< Why It's Especially Recommended for Language Study >

One reason Cebu is so popular is that it's one of the largest language-study areas in the Philippines.

In the Philippines, besides Tagalog, English is also widely used as an official language.
Higher education is conducted in English, and many citizens are able to speak it.

Especially among the more highly educated, pronunciation tends to be very clear and easy to understand.

When you hear "Southeast Asia," some people may picture a large gap between rich and poor,
but since Cebu is also a tourist city, you may be surprised at how much more modern the atmosphere is than you imagined once you actually visit.

It also has the charm of being a resort destination, making it a perfect city for English camps and language study.

< Summer-Like Climate All Year Round >

Cebu has a warm climate throughout the year.

The average temperature is around 25–29°C, and the year is divided into a dry season and a rainy season.

Dry season: December–May
Rainy season: June–November

December through February in particular has comfortable weather, making it popular for short-term study or English camps during winter break.

During the rainy season, sudden squalls can occur, so it's convenient to bring along a folding umbrella.

< Recommended Sightseeing Spots in Cebu >

Since Cebu is a tourist city, it also has plenty of shopping facilities and resorts.
Restaurants tend to be clean and delicious as well, so you can use them with peace of mind.

You can enjoy marine activities in the emerald-green sea,
and also tour historic sightseeing spots.

Here are some representative spots:

Shopping malls: Ayala Mall, SM Mall
Fort San Pedro
Magellan's Cross
Lapu-Lapu Monument

We also recommend using local transportation to visit a variety of places.

Summary

This time we introduced the charms of Cebu, Philippines.

Cebu, where you can enjoy both language study and a resort experience, is a recommended city even for your first time studying abroad.

On Awork Academy's official website, we've organized information about working holidays and language study by country in an easy-to-understand way.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us anytime.