A proverb says “All roads lead to Rome” which means no matter which way you take it will lead to the same destination or result.
But in Cebu City, “All jeepneys lead to Colon” which means no matter what jeepney you ride on, it will take you to Colon or a place close to it.
Colon Street today has gained a bad reputation because of snatchers and pickpocketing ninjas lurking around and you can smell the stench of filthy clogged drainage in some areas.
Despite these negative things, Colon Street is still a National Historic Landmark. It has been a part of centuries of history of the Cebuano people.
Colon Street was named after the famous explorer who discovered America, Cristopher Columbus which when translated to Spanish is Christobal Colon.
An Obelisk was erected at the northern end of Colon Street as a National Landmark, the northern end of Colon connects to Parian (Brgy. Parian today) which was a former Chinese District and residence of wealthy Chinese-Filipino merchants.
The Obelisk proclaims Colon Street is the oldest street in the Philippines in three languages: English, Filipino, and Cebuano.
Here is what it says:
“Colon St., known also as Parian, is the oldest street in the Philippines. It was built by the Spaniards who arrived in Cebu in 1565 on the fleet composed of the vessels San Pedro, San Pablo, and San Juan under the command of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi”
If you happen to visit Cebu City you can check out this landmark.
A tip for those who plan to visit Cebu City: Know where Colon Street is and make it your base and you will never be lost because “All jeepneys lead to Colon,” if you feel like you are lost just go back to Colon.