History and Rescue Archaeology of Plaza Independencia

History

Plaza Independencia is strategically located between Fort San Pedro and the building that used to be the Gobierno Provincial in the downtown area of Cebu.  An obelisk dedicated to the memory of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the first Spanish governor-general of the Philippines, is planted at the very heart of the plaza.

In the early 1600s, it was called Plaza de Armas. It served as the open space where you can find the important structures that they call the Plaza Mayor. This place also serves as the location for military training and marching. Later in the Spanish rule, it was further landscaped and developed and was christened Plaza Maria Cristina, in honor of the queen regent. During the American colonial period, its name was changed to Plaza Libertad, as the Americans asserted how they liberated Cebuanos from the Spanish rule. Later on it finally became known as Plaza Independencia.

RESCUE ARCHAEOLOGY

Before 2000, the Department of Public-Works and Highways (DPWH) had a plan of constructing a four-lane tunnel linking the Southern Road Project with the northern roads that will traverse Plaza Independencia, damaging archaeological resources buried underneath.

Because of this, in 2000, an archaeological activity was conducted by the National Museum, agreed upon by DPWH, to verify the presence of archaeological deposit in the Plaza that will be impacted by the said construction project of DPWH. 

The 2000 archaeological excavation showed rich cultural deposit dating to Pre-Hispanic, Early Hispanic and Late Hispanic periods.

The archaeological team recommended either the proposed tunnel be diverted to a different area or more “comprehensive systematic excavation” be conducted on the affected area.

Nevertheless, DPWH decided to push through with the construction of the four-lane tunnel.

Rescue archaeology is conducted when a development and road building will impact archaeological sites (Grant et.al 2005). This entails rapid recording and rushed excavation.

In order to accelerate the rescue archaeology of Plaza Independencia in 2006, National Museum contracted the service of Archaeological, Cultural and Environmental Consultancy, Inc. (ACECI) to mobilize and conduct the actual rescue archaeology under its supervision.

Although a rescue archaeology, the project was considered a research endeavour that will contribute to reconstructing pre-colonial and Spanish colonial period in Cebu and in the Philippines.

The archaeological record although incomplete can provide additional information on the culture and social dynamics of the people living within that area in history.