The oldest and largest public market in Cebu City — Carbon Market — is a vibrant conglomeration of all types of vendors and goods. The market has also become a major tourist destination, mainly because it offers choices of inexpensive souvenirs and is easily accessible as it is located in the downtown area of Cebu City.
The Carbon Market, which was named after the Cebu Railroad’s coal depository, is already over one hundred years old. The current location of the market used to be the final station of the railway line, where the coal that was used to power the steam engines was stored. The market’s name was most likely inspired by the “coal mountains” stored in the area.
Carbon is comparable to Divisoria in Manila, where different products and services are available. It is a typical Filipino market where items offered range from fresh food products to handicraft materials. The wet market area of Carbon is the place to go to when you have to buy fish, seafood and meat products. Vendors of vegetables and fruits are visible at every corner of the market. The handicraft stores and flower vendors are located at the market’s entrance facing the college campus of the University of San Jose Recoletos.
You can visit the Carbon Market via any mode of transportation. You may even want to try taking the “karetela” or the local horse carriages for a tour around the market.
Aside from its relatively big area, the Carbon Market is hard to miss because of the landmarks surrounding it. Located at M.C. Briones and Calderon Sts., in Cebu City, the market is flanked on its various entries by the Cebu City Hall and the USJR-College Campus.
Strategically situated at the heart of Cebu City’s major thoroughfares is Robinsons Place Cebu — aptly dubbed “our reliable next door mall.” Robinsons Place Cebu is one of 26 branches owned and operated by Robinsons Malls, which is one of the Philippines’ largest shopping mall and retail operators next to SM Prime Holdings, Inc.
The shopping mall officially opened in 2000, featuring a department store and a supermarket. Over the years, the mall has incorporated a variety of changes to cater to an ever developing clientele. Robinsons Place Cebu now features a food court, an appliance center, a bank and a Do It Best Handyman outlet, apart from its much improved in addition to its department store and supermarket. Boutiques, bazaars and stalls have also found residence inside the mall. Among the mall’s popular tenants are Guess, Bench, Penshoppe, Nike, Unisilver, CD-R King, Broadway Gems, Booksale, and Expressions. The main mall opens at 10:00 am and closes at 8:00 pm daily, while the lower ground level starts operations at 9:00 am up to 8:30 pm every day. Just a few meters away from Robinsons Place Cebu is the newest addition to the growing family of Robinsons Malls — Robinsons Cybergate Cebu. The PEZA-accredited project officially started operations last December 9, 2009. The seven-story building integrates business process outsourcing office spaces with shopping mall amenities. Its current tenants include various restaurants and fast foods, such as Golden Cowrie, Mooon Café, Japengo, Jollibee and Flame It. The building will also feature a pharmacy, several boutiques and convenience stores, a coffee shop, salons and spas, medical clinics and a call center.
Following the opening of Robinsons Cybergate Cebu, Robinsons Land Corp. disclosed plans for another mixed-use development project at Cebu City’s North Reclamation Area, near the old White Gold department store. The new project, which is expected to be open in 2011, will feature a department store and a supermarket, outdoor restaurants, and a convention center, among others.
For further information regarding Robinsons Malls and its growing family, visit www.robinsonsmalls.com
image source: Carbon
image source: Wet Market
image source: Carbon Map
