Glimpses of Old Cebu: Roots of a Storied Parian Clan
This is not a book review. Instead, it is the story of a single Parian lineage—and the intricate web of Cebuano families that grew out of and crossed paths with it. This is a historical journey through old Cebu, the Parian community, family memory, and the people whose stories helped shape the city. Sixteen years after I first shared this reflection on Lucy Urgello Miller’s Glimpses of Old Cebu, returning to these pages in 2026 feels less like revisiting a book review and more like opening a living family album. What began in 2010 as an appreciation of vintage photographs from Cebu’s historic Parian district has grown—through newly uncovered archival records, family conversations, and recent generational milestones—into a fuller chronicle of the Osmeña–Rita–Espina lineage and the collateral clans that helped build modern Cebu. In updating this piece, my hope is to preserve not only the sepia-toned elegance of old Parian, but also the enduring human connections that continue to link ou...