History

The party was formed in response to the Sugbuak, or the failed Cebu-split movement, in time for the 2007 general elections. A brainchild of three Cebuano representatives who were in their last terms of office, Sugbuak entailed the supposed splitting of Cebu province into four self-employed person provinces.

In founding One Cebu, the Garcia family & their supporters capitalized on the widespread opposition to the Sugbuak movement, declaring that there is only one Cebu; hence, the party's name. They later left the Lakas—Christian Muslim Democrats, one time the dominant majority party in national politics, in addition to joined former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's political party, the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino KAMPI. The party's strength was further bolstered by internal alliances with the Alayon Alang sa Kalambuan ug Kalinaw Alayon party in the first district, led by the Gullas family, and the Barug Alang sa Kauswagan ug Demokrasya BAKUD party of the Durano set in the fifth district. This led to Governor Gwendolyn Garcia's wide margin — around half a million votes — in the votes cast for governor in the 2007 elections.

A year after Benigno Aquino III was elected President of the Philippines in 2010, One Cebu again switched party allegiance— this time, to the National Unity Party, whom former Cebu governor Pablo Garcia founded. In 2016, the party formed a local coalition together with the United Nationalist Alliance UNA. One Cebu broke ties with UNA in March 2016, and instead supported Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte's presidential campaign.