The name Mandaue is derived from a vine that grew abundantly in the land called 'Mantawi.' These indigenous vines grew abundantly along the shores of the 'Cove of Cebu" till it's discovery by Ferdinand Magellan on April 7, 1521. They later gave this land the name Mandawe. This land was known as the merchant's paradise even before the Spanish Colonization because of the major economic points that we already interconnected with several crude transportation networks.

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    The first dry-dock complex in the country was established in Tipolo, Mandaue by Miguel López de Legazpi which caters to his Galleons. In the years between 1580 - 1700, the "Cove of Cebu" formally became a 'pueblo' and in 1899, Mandaue was officially declares as a town. On June 21, 1969, Mandaue became me a chartered city and was recognized as a highly urban city in 1991.