Along its coastline, there is spot called Silot, where a whirlpool is created by the ebbs and flows of the waters from the bay. This phenomenon is called lilo in Cebuano. Because of this, the town was known as Liloan, meaning "a place where there is a lilo". Some time in the 1970s, a newspaper article stated that the "pueblo de Liloan" was separated from the municipality of Mandaue, and was created a new municipality in 1840. However, in his "Breve reseña de lo que fue y de lo que es la Diócesis de Cebú en las Islas Filipinas," states that Liloan was created as a parish in 1845 The creation of the municipality of Liloan could have been at the same time the parish was established, but not earlier than its being a parish. As recorded, the first priest of Liloan served in 1845. The term of the first mayor was from 1845–1846. During the war years, Liloan had three mayors at one time. The elected mayor was Catalino Noval. The Japanese Occupation Forces appointed another, Pascual Delgado. Not to be outdone, the Guerilla Forces also designated another, Jose Cañete.
The designer of the church in Liloan is viewed by some as visionary. Despite Liloan having only 5,000 citizens, when the church was constructed in 1847, this local church was even larger than that of Mandaue, Cebu's second largest city. One unusual detail about the church in Liloan is that it faces the mountains to the west, whereas most churches face the sea to the east. Some have theorized that this is because Mass is often performed in the morning; and the church is thus shielded from the morning sun, making it less hot and uncomfortable. Others have speculated that the church's direction has a symbolic significance related to church rites.
Titay's Rosquillos and Delicacies
The making of these little ringlet cookies dates back to 1907, when 21-year-old Margarita "Titay" was tinkering in her kitchen with her baking ingredients and made her new culinary creation. Kneading the dough manually and using a wooden eggbeater, some baking tins and a clay oven, she started a product that would put her little town in the national and international map of gastronomic delight. The market for her unnamed cookie started with her neighbors and passers-by who were offered the snack with a bottle of soda. It was Sergio Osmeña, who gave it the name "rosquillos" after the Spanish word rosca. The biscuits have been a regular stopover of tourists and locals travelling north of Cebu. The company has withstood the taste of time. It started with just rosquillos and tablea making. It later expanded to an array of homemade delicacies including torta, mamon, monay, otap, CPA, bao-bao and more. ;Rosquillos Festival Celebrated every last week of May in honor of the town's patron saint, St. Ferdinand III. Rosquillos have become a household name, a product that is aptly celebrated in a festival that Liloan could call its very own.
Economy
Liloan is home to a number of ceramics manufacturers. Their shops sell a variety of ceramic items: from ordinary plant pots, to bricks and exotic jars.
