English is one of the official languages, and is used in court cases and in school. Almost everything written is in English, and if you put a Cebuano behind a microphone, she won't think of speaking in Cebuano. Educated Cebuanoes get their news and entertainment in English. I suppose Cebuano is considered a vulgar tongue, as was the case with English when Latin was prevalent in Europe. However, very few Cebuanos are fluent speakers of English; even college grads who have a good knowledge of English vocabulary may still have a hard time conducting a conversation. Of course, there is an elite comprised of mostly graduates of the best universities, who speak fluent English.

Lack of English fluency in all but the highest social classes is exarcebated by the fact that in the Philippines it is not a crime to freely mix indigenous languages with English. The reverse is true; Cebuanos are expected to spice up their sentences with English words and phrases. When making a phone call, even those who barely speak any English at all will at first greet the other person in English ("Good Morning") and then lapse into Cebuano. In most conversations, every now and then an English phrase or word will pop up.

You CAN get by on English alone. But you will have an easier time if you know some Cebuano. Irrespective of how well they speak it, for most Cebuanos using English is more tiring than the local dialect.

Cebuano English is based on American English, and, on the whole, the two are pretty much the same. However, there are some expressions which have evolved locally and are used only here.