LAPU-LAPU CITY – The National Quincentennial Committee (NQC) has considered Lapu-Lapu City on Mactan Island as the focal place for celebrating 500 years of victory over the Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan.
Assistant Secretary Ramon Cualoping III, of the Presidential Communications Operations Office, said the committee has looked at Mactan Island as one of the three key places of the celebration on April 27, 2021. “The Department of Tourism, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, and other government agencies will announce the theme of the program. We will launch it in December,” Cualoping said, adding, the committee is looking at 18 sites where the simultaneous launch of the quincentennial celebration will be held in December.
Ed Mendez, Lapu-Lapu City tourism officer, confirmed to the Philippine News Agency the countdown of 500 days leading to the 500th year in 2021 will start this December. “On December 14, we will start the countdown until April 27, 2021, the day that Lapu-Lapu became victorious in defending Mactan Island against the forces of Magellan,” Mendez said.
He added that Lapu-Lapu City will be one of the three “focal points” in the celebration, as the NQC members decided to highlight three cities – Manila, Lapu-Lapu, and Davao – in commemorating the 500 years of victory and humanity.
“As far as Lapu-Lapu is concerned, our preparation for the celebration is centered on the ‘liberty shrine’ (Lapu-Lapu shrine) in Barangay Mactan. We are also preparing the Hoops Dome as an alternative site just in case the weather will not be conducive on the day of the celebration,” Mendez said.
Mendez said Philippine Ambassador to Spain Philippe Jones Lhuillier attended the 8th regular meeting of the NQC in Manila last week. There were also reports that Pope Francis and King Felipe VI of Spain will be invited to grace the commemoration of Magellan’s arrival in the country.
The Roman Catholic Church considers the celebration as a significant part of its history, as the Christian faith in Asia was introduced in Mactan. Magellan, with his desire to empirically prove the Earth was indeed round, landed in the territory in March 1521 but met resistance from Lapu-Lapu and his men in a confrontation called the Battle of Mactan on April 27. Magellan died, marking the victory of Mactan.
The last of the five ships of Magellan’s voyage’s fleet, called the Armada de Maluco, was allowed to return to Seville, Spain in 1522. (John Rey Saavedra)
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