Statue of Lapulapu in the Liberty Shrine in Barangay Mactan, Lapu-Lapu City.
CEBU CITY, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte may be in Cebu next week.
The President, according to an official of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, is expected to attend the lead celebration of the country’s 131st Independence Day commemoration at the Liberty Shrine in Barangay Mactan, Lapu-Lapu City on Wednesday, June 12.
Dr. Rene Escalante, NHCP chairman, said they sent an invitation to the President to attend the Kalayaan 2019 Independence Day event on June 12.
However, they are still awaiting confirmation from the Office of the President.
“We have a standing invitation. Normally kung saan ang dineclare ng NHCP na sentro ng selebrasyon, the President will be there. But now, we are still waiting for confirmation,” Escalante told CDN Digital in a phone interview on Wednesday, June 5.
Escalante said they chose to hold the lead Independence Day event in Lapu-Lapu City as part of the preparations for the 500th anniversary of the Christian faith’s arrival in the Philippines.
“Ang ating sine-celebrate ay nag-ugat din sa laban ni Lapulapu sa Mactan kung saan ipinagtanggol niya ang ating bayan,” Escalante said.
“Gusto lang naming i-introduce sa buong bansa na in the next two years, there will be a big event in Cebu, the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Mactan,” he added.
(What we are celebrating also traces its roots to the battle between Lapulapu of Mactan and Magellan, where Lapulapu fought for our motherland. We want to introduce to the whole country that in the next two years, 2021, there will be a big event in Cebu, the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Mactan.)
Aside from the event in Lapu-Lapu City, Escalante said that local government units will also have a simultaneous flag raising ceremonies in celebration of Independence Day.
Escalante said top selected sites are Luneta in Manila, Kawit (Cavite) and Malolos (Bulacan).
This year, the central celebration will be in Lapu-Lapu City. / celr