Lapu-Lapu City forms local quincentennial committee

Officers and members of the Lapu-Lapu City Quincentennial Committee (LCQC) led by Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan takes their oath of office with Judge Maryther Budomo of MTC Branch 3, Lapu-Lapu City on September 12, 2019. CDND PHOTO / Norman Mendoza CDND PHOTO / Norman Mendoza

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu — Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan signed an executive order creating  the Lapu-Lapu City Quincentennial Committee (LCQC), which will serve as the local counterpart of the National Quincentennial Committee (NQC) in preparation for the 500th Anniversary of the Battle of Mactan in 2021. 

Chan’s Executive Order No. 12 created the LCQC which will be the steering committee of the NQC, a committee that was formed through the President’s Executive No. 55 with the main task of setting up activities that will commemorate the arrival of Ferdinand Magellan and the Spanish troops in the country.

The main event is the 500th year of the commemoration of the Battle of Mactan, which led to the death of Magellan, and the victory of the warrior Lapulapu and his troops on April 27, 1521.

Smaller events will be organized leading to the main event.

These smaller events will drum-up towards the main event which will be the 500th Commemoration of the Battle of Mactan on April 27, 2021.

All preparatory celebrations will start on the launching day, December 14, 2019, which  will also start the celebration’s 500-day countdown. There will also be one-year countdown to the quincentennial celebration. A 100-day countdown will also be carried out. 

“Because of the bigger role of the City of Lapu-Lapu to be played starting this December 2019 up to April 2021, I see the need to organize a committee whose members will study, formulate plans, design activities that will reinforce the NQC-mandated activities that will zero in on our own Liberty Shrine,” said Chan. 

Chan said they will focus on the cultural aspect of the guidelines set by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP).

As the executive order mandates, LCQC is headed by Chan.

His wife, Lapu-Lapu City’s First Lady, Cindy Chan, will serve as co-chairperson.

Officers of the committee also include Vice Mayor Celedonio Sitoy (vice chairperson) and Tourism Officer Edward Mendez (secretary).  Other members of the committee are City Council Chairman on Tourism, Department of Tourism Regional Director, and representatives from different sectors.

Lapu-Lapu City Director Police Colonel Clarito Baja is the Sergeant-at-arms.

NQC is headed by Dr Rene Escalante, who is also the chairman of the NHCP. / celr