FOREIGNOYS TAKE CENTER STAGE. Japanese-Brazilian model Daniel Matsunaga (left) who portrayed the role of Datu Lapu-Lapu leads the parade of warriors carrying the “body” of Magellan portrayed by actor Carlos Agassi.
(CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO)
THE Kadaugan sa Mactan which commemorates the first anti-colonial struggle in recorded Philippine history is still not considered a national holiday.
In her Kadaugan sa Mactan speech, Mayor Radaza expressed regret that the first anti-colonial event is not recognized nationwide.
“It was on this hallowed ground that the famous Battle of Mactan took place 493 years ago,” Radaza said.
She stressed it was on this very shore where Datu Lapu-Lapu together with his tribesmen successfully defended their land from Spanish conquistador Ferdinand Magellan. The battle that happened here was also a victory for the Filipino people.
Unfortunately, April 27 has yet to be declared a national holiday, “unlike every 9th of April when the entire country commemorates the Fall of Bataan. Every December 30th the entire country commemorates the death of Jose Rizal at the hands of Spaniards.
“It is but fitting that we commemorate here every April 27 the death of a Spanish conquistador at the hands of Datu Lapu-Lapu, the only battle that our beloved country won against foreigners,” Radaza said.
She was happy to note that a bill was filed in the Senate to declare April 27 as “Adlaw ni Lapu-Lapu or Lapu-Lapu Day”.
Lapu-Lapu City Rep. Aileen Radaza has also filed a bill in the House of Representatives to declare April 27 as a city holiday.
This is the first step in their bid to have April 27 declared a national holiday.
“Niini nga paagi, ang tibuok nasud na unya ang magsadya sa Kadaugan sa Mactan,” Radaza said. (This way, the whole country will also celebrate the Kadaugan sa Mactan.)
Yesterday’s commemoration had another first — a TV crew from Spain’s TVE (TV Español) was in town to cover the event.
Tania Garralda, reporter of TVE said, that they are going to feature the reenactment in TVE’s program “Spanish People Around the World.”
She said, they were sent here in the country after learning through social media and other sources from the Philippines that Lapu-Lapu City is celebrating the heroism and the triumph of the man who defeated one of the world’s first circumnavigators, Ferdinand Magellan.
Interestingly, this year, the role of Datu Lapu-Lapu is played by Brazilian-Japanese Daniel Matsunaga, Carlos Agassi whose father is of Persian origin. Reyna Bulakna, Lapu-Lapu’s wife was portrayed this time by beauty titlist Venus Raj.
Lapu-Lapu City government publicist Jonjie Gonzales said the choice of celebrities who are either foreigners or foreignoys (half-Filipinos) was just a coincidence. “It has been a tradition of the Kadaugan sa Mactan to enlist celebrities to draw the crowds,” Gonzales said.
“I’m so happy, so honored, so proud and thankful that I had an opportunity to portray Lapu- Lapu’s role. I always wanted to be part of a show as a warrior,” Matsunaga said.
For Raj: “Iba pala ‘yong feeling kapag ikaw ‘yong nando’n.” (It feels so difference if you’re in the act.)
Sten Dahl, 70, a first-time spectator from Sweden was eager to witness the reenactment. “The play was really good. It’s nice to know local history.”
The DOT is expecting more tourists to visit Lapu-Lapu City because of Kadaugan sa Mactan.
Montecillo said that Lapu-Lapu City gets the lion’s share of tourists coming to Central Visayas. Of the 2.6 million tourists arrivals in the region each year, the city on Mactan Island gets more than a million tourists a year. /with Interns Irish Maika R. Lam and Rosemarie Cananea
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