Cebu City celebrates Lapulapu Day with unveiling of painting

Unveiled painting of Romulo Galicano. | Screegrabbed from the Cebu City PIO live feed

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City joined the rest of the country in the simultaneous flag-raising ceremony for Lapulapu Day on Tuesday, April 27, 2021, through the unveiling of a donated painting by a Cebuano master painter.

As the country celebrated the 500th anniversary of the Victory at Mactan, Cebu City paid tribute to the country’s first known hero, Datu Lapulapu, in their own mini reenactment of the battle at Plaza Sugbo.

City officials joined the celebration, including Councilor Donaldo Hontiveros and City Legal Officer Rey Gealon, who represented Mayor Edgardo Labella in the ceremony.

The painting was a piece of master painter, Romulo Galicano. Galicano chose to donate to the Cebu City Museum a reproduction of his own artwork,  “Ang Dumadaog nga Manggugubat ni Datu Lapulapu.”

The art echoes the Biblical victory of young David against Goliath. The artist captured the scene of Sitio Buwaya in the Island of Mactan, which was recorded by Italian chronicler, Antonio Pigafetta in Bullaia.

The artist portrayed jubilant warriors’ high spirits after their victory which according to Galicano “would inaugurate the Filipino resilience in the centuries to come”.

“Niining maong painting sa iyang (Lapulapu) kadaugan, akong gilauman nga akong namugna ang ligdong nga hulagway ni Lapulapu, aron masinati, mapamalandungan sa atong mga kabatan-onan, lagbas sa umaabot pang kaliwatan,” said Galicano.

His painting depicts this victory of a proud chieftain against of a small island actively refusing to be conquered by a world power, an inspiration to this day.

Gealon said Mayor Labella is conveying his message of hope and resiliency to the public for this day’s commemoration.

He added that the mayor urges  Cebuanos to look into Lapulapu as an inspiration for braver and for courage.

/bmjo