The Lapu-Lapu City Performing Arts (LLCPA) takes time for a group photo before flying to South Korea. | Lapu-Lapu City PIO
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — The Lapu-Lapu City Performing Arts (LLCPA) will join for the first time this year’s Wonju Dynamic Dance Carnival in South Korea on Oct. 1 to 3, 2022.
Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan will fly to South Korea, along with the 27 performers of LLCPA, to show his support to the city’s performers.
Chan said that this would also be a venue to promote the city as a tourist destination and help boost the city’s tourism industry.
“Ato gyud ning gipangandaman kay usa niini we will promote our City of Lapu-Lapu, especially that we are a tourism city. Atong ipahibalo sa tibuok Korea nga ang Lapu-Lapu City unsa ka nindot,” Chan said.
(We prepared for this because one of the aims of this event is to promote our City of Lapu-Lapu, especially that we are a tourism city. We will inform all of Korea that Lapu-Lapu is a beautiful place to be.)
Chan said that they would also introduce to Koreans Datu Lapulapu, who is the first hero in the Philippines.
Kadaugan sa Mactan
The city will showcase in their performance the Kadaugan sa Mactan and Garbo sa Mactan in the prestigious festival.
Arnis de Abaniko, coach and DepEd teacher, will play the role of Datu Lapulapu, Brgy. Pajo Councilor Jasmine “Daday” Chan will portray Reyna Bulakna, and Tourism Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission (TCHAC) OIC, John Kristoffer Rafols, will play the role of Magellan.
Rafols, however, said that they would not include in their performance the killing of Magellan during the Battle of Mactan, as suggested by their consultants.
“Sa atoang history, kana we can really say nga atoa gyud dapat i-express ang atoang local history. But inig abot ngadto sa Korea, they wouldn’t understand kay atoa more of fighting scene and the war between Lapulapu and Magellan. So mao nang advise sa mga experts gyud of festivals nga dili lang nato ipakita ang fighting scenes,” Rafols said.
(In our history, that we can really say that we should express that in our local history. But when we are in Korea, they would not understand because we have more fighting scenes and the war between Lapulapu and Magellan. So that is the advise of experts of festivals that we don’t show the fighting scenes.)
The city has allocated over P1 million for the activity.
Lapu-Lapu execs personal money
Chan, however, clarified that the budget was only spent on the performers and that other individuals who would fly with them to South Korea had spent their personal money.
Aside from Chan, Rep. Cindi King-Chan of the Lone District of Lapu-Lapu and some selected city councilors have also joined in the trip.
“This trip, my trip and the trip of the councilors are personal. It is not charged by the government. Personal ni namo nga pamasahe agi ug pagpakita ug pagtabang aron ma-boost ang atong mga contingent,” Chan added.
(This trip, my trip and trio of the councilors are personal. It is not charged by the government. This is our personal money that we spent for our trip as our way to show and help boost the morale of our contingent.)
Two cities invited in PH
Only two cities in the Philippines were invited to participate in The Wonju Dynamic Dance Carnival; the Lapu-Lapu City Performing Arts and Toledo City’s Joyful Tribe who were named champions for the Foreign Performance Group category last year.
On Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, a send-off blessing for the contingent was conducted by Fr. Reynante Joseph Ga, parish priest of Nuestra Señora de Regla, before their departure today.
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