Datu Lapu-LapuThe hero in the great "Battle of Mactan", Datu Lapu-Lapu was the ruler of the tribesmen in that same island he once lived when the Spaniards came to the Philippines. At present, his statue stands proudly near the shores of Mactan together with another marker (Magellan Monument) in the modern city now called "Lapu-Lapu" as a reminder of that great battle. Lapu-Lapu City today surely has grown into a modern bustling metropolis,with an international airport centraly located,and has emerged at par with rest of the world. A brief history goes like this: Lapu-Lapu City: The story behind.
Introduction
For centuries, there have been more than a couple of accounts about a small land mass in Asia, under the Philippine archipelago, near its center, which is now called: Mactan Island. This is under the province of Cebu in the Visayas (one of the three major island groups which compose the Philippines).
Few conflicting historical data about this island have now been sprinkled around like pollen grains carried about by the butterflies all over the country, spreading views pertaining to the actual and the almost perfect truth of this island’s history. I said conflicting due to differences in the dates and varied descriptions of location for the exact landing site made by the Spanish fleet. As a result, a number of researchers have gone out of their ways to explore the reality about the discovery of this petite but significant islet. And within this bulk of information, are various theories as to how, when and why this little island came to be magnificent!
Since I am not exactly from this place (I was already on the fifth grade when we transferred here and established a new habitat), I can only narrate some of the accepted facts, maybe enumerate more data based on research and hope to attain the nearest appropriate truth. Allow me to go back in time, when the Philippines were still on the verge of discovery.
The town
A chapter in Philippine history deals with the migration of the early inhabitants, which were thought to have come from the different regions of Asia who settled during the 3rd century A.D. Others followed suit in the later years more specifically on the 5th century A.D. Emerging as the new Filipino people; they were a mixture of Negroid Aetas, Mongolians, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Malays and Indonesian cultures. These people brought along iron tools and technologies for glassmaking and weaving including seafaring skills.
Forwarding on to the 15th century, it was learned that more traders came in from the far stretch of Asia and the Middle East. They introduced their Islam religion spreading it across the Visayas (central island group of the Philippines) down to the Southern parts of the country. By this time, Chinese merchants of the Ming dynasty were in full trading with the Filipinos.
Then came the Spanish conquistadors (conquerors) headed by Ferdinand Magellan (Fernando Magallanes), who denounced his nationality as a Portuguese and convinced the King Charles I of Spain to find Moluccas islands for spices and herbs, which is in the east, by way of sailing to the west.
According to the manuscripts on March 16, 1521, Magellan, carrying the name of King Philip II of Spain with five (5) Spanish ships landed on the shores of Homonhon, an islet near Samar, an island in the Visayas. The main thrust of their arrival was actually colonization of the Filipinos into Christianity. But these navigators failed in their mission when they came to a neighbor island called Maktan.
An acceptable truth portrays that on April 27, 1521- a little over a month after these Spaniards arrived in the Philippines, they were driven off the island by Datu Lapu-Lapu, a chief of one of the three tribal settlements, who was in control over the other chiefs of Cebu. His soldiers composed of 60 men fought over Magellan's forces. It was learned that Magellan was killed in that battle, as a result of Lapu-Lapu's rage over his refusal to be converted to Christian religion. It was a fierce battle against the Spanish Colonizers, which became famous as: Battle of Mactan, honoring that fearsome incident, and in turn Datu Lapu-Lapu was named the first Filipino hero. It was not until fifty years, or so later that Spain sent another set of warships to the east.
More written documents stated that the Spaniards went back to the Philippines on 1572 (although some manuscripts stated 1565); opposing natives still showed dislike over the conquest, some minor cannon blasts were still heard here and there. But after constant pursue by the Spaniards, eventually they became successful in their colonization and finally established Christianity in Luzon (northern part of the Philippines. They expanded their colony down to the central part reaching eastern Samar. Still further down they reached Sugbu (old name of Cebu). During this period, Spanish colonial settlement was established in the Cebu-Maktan area and named it Santissimo Nombre de Jesus, forming one encomienda system of government together with Camotes Island. Political moves were not fully pronounced yet due to the hefty leadership of the friars who ruled the government at that time.
Then more documents revealed further that more than a century after, specifically June 17, 1690 the town of Opon was born. It was said to be the first town created in the island of Maktan and the seventh town founded by the Augustinian Monks in the province of Cebu, which was called Sugbo then.
The word "Opon" presumably came from the name of the grass, which grew lavishly in the open fields at that time. It was a quiet town with few bad elements or none at all. Most of the parishioners were focused mostly to the teachings of the church. The proliferation of the Catholic religion was of much emphasis, which served as the guiding force for the Spanish colonizers to pursue more on their continuing effort to convert everyone completely into Catholics.
Moreover, it was told that the parish priests played a great role in the encomienda (old government) system in all pueblos (towns) including Opon. Almost all administrative records were kept in the parroquia (parish). Improvements at that time, whether civic in nature or not at all like the construction of structures: casa municipal (municipal hall), school building, military defenses, and the like- were undertaken by its own cura parroco (parish Priest), including of course the church itself and the convent. Some important government positions or leadership like cabezas (governors) and/or Kapitanes (captains of barangays) were given to Opon residents as appointed by the parish priest, with special importance to those affluent natives, who spoke the Spanish language.
For over three centuries, Spain took hold of the Philippines, governing the people and the influencing Filipino culture. That explains why a number of Spanish-speaking in higher echelon of society of Filipinos can be noticed upon on almost every Philippine city in these modern days.
The City
More history books revealed Spain's conquest over the Filipinos lasted three centuries. Series of revolts were continually arising expressing reforms for the Filipino people. It was not until three Filipino priests namely: Gomez, Burgos and Zamora were executed, that revolts fired up forcefully led by reformists group and started a propaganda movement all throughout the archipelago including Opon with issues against the Spaniards. These revolts continued further, which led to a major uprising: Philippine Revolution. This was around the 1800s.
In the local scene, local historians described Opon at that time to be equally sharing revolting chaos more so that a certain Fr. Jose Baztan, an Augustinian priest of Cordova was killed in the town plaza of Opon. It was a horrible incident. The story continued to be gruesome one that it was told the body of the said priest was thrown out in the sea. The reason for that execution was said to be corruption of the clergy, predominant during that time. It was said to be a violent version of the tres de avril incident.
A similar episode relating to the revolution was written about a directorcillo of Cordova (Juan Nunez) for suspicion of conspiracy with the revolutionaries in the printing of the cedulas (residence certificates) in Maktan, which was Opon then. Chaos after chaos sprung up in that particular region.
The government of Opon was said to have patterned after President Aguinaldo's decree providing for the reorganization of its local government. But it didn't last long because Spanish-American war broke out which ceased the leadership of the Spanish government giving way to the Americans establishing a military rule in the entire Philippine archipelago. These Americans did well in their conquest complete with a Constitution to follow, with Manuel L. Quezon as the first commonwealth president, the name given to the civil government during that time.With these new developments, it was told industrialization flourished in the town of Opon. Few factories settled in, town plazas were developed and commerce greatly expanded. Roads were built; with the construction of the Muelle Osmena, a wharf was operational right at the back of the Virgen de la Regla Parish, serving the community. Waterworks system was also built to supply safe drinking water. Inland fishing was taught and encouraged. Records showed that in 1903, Opon became a municipality and eventually was classified as a third class municipality as a result of all these advancements.
Then came the Japanese occupation, 1941 - 1945. It did not last long either because the Americans had a much stronger forces thus Japan surrendered to America after only a swift four-year term in the Philippines. But with that brief moment in time with the Japanese, their army constructed the first airfield on the island of Opon, of course for their own fighter planes to land on. At this time, Americans reacquired the Philippines. But not later than a year after that and when World War II ended, the Philippine Government was granted its political independence. During these times, the economic growth in the municipality of Opon was advancing with the fast establishments of various oil depots around the area.
Then came the most important event of all; Opon Municipality became a city as it was inaugurated formally on June 17, 1961, with Carlos P. Garcia as president of the Republic of the Philippines, under the Republic act 3134, and renaming Opon into Lapu-Lapu, in honor of the first defender of Filipino democracy "Lapu-Lapu" the mighty son of this island who killed Magellan and drove his fleet out of Philippine waters as written in the manuscripts.
After the proclamation of Lapu-Lapu City, on that same year more major developments took place; like the inauguration of a new Mactan Alternate International Airport on September 1. Then came General Milling Corporation, a huge flour company and a grand Supermarket was built to serve the fast growing community. Soon after a few more advancements in this newly proclaimed city, Lapu-Lapu linked vigorously with the rest of the world by erecting the Mandaue-Mactan Bridge, a landmark which made it possible to enhance the high speed trading across the other cities of the Cebu province.
Today, Lapu-Lapu City is a high-speed modern metropolis, proudly imposing its grandeur equally if not highly to its contemporary cities and to rest of the technical world, but still holding on to its rich culture and deep heritage ripened through time attained from its gaudy but heroic past of the forefathers. more
