KADAUGAN SA MACTAN:
Reyna Bulakna is portrayed by Manila-based TV actress Kris Bernal.
An improvement is expected to happen in the Liberty Shrine, the supposed spot where the encounter between Datu Lapulapu and Ferdinand Magellan took place on April 27, 1521.
Pocholo Joselito Paragas, chief operating officer of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza), announced in his speech during the 496th Kadaugan sa Mactan yesterday that they will study some ways to improve the area.
More than 5,000 people gathered at the Liberty Shrine to witness the reenactment of the Battle of Mactan.
Before the reenactment, a mass was held at 7 a.m., followed by a floral offering at the statue of Lapu-Lapu at 8:20 a.m.
In her speech, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza said that through Lapu-Lapu, Filipinos have developed a sense of pride, loyalty and bravery “to protect our own land, which had been passed on from one generation to the other.”
“What he and his men did for Mactan should be a living reminder for us that we have to protect one another, not destroy each other,” she said.
“Let us not forget what Datu Lapu-Lapu taught us. Let us continue to defend our land, work together for progress and development, not only for our own sake, but most especially for our children’s future,” said Radaza.
The reenactment of the Battle of Mactan started past 9 a.m.
The crowd came to see the celebrities portraying roles in the battle reenactment.
Actress Kris Bernal played the role of Reyna Bulakna, while Tony Labrusca, a finalist of ABS-CBN’s show Pinoy Boyband Superstar (PBS), served as Datu Lapu-Lapu.
James Ryan Cesena, also a finalist of PBS, played as Magellan in this year’s Kadaugan.
In an interview, Paragas, who served as representative of Malacañang in the event, said Tieza will give a report to the president on the shrine improvement.
“What I committed to the mayor that we’ll be looking forward to is that we’ll be studying how we can contribute, how Tieza can contribute to the area as an infrastructure art for tourism,” he said.
“Right now, at the back of my head, I can’t think of any other event that can give such symbolic event with regards to the Philippines, and especially with regards to Mindanao, Cebu and the Visayas, (except the Battle of Mactan),” he added.
Senior Supt. Rommel Cabagnot, director of Lapu-Lapu Police Office, said the activity went well through the cooperation of the government agencies.