A book about a ‘gem’

Cebu’s gem, Lapu-Lapu City, is ready to immortalize itself in the pages of a coffee table book. The book is said to be launched on Nov. 15 during the Tourism Expo of the city which will be a three-day event. The book will be created with the help of several Cebuano writers and photographers.

“I think it’s high time for Lapu-Lapu to have one; for us to know our history as well as our culture. We’ve been planning for it to happen since last year, two months after ‘Kadaugan sa Mactan,’” said Hembler Mendoza, City Tourism Chief of Lapu-Lapu City.

“Taytayan: The Story of Lapu-Lapu City from Island Lookout to Gateway of a Region” will be written by a group of writers headed by Al Cuizon. The team includes Ahmed Cuizon, Razel Cuizon, Divine Sanchez Ngujo, Cris Evert Lato-Ruffolo, Eric Monsanto, Ben Chua and Loui Nacorda.

“Taytayan” will be the first official coffee table book to contain the heritage and history of Lapu-Lapu City. It will be published by Soline Publishing Company. Soline Publishing Company is a Cebubased publishing company which is affiliated with the National Development Board and is gaining a reputation on textbooks, coffee table books as well as lifestyle magazines and Cebuano literature.

“Lapu-Lapu is a very strategic location for tourism for the entire Cebu province and the vibrant and colorful pages of the book will feature places, monuments, events, old and distinguished LapuLapu families, dishes and other aspects which will comprise the tangible and intangible heritage of Lapu-Lapu City,” said Nikki Oguis, business unit manager of Soline Publishing.

The book hopes to inform locals as well as entice tourists to visit Lapu-Lapu due to its vibrant cultural history.

“This is not a sole work by the publishing house but really a collaboration of the people in Lapu-Lapu. It does not wish to be a scholarly book. It is really easy reading but more of heritage and we hope that it will be enjoyable,” added Oguis.