Banknotes, museum among plans to honor Datu Lapu-Lapu

IF THERE will be a need to print P2,000 bills in the future, an official of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) proposed to print Datu LapuLapu’s face on the banknotes to honor and recognize his heroism.

Dr. Rene Escalante, the NHCP chairman, said they will raise the proposal to officials of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), who he said has the last say on the printing of banknotes.

Escalante revealed the commission’s proposal during his visit to Lapu-Lapu City as guest speaker of the “Kadaugan sa Mactan” held last Saturday, April 27.

For him, it’s high time that Lapu-Lapu’s heroism was recognized, as President Rodrigo Duterte himself already recognized Lapu-Lapu as a hero by declaring April 27 of every year as LapuLapu Day. It’s a special non-working holiday in Lapu-Lapu City and a special working holiday across the country.

The holiday commemorates the victory of Lapu-Lapu over Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in the Battle of Mactan on April 27, 1521.

Aside from featuring LapuLapu in the banknotes, there are also plans to build a national museum dedicated to the hero at the Liberty Shrine in Barangay Mactan.

On June 12, Independence Day, the annual flag-raising ceremony will be held at the Liberty Shrine and will be attended by Duterte.

The Liberty Shrine is also one of the sites where activities for the 500th year celebration of the Christianization of the Philippines will be held in 2021.

According to Escalante, these events show that it’s time to recognize the heroic acts of Lapu-Lapu.

For her part, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza welcomed the development.

She said the recognition proves that Lapu-Lapu’s gallantry for the Cebuanos was not wasted on the Cebuanos. /