Lapu-Lapu City, a legislated biography of “Lapu-Lapu” and “Kadaugan sa Maktan”

The Municipal Council of Barili, Cebu, in 1908 (a year after the first local elections in Philippine history) passed a resolution adopting the legend of its name. Today, and for the years to come, the story of the name of the town will be uncontested because wise men ended the debate a century ago through a council legislation.

Sebastian Elcano, upon his arrival in Spain, told his story and that of Magellan under oath by a notary public. That was in 1522, up to now his story is revered by the Spaniards and remains undebated.

History is truly written by the victors, and Sugboanons won the battle of Maktan and not the people of Imperial Manila or that of any other nation. But how come Cebuanos allow aliens and pseudo-historians armed with vivid imaginations come up with stories of Lapu-Lapu and the victory at Maktan?

This is the remedy, and may the Lapu-Lapu City Officials rise to the task. The city through its historical commission, with its supervision, should pool all the historians of Lapu-Lapu, especially the native-born Oponganons to come up with a definitive and majority accepted biography of Lapu-Lapu and likewise the narration of the “Battle of Maktan”.

Then after the deliberation, the people of Opon (now Lapu-Lapu City), through its city council, should enact an ordinance, ordaining the biography of Lapu-Lapu and the Battle of Maktan. No entity or personality has the legal standing, competence, and expertise to question a legislated biography of a local hero by the city. That legislated biography will serve as notice to the entire world and end all comical and unfounded stories of Lapu-Lapu.

If the city will not rise to this solemn duty, years from now, another national legislator may again lecture the Cebuanos on stage, that Lapu-Lapu is not a Sugboanon but from Luzon or Mindanao, depending on where that official may come from.

The story of Lapu-Lapu and that of all great Cebuanos, remind us of the greatness of our past and the undebatable fact that Cebu is the birthplace of heroes, this is the home of great men and women. Ug mabuhi ang bantugan nga Bisaya.