To discuss Quincentennial event: Rama seeks audience from Duterte

CEBU, Philippines — The celebration of the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in the country will be the main subject that Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama will discuss with President Rodrigo Duterte in a meeting he has requested through Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go.

Rama said the celebration is one of the three items he would like to bring up with Duterte which include among others the issue on environment and the policy on street vending (see separate story).

In a Kapihan sa Ampersand at Banilad Town Center yesterday, Rama announced that his request for a meeting with Duterte in Malacañang is “under consideration” based on a text message he received.

Next week, Rama said he was invited by Dr. Rene Escalante, chairman of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, to attend the meeting of the National Quincentennial Committee in Manila.

Escalante is also the vice chairman of the NQC, a body created by Duterte to spearhead all government-led commemorations of the Quincentennial.

Rama said he was invited in his capacity as the chairman of the Cebu City Historical Affairs Commission.

“Wa man koy laing tumong. Ampo lang magka-estorya gyud mi sa Presidente on 500 years of Christianity,” Rama said.

He added that he also intends to tell Duterte “man to man” on the gallantry of Datu Lapu-Lapu.

Escalante earlier said that for now, it will be the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) who will spearhead the celebrations in Cebu City regarding the presentation of the Santo Niño to Juana, the wife of Rajah Humabon following Duterte’s reported stance that he would not support any celebrations having to do with Christianity and Hispanization in the upcoming 2021 Quincentennial of the Magellan expedition.

It was Rama who made the query to Escalante on the participation of Cebu City in the Quincentennial celebration.

Cebu City is a member of the association of Magellanic cities where Rama has been attending meetings in Portugal and Spain and it would be strange for the city not to be part of the Quincentennial commemoration.

Rama is in fact the vice chairman of this association which comprises all the cities that Magellan passed by from Spain to the Americas and here in the Philippines.

The Lapu-Lapu City government has already constituted the Mactan Quincentennial Committee to assist the NQC in implementing various activities for the 500th anniversary of the Victory of Mactan on April 27, 2021.

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan said that even if Duterte will not join the celebration, it will still not affect the events.

The local committee will perform only coordinative functions, with a specific task to coordinate with the NQC in laying down plans and programs that are special to the city  FPL (FREEMAN)