Quincentennial theme song must be in Cebuano.

Cebu is the seat of the Christianization of the Philippines. Cebu is also the only place in the country where we celebrate the victory that is the “Kadaugan sa Maktan”.

The organizers from Manila decided among themselves to choose “Bagani” as the commemoration theme song, with Tagalog lyrics. CEBUpedia on May 7, 2018 wrote an article on “Bagane”, a novel written by a Cebuano, Emiliano C. Gabuya in 1952. Presumably in order to evade issue of plagiarism, they changed it to “Bagani”.

The irony and perversion of the 500th-year commemoration is that the theme song is in Tagalog when the main characters, Humabon (for the first baptism, April 14, 2021) and Lapu-Lapu (son of Hari Mangal and Rani/Hara Bauga, born in Opon and not the twisted claim that the King of Mat-an (Maktan) was from Sulu) were Sugboanons. Then why is the theme song in Tagalog?

The song must be in Cebuano, for easy reference it may carry an English or Tagalog translation but it must be in Cebuano. It is also comical for people from Luzon to come to Cebu and go on stage lecturing us about the life of Lapu-Lapu when these officials from Imperial Manila were only able to arrive at the Mactan Shrine because of their escorts, as they were entirely ignorant of where the historical site is.

It is insulting that 500 years later, the commemoration of the victory of the Cebuano race who fought Magellan, a foreign invader, is desecrated by the neo-imperial seat, which is Manila. The city of refuge of the evicted governor-general, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, via the Battle of Fort San Pedro led by Haring Tupas on September 1, 1569. Manila was given the title, “Distinguished and Ever Loyal City”, a reward for its virtual surrender and servanthood to Spain.

Just like in Philippine history, there are those Cebuano officials who choose to be silent when Cebuano pride and honor is being trampled, because of political convenience and to avoid courting the enmity of the gods of presidential palace, but the true Cebuanos will never be silent. We may be civil and cordial, for we are a proud race, slayers of foreign invaders and not slaves of dictators.

Long live Cebu, God bless the Cebuanos. Ug mabuhi ang bantugan nga Bisaya.