Hello, it's @Lejay28. Good day to all .
500 years ago, the warriors of Mactan led by Datu Lapulapu won a great victory in defense for their freedom against the forces of Ferdinand Magellan
Our national government pronounced today, April 27, 2021, as Lapu-Lapu Day, which commemorates Lapu-Lapu's heroic and historic victory over the Magellan-led Spaniards 500 years ago.
In order to have a brief historical glimpse of what happened, Antonio Pigafetta, an Italian scholar, explorer, and chronicler, described the Battle and the fall of his master, Ferdinand Magellan. Pigafetta narrates:
"Whilst the Indians were thus overpowering him, several times he turned round towards us to see if we were all in safety, as though his obstinate fight had no other object than to give an opportunity for the retreat of his men. We who fought to extremity, and who were covered with wounds, seeing that he was dead, proceeded to the boats, which were on the point of going away. This fatal battle was fought on the 27th of April of 1521, on a Saturday; a day which the captain had chosen himself, because he had a special devotion to it. There perished with him eight of our men, and four of the Indians, who had become Christians; we had also many wounded, amongst whom I must reckon myself. The enemy lost only fifteen men."
Because of this, the Battle of Mactan is often taken as a substantiating reference to the prevalent claim that we Filipinos are innately revolutionaries and that we are resistant to any malicious foreign invasion, adding to other historical revolutions that had taken place to combat the evils brought about by the foreign colonizers.
We see this day's commemoration as essential in remembering the heroism of one true hero whose bravery is unquestionable. But what is the use of our specific commemoration if we cannot emulate Lapu-Lapu's bravery in asserting our rights over our own territories, especially in West Philippine Sea?
Of course, this should not be read as an awakening and encouragement for a bloody war. We cannot surely trample a megapower. However, we should not treat the timely significance that Lapu-Lapu historically made 500 years ago as merely a subject of classroom discussion.
History ridicules the people whose promises in claiming and defending what's truly ours are just as farcical as their competence. It's shameful that the commemoration of Lapu-Lapu's heroism is more expressed today in such theatrics and photo ops than asserting our territory rights.
Thank you for reading!!
