There was an island called Mactan, the king of which was greatly admired as an excellent man in the arts of battle and was more powerful than all his neighbors. Five hundred years ago within the courage of just one man, Spain was enforced to defer for around 45 years the plan to conquer our country. Thus, there once were two more periods of our forefathers who lived free from the yoke of Spain, thanks to this warrior. The hero is none other than the fearless Lapu-Lapu. He was one of the heads of Mactan Island in the Visayas.
What we know about Lapu-lapu was mostly written by those who persisted or who had first-hand info about the Battle of Mactan. In spite of being Lapu-Lapu’s enemies, their writings include nothing contradictory about Lapu-Lapu. Rather, it’s the outstanding qualities about him that can be learned: his leadership, courage, tactical bravery, and his policies. The Battle of Mactan can be surely viewed as having obtained designed by Lapu-lapu the way he’d like to open it. Through this, he was able to drive Magellan into charging during low tide. This executed the artillery in Magellan’s ships out of range, inefficient to support Magellan’s landing party.
According to Umali, 2019,”It’s easy to think that Lapu-Lapu, as the paramount ruler of Mactan, was “Filipino,” or the very least, a native of the island. After all, did he not defend his land against foreign invasion?”Surely, we can acknowledge that the “Philippines” as we understand it didn’t exist back before, but Lapu-Lapu was a Cebuano descendant from salt and sweat, right? Or is it Lapu-Lapu a Filipino or not?
According to Sabornido, 2019 stated that “Datu or Chief Lapu-Lapu is also known under the names of Cilapulapu, Si Lapulapu, Salip Pulaka, Cali Pulaco, and Lapulapu Dimantang”. This reason for these various names he was known is said to be because of translations done by different writers who wrote about his heroic deed in his territory preserve independence from the European invaders. No matter what he was called, writers argued on two things, this man was both very intelligent and a great warrior
According to the different scholars that Lapu-Lapu is a Filipino and some others say no. But the truth of the nationality of Lapu-Lapu is not a Filipino. Asmentioned by Umali, 2019,”A folk epic taken from the oral histories of the region called the Aginid, Bayok sa atong Tawarik sheds light on Lapu-Lapu’s origins. Lapu-Lapu and his followers came from Borneo (Sabah) and asked Humabon for a place to settle. Humabon decided to bequeath modern-day Mandaue and Mactan, hoping that they would cultivate the land.”Lapu-Lapu was successful in this effort, and the penetration of the farm provides helped Humabon embellishment. However, their relationship would turn sour when Lapu-Lapu decided to turn to forgery and raiding, striking trade ships that entered Cebu through Mactan.
As stated by Peoplepill.com, 2019 mentioned that,”There had been many folk accounts surrounding Lapu-Lapu’s origin. One oral tradition is that the Sugbuanons of Opong was once ruled by Datu named Mangal and later succeeded by his son named Lapu-Lapu. Another is from oral chronicles from the reign of the last king of Cebu, Rajah Tupas (d. 1565)”. The compiled and written in Baybayin in the book Aginid, Bayok sa Atong Tawarik ("Glide on, Odes to Our History") in 1952 by Jovito Abellana stated that, “The founding of the Rajah Nate of Cebu by a certain Sri Lumay (also known as Rajamuda Lumaya), who was a prince from the Hindu Chola dynasty of Sumatra. His sons, Sri Alho and Sri Ukob, ruled the neighboring communities of Sialo and Nahalin, respectively. The islands they were in were collectively known as Pulua Kang Dayang or Kangdaya (literally "the islands of the lady")”.
Sri Lumay was noted for his strict policies in defending against Moro raiders and slavers from Mindanao. His use of scorched earth tactics to repel invaders gave rise to the name Kang Sri Lumay ng Sugbo (literally "that of Sri Lumay's great fire") to the town, which was later shortened to Sugbo ("conflagration").
As indicated by Abellana, 1952 that "Upon his death in a battle against the raiders, Sri Lumay was succeeded by his youngest son, Sri Bantug, who ruled from the region of Singhapala (literally "lion city"), now Mabolo in modern Cebu City. Sri Bantug died of a disease during an epidemic and was succeeded by his son Rajah Humabon (also known as Sri Humabon or Rajah Humabara). During Humabon's reign, the region had become an important trading center. The harbors of Sugbo became known colloquially as sinibuayng hingpit ("the place for trading"), shortened to Sibu or sibo ("to trade"), from which the modern name "Cebu" originates”.
As studied by Sears, 2019 stated, “It finds unfortunate and strange that Filipino is reluctant to recognize the historical facts that Lapu-Lapu was a native of Borneo. As an immigrant from Borneo, according to the Aginid, “Lapu Lapu returned to the Borneo with his three wives, 11 of his children, and a number of his warriors.”
As eloquently stated by Valdeavilla, 2019, " Lapu-Lapu... terms like: “Brave Mactan Leader,” “Pinuno na may paninindigan” (leader who stood for his people) and “Leader who fought for his people.” His reputation precedes him, weaving history and myth into the fabric of modern Filipino culture."
Although the exact date of his arrival is unknown, most historical accounts state Lapu-Lapu reached the shores of Sugbo (now referred to as Cebu) from the neighboring island of Borneo. At this time, Rajah Humabon ruled over Sugbo and was recognized by natives as the island’s king. Lapu-Lapu asked Humabon for a place to settle in the archipelago; in response, the king offered him the region of Mandawili (known today as Mandaue), including the Opong area. He soon after became the chief of the region’s people — referred to as Datu Lapu-Lapu of Mactan island.
Locals held the Bornean native in high interest as one of their own. He defeated attacking Bornean soldiers and pirates, helped enhance Sugbo’s trade port and reached up for his people. Things resembled to be going well. However, Lapu-Lapu’s good relationship with Rajah Humabon's depreciated’ when he raided merchant ships in the Opong area, changing the sequence of events to come.
According to Abellana, 1952 mentioned that, "Under Humabon, the Sibo or sibu in Parian became more progressive. Here, the “sinibuayng hingpit” (meaning a place for full trade) was carried on. The word Cebu is thus coined from the old word Sibo, an old word for barter, trade, or swap. “At this time, Lapulapu Dimantag arrived from Borneo and asked Humabon for a place to settle. Being an oranglaut (man of the sea), Humabon offered the Opong island but Lapulapu was later convinced to settle in Mandawili (now Mandaue) and make the land productive as it was impossible to cultivate food crops in Opong because of its rocky terrain." Under Lapulapu’s leadership, trading in Parian further flourished because of the goods which he brought from the land and sea in northern Cebu. It did not take long though that his relationship with Humabon turned hostile. Lapulapu eventually became a mangatang (pirate) who ordered his men to loot ships that pass by Opong island. This had lowered the trading transactions in Parian, thus creating tension between Humabon and Lapulapu. Opong island thus earned the ill-reputed name mangatang which later evolved into the word Mactan.
In conclusion, although it remains easy to understand and acknowledge based on the majority that Lapu-Lapu was the ruler of Mactan in the Visayas before and a fearlessness warrior. The modern Filipino society knows that Lapu-Lapu was a Filipino because he was living here in the Philippines before and a heroic battle against Spaniards in the 16th century. He was the best recognized for the Battle of Mactan in the year 1521. Contradicting, it is clear and shows that Lapu-Lapu was not a Filipino but a Borneo native man based on the different sources and factual history timeline about his life in the information above through the analysis and/or presentation. According to Aginid, a compilation of pre-colonial oral chronicles in Cebu, Lapu-Lapu was originally from Borneo and not even a native on Mactan.