Battle of Mactan: its history and myth

View Larger Map

          There is a spot in Lapu-Lapu City in Mactan island that’s revered by islanders more than any other place. A marker says it was on that site that a man who had sought dominion over the island in the name of the Spanish king had died in the hands of the brave warrior chieftain Lapu-Lapu 485 years ago. 

          Lapu-Lapu’s deed is fact but it spawned legends about the man–how he defeated the Spanish forces with their powerful artillery (guns, swords, cannons, cross-bows, body armor) and killed their leader Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan–and what became of him.

It is said in the island that the chieftain did not die or that at least nobody ever saw him die and the islanders believe he has been turned into a stone and is forever guarding the seas of Mactan. Fishermen in the island city point to a stone shaped like a man in the deep and they throw coins at it as a way of asking permission to fish in the chieftain’s seas.

       Another popular story passed on from generation to generation of island residents says Lapu-Lapu became the statue placed on a pedestal at the center of the city plaza. This statue faces the old City Hall building, where the mayors used to hold office, and once held a crossbow in the immortal stance of someone about to shoot an arrow at an enemy. The people decided to replace Lapu-Lapu’s crossbow with a bolo after three mayors of the city died one after the other from a heart attack.

      One of the folklore about Lapu-Lapu also tells of a man forewarned about the attack. In a council with other people in the tribe over the coming battle, Lapu-Lapu reportedly took his pestle and said he was going to throw it hard and if it would go through three coconut trees then they had nothing to fear because they were going to win. It did and the rest is history and myth.

         A note written in the marker, shaped like a large headstone, says it was on that spot that Magellan fell dead in the hands of Lapu-Lapu. A little farther away is a monument to Magellan, an obelisk on a base of several levels said to have been built in 1866 during the administration of Augustinian priest Simon Aguirre, who was cura of Opon (the old name of Lapu-Lapu City) in 1857-71.

        The place where Lapu-Lapu and his men triumphed over the Spanish invaders on April 27, 1521 has been turned into a shrine. The shrine sits along the boundaries of the villages of Punta Engaño and Mactan in Lapu-Lapu City on the island of Mactan.

      Magellan had come to Cebu through Homonhon, an uninhabited island in the province of Eastern Samar. There, he and his crew were sighted by Rajah Calambu of Limasawa and he guided them to Cebu on April 7.

In Cebu, Magellan became friends with Rajah Humabon who prevailed upon the Portuguese explorer to go to Mactan and punish Lapu-Lapu. It is widely believed that Humabon was at odds with Lapu-Lapu and that they fought over control of land.

       Antonio Pigafetta, chronicler of Magellan’s trip, survived the battle in Mactan and told of how they were overwhelmingly overpowered on the island’s shores by at least 1,500 native warriors, a report that has been held by historians as questionable and grossly exaggerated.

Three monuments in the Mactan Shrine are worthy of note: the Magellan Marker, the Magellan monument, and chieftain Lapu-Lapu’s statue.

     As early as December 1840, Spanish Governor-General Francisco Alcala had approved a plan to construct a monument in honor of Magellan. The circumstances of this monument’s construction was not clear but Karl von Scherzer, a member of an Austrian naval expedition who visited the Philippines in 1858, wrote about a monument to Magellan on the promontory of Punta Engaño. Historians believe this does not refer to the obelisk that is now in the shrine.

       Also within the Mactan Shrine is a statue of chieftain Lapu-Lapu holding a bolo in one hand and a shield in the other. The shrine that houses the three monuments doubles as a plaza that locals and tourists frequent.

    The shrine is host to the annual Kadaugan sa Mactan celebration by the Lapu-Lapu City Government. The celebration commemorates the battle for Mactan and is held in the shores near the shrine every April.

      Beside the shrine are several stores that sell cheap native trinkets made of seashells. Also near the shrine are sutukil restaurants that cook fresh seafoods.

Photos:

These are Anitos by which early people worship as their god.

A painting which depicts the battle between Lapu-Lapu and Magellan.

The beachfront near the Mactan Shrine, where the annual Kadaugan sa Mactan celebration is held.

Two of my companions as they were reading the note in the large headstone.

Captured; as one of the shrine's maintenance personnel cleans the area. 

The Park Ad Sense

View Larger Map

        Folks which aren't fervently familiar with the park beneath the Marcelo B. Fernan Bridge  would probably end up wondering about the whereabouts of the people prior to the park.

        To start off, the park is actually called Millennium Park wherein a whole lot of things do happen and still would be happening for the years to come. There's more to it than meets the eye. Its being a major major  multi-purpose park even went beyond its definition.

    Allow me to state the different things that people, young and old alike, do in this remarkable park.

        I'll give you the most basic situations that do happen first. Even before early dawn, people inclined to physical activities would most likely be seen doing their exercises at the park or even at the both sides at the bridge. That happens like every single day. There goes also the Taibo, an entire body workout or an aerobic exercise routine. 

         Another common routine is the family hang-out routine. A lot of families do spend some quality time together in the park. Dear reader, having seen them makes my heart flutter in extreme joy and would often leave me downright ecstatic.  Seeing their happy faces and hearing the melody of their giggles and laughs somehow completes my day. To divert a little, my family do also spend some time in this park. Back when my Dad was still with this. Heaven knows how badly I miss him. Anyhow, those were the good old days that I exceedingly missed.

      As the time of the day continues, usually the minutes before twilight, there goes some of the youths and kids doing their own thing. The kids usually doing their norms like playing games which they could think of and the youths, usually the students, would do their practice with regards to school matters like dance presentations, speech choirs, and role plays.

      More often than not, the park becomes even more livelier when the members of the Drum and Bugle Corps (DBC) would do their practice. Some people would even dance to the beat of the drums and other instruments.

      By the time it's sunset and the night creeps in, somehow it would be inevitable to see pairs of lovers spending also some quality time with each other. Believe me, it's like everyday is Valentine's Day.

      The amusing thing about having these pairs of lovers is that they seem to be the target of some kids who do jingle songs just to have a parcel of food to eat. These unfortunate little ones somehow have found their last resort through these lovers. That's probably a good thing though, I dare say.

      These are not only the things that would happen but for the best side, events that help the   citizens also do happen. Events like free dental check-up, operation tuli, games for summer league, coastal clean-up and other activities are also on the list.

      For the years to come, we do hope that the Millennium Park would still be of service to the people and would even go farther with its title as the multi-purpose park.

        

'We Walk Because We Care'

         

         The sun's glimmering shines are still nowhere to be found. Its absence was merely ruled over by the early dawn. Inasmuch as I wanted to prolong my sleep, I'd still be stripped off with the privilege to do so. Today, I have to wake up early. Today, I shall make a change.

          Dear reader, I began making soft murmurs to myself which practically ended up as my sensible chant for the day. I allowed it to reverberate through me. It pioneered at my mind then from the pit of my stomach down to the soles of my feet, I muttered the words, "I shall be responsible today. I shall be responsible today. I ought to. Yeah right. I ought to." While these chants kept on repeating at the back of my mind, I can't help flashing a big grin as I was facing the mirror. Feeling kinda ready to start the day with something remarkable and sensible. Today, I'll be helping my fellow youths. The less unfortunate young men and women, the out-of-school youths. And this shall be achieved through joining this year's "Walk for a Cause" or notoriously known as "Alay Lakad."

          You might be wondering what pushes me in joining the event. Truth be known, I was neither pushed nor pulled. Dear reader, I ought to join the event. Ought to for I have to do such responsibilities. Responsibilities for being a public servant. I have been serving for three years already and it is quite too tormenting to deeply think about our final goodbye. The end of our term as SK officials in our barangay. Anyhow, why prolong the inevitable? We've always asked this, didn't we? As some people univocally says, 'the only thing that remains constant in this world is change.'

         So, moving on. We had our assembly area at our barangay hall. I arrived pretty early. Well, pretty early than my other co-SK officials. That could now be considered as a trail of responsibility, or so to speak. Anyhow, while waiting for the others to come, my mind drifted somewhere. Somewhere with which my present state could hardly ever understand. Reason can't even tell but believe me, my mind started browsing on some good old memories from the past and finding its way towards the future's pool of uncertainties then finally back at the present. So there, it was quite a bumpy ride.

       Then they arrived and we began to ready ourselves for the final walk. Oh, shoot. Why am I starting to write the word 'final' more often than not now? Well, okay. Perhaps because this has to be our final wave. The major major final wave.

        To continue, the walk has started. Unfortunately, I'd have to say it was a gradual walk. It's a no walk for continuity and constancy. We have a parcel of pit stops and the scorching heat of the sun made it look awful. Though not really that awful but it was, just in a more subtle way.

     But what more could we think of? What's there to protest? I feel it needless and downright inconsequential to find ourselves retorting about the hot weather. And for my happiness' sake, there were no serious protests made. We were walking under the revolting sun not because we're bunch of mobs trying to be endearingly attractive to the people. But we walked for we share a common goal. To give life somehow to the beneficiaries. We walk because we care.

             

            

Internship: a mind-over-matter existence

       The very focal point as to why a forum occurred was to deliberately discuss important matters prior to the Mass Communication Internship. But as the forum goes farther, I’d have to say the issue about the ever unending topic with regards to the Manila hostage drama was quite inevitable for the Kapisanan nga mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) officials to discuss, though I shall consider it adequate to somehow hear a parcel of their opinions toward the latter. Right then and there, I’ve come to know that it was also the broadcasting network’s newsroom who had somehow committed lapses. Upon knowing, my mind began to browse on one of the communication theories that we’ve discussed. Specifically, this shall be the gatekeeping theory by which it is a process that determines not only which information is selected, but as well as to what the content and nature of messages, such as news, will be.

            In the middle of the forum, each of the KBP officials was given the privilege speech prior to the internship concerns and such. Upon hearing, I humbly denote that internship is a serious business. The station has the prerogative as to accept interns or not. I reckon that would have to be the major dilemma that an intern shall be experiencing firsthand.

            Internship, the marriage between theory and practice, gradually slithers up in me and made me realize more cautiously than ever its ulterior aspects as well as some mind-over-matter concerns. Ulterior, I shall say, for never have I been gripping ideas as to what internship really would be. I’m speaking of reality and the trends of it.

            The part of the program that really piqued my interest to its highest peak was the open forum. It was fare-thee-well moderated by our very own Dr. Corazon Prejoles. Questions were then asked from the students toward the KBP officials. Questions concerning sorts like ‘Will the students bargain a libel case if he would commit lapses? What’s your stand towards stations that would make the interns as their personal assistant (PA) just because no slots are sufficient enough for them? Will the students be affected with this proposed “Total News Blackout” bill? Would it be better of the intern would have a particular number of working hours?’

            Those were the questions being brought up and needless to say, those questions were answered genuinely enough. Though I’ll have to say it’ll be a vast satisfaction if there would be plenty of questions to be asked. How I wish time was in utter slow motion at that time.

            Anyhow, the forum has somehow unleashed our young minds with regards to the course as well as its application. This is remarkably useful at the time when we could finally call ourselves as interns come summer of 2011.  

Setyembre 7, 2010: Ang nidalikyat nga tumong

       Adlaw napud para ipadayon namo ang among pakigharong niining kinabuhing estudyante. Usahay makaingon ka nga kapoy. Usahay pud makaingon ka nga lingaw. Kung atong itandi ang duha, mada raman pud diay kon atong isagol. Busa ang kinabuhing estudyante, kapoy pero lingaw. Ay dah! Tublaw ug sikat na gud kaayo ni nga hugpulong. Ganahan lang ko gud nga ako napo'y musulti. 

    Sige, balik ta's estorya. Nagklase napud mi sa lain-laing sugpay sa eskwelahan. Ob kors, ang akong pinakapaborito nga klase (mada rapud ug among pinakapaborito nga klase kay mura'g daghan ming nagtigi aning klaseha dah) kay mao ang klase ni Sir Ener (alyas rani mga brader kay kuyaw kay tas dakop ani). Pagkahuman kay musunod na dayon ang klase nga ginailang Logic. Ug pastoryahon ko aning klaseha, mas labing maayo kon dili nalang. Basin sayo ko mapakno ani. Lisod nang maboang mga ter!

    Unya padayonon nato ha? Okey ra nimo bai? Sibat lang gud kon paminaw nimo gikapoyan naka ug basa. Ayaw lang gud ug pananghid kon kapindoton na kay kas back na button o diba sa X na button. Pero ipadayon nalang gihapon ko ni ha? Nasugdan naman sad gud mao nga magpasutoy nalang sad ko. 

    Sige, balik napud ta's estorya. Pagkahuman sa klase namo sa Logic kay mao napud ang P.E. Unya kay darting-darting naman among lesson di naningkamot pud mi ug labay-labay ug mga darts sa dartboard. Unya mga children kay bisan unsaon nako ug konsentrate kay lisod man gyud i-bulls eye (hilas ra ang bulls eye?) Pero alegre pud gamay oy. 

    Unya ibutang ta ug nahuman nato among P.E., sus karon kay wa naman diay mi klase sunod. Pasutoy nalang gyud mi ug uli ani, diba? Way para laag kay init man gamay ang adlaw. Unya mao na dayon to. Pagpadong na namo gawas sa gate nga usahay huot, usahay lu-ag, nakahuna-huna mi nga manimba nalang kaha. Bay da way, akong mga kauban diay kay sila si Roksan the IDOL, Karla the gorgeous-girl ug Tammy the eber angayan girl. Unya buotan ra kaayo mi mga miga ug migo sa? Apir bi kay murag sakto lage. Oyis! Buotan ra kay mi. Pero ang pangutana, masangko naba kaha mis langit ani?

    Sige, sige. Di nalang ta maghisgot ug para tubag ato ha kay murag pait na. Unya mao na dayun to. Sa Sto. Rosario mi nanimba. Wa lang mi kasugod pero payts ra kay nangumpisal nalang mi. 

    Yis mga brader. Kumpisal as in confession. As in tug-an tug-an the sins with Father. Unya mao na dayun to. Samtang nagpaabot ko sa akong turno nga musulod sa confession room, nag-internalize sab ko kunohay sa akong mga sala. Basin nya ug unsaon tang Padre kon wa ko'y mabutyag kaniya. Pagkahuman ato nisulod nako ug nagsaysay nas mga kapakyasan ug mga kalapsanang akong nabuhat diri sa kalibutan. Pagkahuman ato gipa-ampo ko ni Father sa angay na ampo-on lakip na ang Act of Contrition. Sus karon kay wa man gyud ko kasag-o ani nga ampo. Okay raba kaha nga personal prayer nalang akong idalit? 

    Bang! Bulgar na akong sekreto sa pangumpisal ani ron. Maningkamot lang nya ko ug sag-o. Basin mada pa diay.

   Unya mao na to. Pagpadong na unta namo sa Prayer Room kay naa may niduol namo nga usa ka lalake. Kon atong lantawon ug sud-ongon ang maong panagway ug panamit sa lalake, mura man ug kuan. Mura ra pud ug tawo. Aaw, unsa ba. Mura ra pud diay ug na'ay gitipig na problema. Samot na katong pag-estorya niya sa iyang tumong kanamo. Ug mao kini ang dagan sa estorya:

   "Day. (as in Inday mga brader ha. dili day na adlaw para ka masayod)

   "Day. Mangayo unta  ko ug tabang, Bisan gamay lang."

   [unya nagkara-kara gamay ug estorya si Manoy.]

  "Wa..wa...wala lage ko'y kwarta. Di ko kauli sa amo kay taga-Bohol man ko unya among maestro sauna wala naman diay diri sa Cebu. Adto unta ko mangayo ug hinabang niya. Na-ospital lage akong asawa. Di ko kabalik kay wa ko'y pamilite."

   Samtang gipangyaw-yaw kini ni Manoy, ako pud tawng gitan-aw kunohay ang iyang mga manurisms. Basin diay makapag ko ug 'something.' Unya kay usa sa akong mga nakit-an kay nangurog man iyang mga kamot. Naa kini siya'y gigunitan nga mga papeles nga ambot unsa basta kay papel to. Syurbol ko ana! As in sure ball  bai ba. Unya ganahan unta ko nga tutokan nako iyang mata. Basin pud diay mas naa pako'y makit-an didto. Nagdahom man sad lage ko nga mapareha ko ni Dr. Cal Lightman (Tim Roth) sa iyang salida nga 'Lie to Me' sa Fox Channel 49 kon asa makahibaw siya kon nangilad ba ang usa ka tawo o wala. Maypagka feeler pud baya ta usahay. Pildi ang di mu-angkon.

  Unya mao na to mga brader. Nagsagol-sagol na among mga gipangbatyag sa tinuora'y lang. Unya speechless sad mi gamay pero nihatag nalang pud mi ug wawart. Pait ug sakit paminawon kay lage estudyante ra man mi, pero sagdi lang. Ang Ginoo ra'y mahibao kon gi-unsa ni Manoy ang kwarta nga among gihatag. 

  Kon naa sa maayong kamot ba o dili ang among beloved wawart, si Manoy ra pud ang makatubag ana. Siya ra pud ang mu-atubang sa mga sangpotanan o mas gi-ilang consequence. Lain sad kaayo'g apil mi. Maayo pa diay ug ang akong gi-title aning note kay "Ang hustong pag-budgeting ni Manoy." Sakto ba? Suma oy. Ayy basta. Manoy the Great, kon hain ka man karon, mangayo nalang pud ko ug pasalamat. 

  Ug kanimo diay brader, salamat sab kaayo ha? Kay imong gitiwas ug basa kining note nako. Nibasa ba kaha ka sa? Ikaw ra pud ang makatubag ana bai basta kay salamat nalang pud. Salamat sa imong kaayo nga way sukod. Long leb! :)

One notorious imperilment on media

          I was a typical 6th grader when I first took a glance on journalism. Subconsciously, I have regarded the latter as another way of simply writing what one wants to write. Believe me, I've distinguished journalism first-hand as part of the you-write-a-thing-to-feed-boredom category. On one hand, it practically means you write just for plain entertainment and nothing else goes beyond.

        Throughout those years, I've taken only a modicum of comprehension towards what journalism really has to say. Little has it but I have managed to know more about it in a gradual process. The awareness indeed is not achieved through an overnight basis but rather in a longer term. Furthermore, never have I been so literally shocked about its ulterior side. My mouth gaped open when I've discovered few of the inevitable risks in the profession. The very word that struck my alter-ego to its highest peak was the word “death.” I could terribly imagine how this word effuses its way in and traverses with the profession. Though it felt like I was caught in the middle of a catastrophe, it was also as if I have some feeble reasons as to continue feeling a partial of indifference against the risk. But inevitably, I could hear the clamor of fear and the tumults of hesitation. From the pit of my stomach down to the soles of my feet, I've barely mulled over to the idea of a ‘journalist’ and ended up in complete utter; to be or not to be: that is the question. Right at this juncture, I shall hide no lies and assert that there's still an iota of uncertainty towards going for the profession.

        On one way or another, I find yearning towards becoming a journalist, if a parcel of good fate is at hand. It's perplexing, is it not? My standpoint is extremely dilapidated due to the juxtaposition whether to pursue my career in the media or not. I may be a tattered novice and knows nothing of the standards on good journalism but gibberish thoughts instead, I somehow greed in finding enough faith towards exploiting my calling in the line of journalism. Inexplicably, I do hope that there will come one day where I could finally venture out that my career is fervently auctioned for journalism.

SONA 2010: a sensible retort

          As much as I wanted to watch President Aquino’s first State of the Nation Address (SONA) on television, still I would be deprived of possible chances due to my class schedule. The feeling would have been different if I were to hear the President’s voice rather than merely reading the widespread transactional copies of his speech via Internet. Anyhow, allow me to state my personal perspectives and standpoints about the latter.

            Truth be told, I wasn’t actually the type of person who had drastically supported Noynoy throughout the entire election. Young as I am, though I’m still not at the legal age to vote, I’ve somehow established my personal choice to which I shall be supporting. Apparently, I provoked myself from waving my flag for Noynoy. Because of these, I shall sincerely reveal that my views of the President are somehow prejudiced to some extent. But when I started reading a copy of his speech, those views radically changed in one fell swoop. The way the speech was composed had somehow knocked my predisposition down. The President’s SONA highlights the litany of ‘repulsive’ Arroyo-era ‘mistakes’ (as was the subhead for yesterday’s Sun.Star headline). 

             It was a good thing though to have a closer look on what seems to be the real doings of the country’s former President. I was vaguely aware of those revelations if it weren’t for the SONA though. To mention a few, here are some of the findings from the past administration. There was actually a massive misuse of funds during Arroyo’s era. Her administration spent more than it earned and as a result, a deficit of about P196.7 billion occurred for the first 6 months of this year’s budget. What is then left for the rest of the year? I feel disappointed and apprehensive at the same time because somehow, I yearn for President Aquino’s plans to be established effectively.

           One issue that left me awe-stricken was the issue among the Board of Trustees for the MWSS. Having been realized the various bonuses, additional allowances and benefits of these people made me utter in complete clamor: “amazing, just downright amazing!” I find no adequate reasons to recognize what pushed these people to be strongly inclined in doing such when in fact an immense number of people are vehemently suffering just for their own satisfaction and pleasure. Where could you even find a position in the government that grants you P14, 000 for every session done? This is revoltingly unbelievable and repulsively disappointing, I shall say. Even the La Mesa Watershed was not an exception. Instead of planting trees for the sufficiency of the watershed, houses were built for the higher officials of the MWSS. 

         Another was the fund for the country’s infrastructures. The DPWH classified 246 priority safety projects to be funded by the Motor Vehicle Users Charge. But it turned out that only 28 out of the 246 projects were funded. They disregarded the remaining 218 projects in exchange with 70 projects which were not part of the original plan. The budget for the allotted projects even got higher and by which the unplanned projects are enjoyed only to those chosen beneficiaries. Those are just some of the revelations that were discovered by our current administration.

          I’ve come to realize that what our President is facing are big issues which also need big and efficient solutions. As what the prominent line goes from a famous movie: “with great power comes great responsibility.” It may be tremendously true but in accord with that, I’d like also to denote, just as what some people would remarkably denote, that the responsibility is not held liable for our President alone but we as the countrymen should also be held liable for responsibility towards the success of our nation. 

            As a student taking up the degree program of Communication, I hardly appraise what the President said in the near-end of his speech. It tackles about the media especially the print and radio stating that the latter should be vigilant yet again for the country’s milieu and stick to what has been the basis of principle in the first place. 

          Furthermore, this is where the role of the press as watchdog is exploited. Another is to give the media consumers a clearer perspective towards an important issue. To be fair and straightforward prior to every subject, the media shall then report without fear or favor the shenanigans of a particular topic of interest. The most challenging part was to intensify the level of public discourse. There was actually something from these lines that drew me to conclude that President Noynoy trusted the media by some means.

          To end this all up, allow me to share this saying that goes, “Ask not what the country can do for you but ask what you can do for the betterment of your country.”