Monday, April 28, 2008 ‘Lapu’s heroism should inspire Pinoys in crisis’
MANILA—Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia yesterday said the act of heroism Lapu-Lapu displayed should give courage to many Filipinos amid various political and economic crises hounding the country.
Speaking before government officials during the 487th Battle of Mactan rite at Rizal Park in Manila, Garcia said what Lapu-Lapu did was only “the beginning of this continuing task of nationhood.”
Representatives from the Korean Embassy, Philippine National Police, Philippine Coast Guard, Army and Navy also graced the affair.
Garcia said Cebuanos are happy to see the statue of Lapu-Lapu standing at the Rizal Park because it shows pride on what he did.
It is also proof that “centuries of conscious suppression of his (Lapu-lapu) memory, or benign neglect, or lingering efforts to trivialize his deeds cannot triumph over the truth of his pure heroism.”
For his part, Sen. Richard Gordon, who is rumored to run for president with Garcia as running-mate in 2010, likened the Cebu governor to Lapu-Lapu for working more and
talking less.
“Ang tawag sa kanya ay (She is called) Gwen Garcia or ‘GG’ which means ‘good governance’,” Gordon added.
Gordon said Lapu-Lapu began the creation of a Filipino nation.
And when the Cebuano national hero was put to test, Lapu-Lapu showed what a citizen of a country must be by being proud of his race.
“Lapu-Lapu is not a hero because he killed (Ferdinand) Magellan, he is our first hero,” said Gordon.
He said Lapu-Lapu was also the first Asian to kill a Spanish invader, making the Philippines the first Asian nation to struggle against colonialism.
“We must always remain proud of our race. We must always stand for our principle. We must always remain brave for our country,” said Gordon.
The senator also heaped praise on Garcia’s style of administration, which he said is his model in governance for being an “independent” local government unit. (GMD)
