AFTER a three-year hiatus caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Lapu-Lapu City Government is bringing back its traditional month-long festivities for the 502nd anniversary of Victory at Mactan, also known as Kadaugan sa Mactan.
The event will take place in April with a total budget of around P4 million, according to John Kristoffer Rafols, officer-in-charge of the Lapu-Lapu City Tourism Department.
Rafols said month-long activities will include a range of events, such as historical documentaries related to the Battle of Mactan, a job fair, a tattoo competition, cooking demos, a bazaar, and a seminar on business and corporate catering.
Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan said in a press conference on Monday, March 27, 2023, that this year’s Kadaugan sa Mactan will feature a reenactment of the battle, with a large group of eskrimador aged six to 92 currently being trained to perform an arnis kata during the event.
“We want to break the Guinness Book of records with the biggest play of eskrima in the world. Atong buhaton sa (We will do it in) Lapu-Lapu,” he said.
The most people performing a kata is 5,797. This was achieved by Thiruvananthapuram District Panchayat, All India Association of Sports for All, Asianet News Network Pvt. Ltd. and United Shitoryu Karate Association (all India), in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India on March 8, 2018.
The food festival at the Liberty Shrine will be a week-long activity, featuring dishes from hotels and resorts in the city.
The city government’s budget for this year’s Kadaugan sa Mactan includes the subsidy for 10 contingent schools that will join the street dancing, as well as prizes, among others.
The funds for the event will be sourced from the allocated budget of the city government for every year’s Kadaugan sa Mactan. The city government is also seeking partnerships with private entities for possible additional activities to hold next month.
Several national government officials, including President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Vice President Sara Duterte, and Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, have been invited to the event, although only Frasco has confirmed her attendance.
These are the events: Dive in Movie Night, particularly historical documentaries related to the Battle of Mactan, among others (April 1 and 2); Kadaugan Job Fair (April 14); On the Spot Tattoo Competition (April 16); cooking demos on local dishes using sustainable ingredients and modern Pinoy cuisine (April 17); cooking demo on “Community Based Food Business Ideas, Party, Trays, Etc.” (April 18); Jaycee Summer International Bazaar (April 18-28); and Seminar on Revolving Around Business and Corporate Catering, Food Costing to Maximize Profit, Sustainable Resources, Food Hazard and Safety (April 19).
The other events are pre-competition briefing for culinary competition (April 20); Opening of the Kadaugan Food Festival and JPark Island Resort and Waterpark’s night (April 21); Culinary Competition - Professional and Students Category and Kadaugan Bisrock Concert (April 22); Dagan Para sa Kadaugan, Culinary Competition Community-based Category, Culinary Competition Awarding Ceremony, Marina Seaview’s Acoustic Night (April 23); Kadaugan Investments Forum and Coco Sugba: Appreciation to Cebuano Music (April 25); Lapu-Lapu Got Talent (April 26); 502nd Victory at Mactan, “Sadsad sa Kadaugan” Interschool Cultural Presentation Competition, Special Performance from Wonju, South Korea, SMB Street Party (April 27); and LapuLapu Bumper to Bumper Car Show (April 29-30).