GALLANTRY OF LAPU-LAPU. Presidential Communications Operations Office Assistant Secretary for Brand Integration Ramon Cualoping III presents to the stakeholders the logo of the centennial commemorations in the Philippines during a meeting organized by the National Quincentennial Committee in Lapu-Lapu City on Friday (Sept. 13, 2019). Cualoping said it is a challenge for the Filipinos to adopt a key messaging on the celebration that focuses on the gallantry of Lapu-Lapu in the Victory of Mactan over Ferdinand Magellan, as the world celebrates the first circumnavigation that focuses on the discovery of the Philippines by the Spaniards. (PNA photo by John Rey Saavedra)
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu – A ranking official of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) on Friday said telling the stories of victory and humanity of Filipino ancestors, headed by Lapulapu, is a challenge amid global celebration of Magellan’s circumnavigation focusing the discovery of the Philippines by the Spaniards.
Assistant Secretary Ramon Cualoping III, chief brand integrator of the PCOO, presented to stakeholders the communications plan of the National Quincentennial Committee (NQC) for the 500th anniversary of the Magellan-Elcano expedition that will zero in on the Victory of Mactan on April 27, 2021.
“Now, the challenge for the stakeholders, LGU (local government unit), national government agencies actually is to come up with a very messaging, a messaging that is consistent, strong, and single-minded, which is to focus on the gallantry, the victory and the humanity of our ancestors which brought us the republic that we have today,” Cualoping told more 200 historians, tour guides, local government officials, and guests of the stakeholders meeting in this city organized by the NQC.
The PCOO serves as the communications arm of the NQC - with the specific tasks of formulating key messaging for the Philippine quincentennial of the victory of Mactan.
NQC was formed by President Rodrigo R. Duterte through Executive Order No. 55, which was signed in 2018, and was tasked to formulate programs for the quincentennial celebration.
Cualoping presented to the stakeholders the logo and the brand attribute of the celebration.
Cualoping said majority of Filipinos are not aware of other and more significant historical events about the 500 years of the first circumnavigation and the victory of Lapulapu, as the celebration focuses more on the “discovery of Ferdinand Magellan of the Philippine island.”
He pointed out that part of the milestone in celebrating the victory of the Sri Vhisayan people of Mactan is the opportunity of the Filipinos to put the earliest heroes of the country into the spotlight.
“Lapulapu represents our gallantry and the spirit of freedom which determined our destiny and history. Along with Lapulapu were Filipinos of that time who showed humanity for the crew of the Magellan-Elcano expedition, characteristic of our people that is recurrent in the Philippine history, such as the siege of Baler and open-door policy of the late President Manuel L. Quezon to the Jewish refugees,” he said.
He reminded the participants of the meeting about Duterte’s intention to push the heroism of Lapulapu as the center of gravity in celebrating the 500 years of the Filipino heroism against foreign invaders on the island of Mactan.
“In line with the key message of President Duterte since his (presidential) campaign back in 2016, he has always highlighted the story of heroism of Lapulapu. Speech after speech, he always mentioned Lapulapu and now courageous he was and how courageous are the Visayans, the Cebuanos,” he added.
Cualoping presented that the key messaging of the celebration is “Heroism at the victory of Mactan that transcends time and inspires the future Filipino generations to be leaders of change,” with a core message anchored on “things that we will do in the next couple of years is much aligned with the ideals of this administration of our government today.”
The chief brand integrator of the PCOO said the power of social media can be used to inform and educate people in telling them the stories of the gallant heroes of Mactan and inspire “to build our own legacy for the future generations of Filipinos.” (PNA)
