PAPI to File a Resolution Urging March 26 a National Holiday

A resolution declaring March 26 of every year as a national holiday to emphasize the greatness of Lapulapu who killed a famous aggressor Magellan in Mactan Island, Cebu, 493 years ago, is set to be filed by the Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc.(PAPI) Cebu Chapter to congress.

Engr. Greg S. Senining PAPI Cebu Chapter president this morning said, this is also set to be tackled during the PAPI national convention scheduled to be held in Cebu City on February 19, 2015.

PAPI is an organization of not only purely newspaper publishers, but even by some media practitioners whose thinking have something to do with analyzing some historical and cultural conditions of the countryside.

One of the researches made by PAPI is regarding Lapulapu who fought and killed Magellan in March 26, 1521 in barangay Mactan, Lapulapu City, Senining said.

Senining pointed out that when they dug up the records of Dr. Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, and other men who are considered as national heroes, “we found out that they are even acknowledged by the national government due to their heroism, which fitted them with yearly anniversary celebrations.

“These men such as Rizal, Bonifacio and other national heroes were also known of their braveness and courageous fights against foreign aggressors who wanted to reign over the Filipinos, in such a way their deeds were considered as heroism”, Senining stressed.

But Senining added that Lapulapu was also noted for such heroism act when he killed Magellan,who started to propagate the Spanish culture here in Cebu.

However, Lapulapu failed to prevent the Spaniards who later on colonized the whole country and even taught their religion to the Filipinos, Senining added.

Senining also noted that later on when Rizal as killed by the Spaniards because of his stringent opposition to their religious doctrines,” his death became known to all, so he was immediately called as national hero”.

“How impractical is our history when it considers Rizal a hero when he was killed by his aggressor , but Lapulapu who won and the one who killed his aggressor was not known as a hero”, Senining said.

The reason why, according to Senining that March 26 of every year is considered a victory celebration of Lapulapu which is translated into an exclusive holiday only in Lapulapu City.

Senining stressed that with such celebration, the PAPI is questioning this logic how come only Lapulapu City celebrates March 26 a holiday , “why not the province of Cebu or the whole country if possible?”, he said.

Senining added that PAPI is right when it suggests that if possible, March 26 should be declared a national holiday.

He said a resolution to this effect is set to be filed to congress after the February 19, 2015 PAPI national convention.