SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) F irst R egular Session DATE: ) SENAT S. No. rf 0 8 BILLS Introduced by S e n a to r R ic h a rd "D ic k ” J . G o rd o n AN A C T D E C LA R IN G A P R IL 27 OF EVERY YE AR AS A S P E C IA L W O RKING PU B LIC H O LID A Y TH R O U G H O U T TH E CO UN TRY TO CO M M EM O RATE THE VICTO R Y OF LA P U rLA P U A N D HIS MEN O VER THE SP AN IA R D S LED BY FERDINAND M A G E LLA N IN TH E HISTORIC B A TTLE OF M AC TAN ON A P R IL 27,1521, TO BE KN O W N AS LA P U -LA P U DAY OR A D L A W Nl LA P U - LAPU E X P LA N A TO R Y NOTE N e 'e r shall invaders tram ple thy sacred shores! Em bodying the line in the Philippine National Anthem, "sa manlulupig, 'di ka p a sislil," Lapu-Lapu was the first successful defender o f the Philippine shores. He w as a native Muslim o f M actan and the earliest known indigenous Visayan Muslim chieftain and datu in the island of Mactan. W hen the Spaniards first set foot on the Philippines, they had a goal to convert the local people to Spanish traditions and custom s, prim ary o f w hich was conversion to Christianity. Unlike Rajah Humabon of Cebu and other chiefs of the neighboring islands, Lapu-Lapu refused to acknowledge the Spanish sovereignty over the islands and convert to Christianity. Thus, on April 27, 1521, Lapu-Lapu together with the men o f Mactan, fought Ferdinand M agellan and successfully defeated him, rejecting the change he wanted to bring with the Spanish flag. Today, Lapu-Lapu is regarded as the first national hero of the Philippines w ho resisted and repulsed the Spanish invaders and pushed them back to the seas, defending the land he calls home, now part o f the Philippine territory. Lapu-Lapu had strong principles and was a peaceful leader until invaded, possessing the qualities o f courage, bravery, strength, honor, and integrity, which should be em ulated by every Filipino. In keeping with the Filipino tradition of com m em orating momentous events in national history, this bill proposes the declaration o f April 27 as a special working public holiday to be known as Lapu-Lapu Day o r A d law n i Lapu-Lapu, as a fitting tribute to the courage displayed by Lapu-Lapu and his men in the Battle of Mactan. D IC K ” J. GORDON Senator