Lapulapu Memorial Shrine and Museum

The Lapulapu Memorial Shrine and Museum is a proposed museum and monument to Lapulapu to be built at Mactan Shrine in Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines.

Lapulapu Memorial Shrine and Museum
General information
StatusProposed
LocationMactan Shrine
Town or cityLapu-Lapu City
CountryPhilippines
Named forLapulapu
GroundbreakingApril 27, 2021
Estimated completion2023

History edit

As a preparation for the 2021 Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines, the Mactan Shrine park in Lapu-Lapu City was renovated.[1] By September 2019, the initial plans for the shrine called for the replacement of the 20 m (66 ft) bronze statue of Lapulapu with a larger monument depicting the Battle of Mactan; the bronze statue is planned to be reinstalled in a courtyard of a museum to be built within the area. At around this time a design competition for the monument which was supposed to be launched the following month was being planned.[2][3]

By 2020, the government abandoned plans to replace the existing Lapulapu statue.[4] In July 2020, it was announced that the National Quincentennial Committee (NQC) will have three flagship projects for the Quincentennial which includes the construction of the Lapulapu Memorial Shrine and Museum.[5][6] The NQC launched the national monument design competition in September 2020 [4] with the winning design announced in early 2021.[7]

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Lapulapu Memorial Shrine and Museum was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Actual construction is planned for 2022 with the museum projected to open in 2023.[8][9]

Architecture and design edit

Museum structure edit

The Lapulapu Memorial Shrine and Museum would be built along the shore of Barangay Mactan with the structure extending over water.[1] The structure's roof is made to resemble a sakayan, to signify the Philippines' "common maritime heritage". The left and right portions of the structure would host the museum's galleries and function rooms while the middle portion is an open hallway where the Lapulapu national monument would be placed.[5]

National monument edit

Lapulapu National Monument
LocationLapulapu Memorial Shrine and Museum
DesignerRex Sicat Jr.
Dedicated toLapulapu

The Lapulapu Memorial Shrine and Museum will house the Lapulapu National Monument. The design of the monument will be based on the winning entry of the Lapulapu National Monument Design Competition launched by the NQC in September 2020 entitled The Watch of Mactan.[4] The Watch of Mactan was a design by Tarlac-based architect Rex Sicat Jr. which featured a sculpture of Lapulapu on top of a trapezoidal pedestal acting as a sentry with sculptures of three warriors in a mangatang stance and figures of a mother and child at its base.[7][10]

The sculpture reportedly will be 9.55 meters (31.3 ft). However President Rodrigo Duterte made his stance known that Lapulapu's statue should be taller than 30-meter (98 ft) Magellan Monument.[11]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Dumaboc, Fe Marie (November 15, 2019). "Structures obstructing Lapu-Lapu Shrine to be demolished". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
  2. ^ Alipon, Joworski (November 14, 2019). "National Historical Commission to improve Lapulapu monument in Cebu". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  3. ^ Ranada, Pia (September 14, 2019). "Lapulapu statue in Cebu to be replaced in 2021". Rappler. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Abuan, Alehia. "NQC launches Lapulapu National Monument Design Competition". pia.gov.ph. Philippine Information Agency. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Erram, Morexette Marie (July 23, 2020). "Historians unveil Lapulapu Shrine and Museum project". Cebu Daily News. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
  6. ^ "Quincentennial committee unveils new design for Lapu shrine, museum". Cebu Daily News. July 18, 2020. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  7. ^ a b "'The Watch of Mactan' picked as design for Lapu monument". Sunstar. March 1, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  8. ^ "Press Briefing of Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque". News and Information Bureau-Data Processing Center (in Tagalog). Presidential Communications Operations Office. April 27, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  9. ^ "NFC participates in the 500th Quincentennial Commemorations of the Victory at Mactan". April 30, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  10. ^ Chua, Johannes (April 28, 2021). "Look: Winning Lapulapu monument design by a young Tarlac-based architect". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  11. ^ Aning, Jerome (January 19, 2022). "Duterte's stand: Make Lapulapu shrine taller than Magellan's". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved February 15, 2022.