The ”Kadaugan Sa Mactan” or the Victory in Mactan is held every 27th of April in Lapu-lapu City, Philippines. It is a re-enactment of the Battle Of Mactan last 1521 and since 1979 up until the present year 2024, people have still been celebrating it and continually does hopefully until the next coming years.
In April 2016, I landed my first job in Mactan, Lapu-lapu City, Philippines. At just 18 years old, I was thrilled to experience my first ”Kadaugan sa Mactan”. I remember feeling happy and excited to experience the fun and festive feeling.
This year, I feel fortunate to get the chance to experience it again.”Kadaugan Sa Mactan” is one of the biggest events in Lapu-lapu City, and it's an event that no one in the city would want to miss.
During the re-enactment at the Mactan Shrine here in Lapu-lapu City, Philippines, there were numerous activities throughout the day, including a program attended by the Philippine president, President Marcos. Unfortunately, due to our busy schedule, we were not able to witness it firsthand.
However, we planned to watch the grand showdown and fireworks display later that evening, so we arrived at around 8:00 pm. Our intention was to dine in and enjoy some BBQ.
My partner and I always bring our own rice whenever we plan to dine out, particularly when we go to barbecues. This is a great way to save money, but it only applies to casual dining places like barbecues.
We recently visited Cordova Roro Port and I wrote it on a previous blog where we also had barbeque there, and, being Filipinos who consider rice a staple food, we made sure to bring our own.
Tonight, before heading to Mactan Shrine where the ”Kadaugan Sa Mactan” will be held, we made sure to bring our own rice and water for hydration.
I brought my Hive tote bag and put my rice inside of it since it's a very spacious bag, and I could put a lot of things inside it. This was the gift I received during the Hive Christmas party that we attended last year, and it's probably one of the best things that I received, aside from the Hive T-shirts that I got. That's also one of my favorite things.
I also put a hairbrush and my charger since my phone always goes on low battery, and my water was able to fit in the tote bag, so I brought it with me inside as well. It's a very convenient thing to put all of my things inside, so I will not be able to forget it.
MACTAN SHRINE - MACTAN, LAPU-LAPU CITY
It wasn't surprising to see a large crowd at the Matan Shrine. People from Lapu-lapu and neighboring cities, as well as local and international tourists, gathered to celebrate the ”Kadaugan Sa Mactan”.
It's heartening to witness people coming together to celebrate, especially after the pandemic hit the world and affected the tourism industry.
Now that the pandemic is slowly fading, it's great to see the tourism industry bouncing back and people being able to unite with their loved ones to celebrate important occasions, such as the ”Kadaugan Sa Mactan”.
Honestly, I don't mind being in a large crowd like this. The only issue with dining in crowded places is finding a table and chairs to eat. It took us around 20-30 minutes to get a spot. When dining in places like this, it's important to have someone watch your chairs while you get food, otherwise, others may take your table. Most people are already hungry and waiting in line for a table and chair.
During festivities and special occasions in the Philippines, balloon vendors are a common sight. With many children present, it is a lucrative business as kids are drawn to the colorful balloons, and parents often buy them to prevent tantrums.
I recall purchasing balloons for my child for three consecutive years back then, but as he grew older, he lost interest.
Although I attempted to encourage him to continue the tradition, he refused. As parents, we should cherish these moments with our children as they only remain young once.
Therefore, if your child asks for a balloon, it is best to indulge them and make the most of these precious moments. They are only young once.
The props men were carrying colorful backdrops as they were still performing their grand showdown in Mactan amidst the crowded celebration.
Unfortunately, we couldn't get close to the stage and I didn't get any photos of the dancers. However, I did manage to capture some shots of the props men carrying their backdrops, which were vibrant and matched their costumes.
Here in the Philippines, lively festivals and events like these always have dancers wearing their traditional costumes and makeup.
There was also an award ceremony where participants were recognized for their outstanding performance in categories such as best in choreography and street costume.
From what I heard, the first prize was 150,000 pesos, which is a reasonable amount considering the size of the group.
After finally snagging our seats and table, I was thrilled to find that we were situated right in front - the perfect spot to watch the grand fireworks display that I had been eagerly anticipating.
I'll be sure to write a separate blog all about the delicious foods we indulged in here.
As soon as we finished our dinner, the fireworks show began and it was absolutely breathtaking to witness.
FIREWORKS DISPLAY AT MACTAN SHRINE - MACTAN, LAPU-LAPU CITY, PHILIPPINES (APRIL 27,2024)
We ended the night by watching a grand fireworks display presented by the skilled firework makers of Barangay Babag in Lapu-lapu City. They take pride in providing the best fireworks displays, especially during the ”Kadaugan Sa Mactan” where they showcase their livelihood of locally made fireworks, which Lapu-lapu City is proud of.
Ending the night with a beautiful bang! Ciao!☺︎♡