A 63-year-old barangay tanod will mark his 12th year as a warrior of Datu Lapu-Lapu in Saturday’s reenactment dubbed Kadaugan sa Mactan.
Ingrid Casio of barangay Buaya has been a member of an Arnis group in their village even before the term of then mayor now Lapu-Lapu City Rep. Arturo Radaza.
As members of the “Doce Pares”, they were e enlisted to take part in the re-enactment of the Battle of Mactan which started in 2001.
Casio and about a hundred actors participated in the re-enactment. Half of them played the role of warriors of the Mactan chieftain Lapu-Lapu.
“Bati-on gyud nako nga ingon og tinud-anay gyud ko nga manlalaban ni Lapu-Lapu, ilabi na nga imo gyud makita nga seryoso usab kaayo imong mga kauban,” said Casio.
(I really felt that I was a true warrior of Lapu-Lapu, especially when you would see your colleagues also very serious in their acting).
The actors have been practicing every evening for weeks at the Lapu-Lapu City Sports Complex.
They aim to make Saturday’s re-enactment, which takes place on the shore near the Liberty Shrine, a good show.
Each year, there are changes in the production and the set.
Last year, they had live animals killed as offerings of Lapu-Lapu on the eve of the battle.
On Saturday, he said, expect more fireworks and water action.
Xavier Palanca who has been directing the reenactment for three years said the choreography is based on historical accounts of the battle but they tweak the scenes each year. Xavier succeeded his choreographer father Raje Palanca, who pioneered the “Bahug-Bahug sa Mactan.”