Diaper ad spoofing Battle of Mactan irks Lapu-Lapu mayor

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza yesterday called the EQ diaper company to stop airing its TV advertisement that makes fun of the Battle of Mactan.

She said it the advertisement makes a mockery of Filipino heroism, pointing out that the Araw ng Kagitingan was just celebrated last Tuesday and the Battle of Mactan to be remembered on April 27.

Instead of making fun of the heroic defense by Datu Lapu-Lapu of Mactan against the Portuguese-Spanish conquistador Ferdinand Magellan 492 years ago, as a good corporate citizen, “they must help preserve the lessons of history and promote the country’s culture and heritage.”

crass commercialism

She also called the 30-second TV advertisement “crass commercialism.”

The TV ad of EQ diapers depicts Magellan offering as gift a box of diapers to Datu Lapu-Lapu and his wife Reyna Bulakna. Instead of accepted the gift, Bulakna said the diapers have to be tested. Lapu-Lapu became angry when he found out the diapers were of low quality compared to what their baby was using. It started the Battle of Mactan.

April 27 marks the 492 years after the Battle of Mactan where Datu Lapu-Lapu together with a thousand of his men bravely faced swords, crossbows, guns and cannons of the Spaniards and won against the colonizers.

“That is why, as the duly elected leader of this city once ruled by Datu Lapu-Lapu, I find the EQ advertisement a grave insult to the Oponganons and to the Filipinos in general. Distorting history and making the Battle of Mactan look funny on TV is a lame attempt to promote a product,” said Radaza.

Radaza went on to call on legislators to make April 27 a public holiday.

“I call on our legislators to pass a law declaring April 27 a public holiday so that as Filipinos, we can all together commemorate this victorious event in our country’s history,” she said.

An online petition to pull the EQ ad in www.change.org has about 200 signatories so far.

The anniversary of the Battle of Mactan is a holiday in Lapu-Lapu City and is highlighted by the reenactment of the Battle of Mactan.