Location Rizal Park, Manila Opened 5 February 2004 Dedicated to Lapu-Lapu | Designer Erick James Francisco Material Bronze | |
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Height 12.19 metres (40.0 ft)
(including 3.05 metres (10.0 ft) pedestal) Opening date February 5, 2004 (2004-02-05) Similar Rizal Monument, National Planetarium, National Museum of Anthropology, Rizal Shrine, Independence Flagpole | ||
The Statue of the Sentinel of Freedom or the Lapu Lapu Monument is a monument to Lapu-Lapu located at Rizal Park specifically at the center of the Agrifina Circle.
Contents
Design and symbolism
The Statue of the Sentinel of Freedom and was designed by sculptor Juan Sajid Imao. The monument is composed of a 12.19 metres (40.0 ft) bronze statue on-top of a 3.05 metres (10.0 ft) pedestal. Imao noted that his work on the statue seeks to portray Lapu-Lapu as a strong and peace-loving man who is also ready to defend himself against those who threaten his freedom. Lapu-Lapu is portrayed not in a fighting stance but rather standing guard holding a kampilan covered in scabbard and planted on the ground.
Then Tourism Undersecretary Oscar Palabyab chose to create a statue for Lapu Lapu not primarily due to his victory over Ferdinand Magellan but the value he stands for in history.
The distance between the statue and the Rizal Monument which is dedicated to Jose Rizal is 400 feet (120 m) which represents the 400-year gap between Lapu-Lapu and Rizal. According to Richard Gordon, the Lapu-Lapu represents the Muslims and Rizal represents the Tagalog-Christians in Philippine history.
The statue which was also donated by the Korean Freedom League was a gift in recognition for Filipinos who fought for South Korea in the Korean War.
History
In 2004, House of Representatives members Raul del Mar and Nerissa Corazon Soon-Ruiz initiated the installation of a statue of Lapu-Lapu in Rizal Park as a move to honor Lapu-Lapu as a hero of not only Cebu but the whole Philippines. They urged the Office of the President to an accept their proposal.
The statue was unveiled in February 5, 2004. The Korean Freedom League led by Chairman Kwon Jung-dal donated ₱15 million for the casting of the statue.
In 2014, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza requested the transfer of the statue to Punta Engaño of her city where she plans to put it in an island to be made at the tip of the locality. This proposal came up after Radaza talked to Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr. where the National Historical Institute’s (NHI) opinion that the statue could "desecrate" Rizal Park was brought up. The moved was opposed by Raul del Mar who said that the move would be detrimental and will cause a “loss of honor and recognition” to the province and Cebu and Lapu-Lapu.