The City of Lapu-Lapu is known to be the first class highly-urbanized city in the Cebu province. The city is occupied most of Mactan Island, a few kilometers away from the mainland of Cebu ,leaving a small portion for the Municipality of Cordova. It also covers the area of Olango Island further to the southeast region, plus a few other islands. It is part of the Cebu Metropolitan Area which is located in Cebu City. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of about 292,530 people.

The total land area measures 64.22 square kilometers with 30 barangays under its jurisdiction.These barangays are: Agus, Babag, Bankal, Baring, Basak, Buaya, Calawisan, Canjulao, Caw-Oy, Cawhagan, Caubian, Gun-Ob, Ibo, Looc, Mactan, Maribago, Marigondon, Pajac, Pajo, Pangan-an, Poblacion, Punta Engaño, Pusok, Sabang, Santa Rosa, Subabasbas, Talima, Tingo, Tungasan and San Vicente.

Being the 1^st class municipality,the city is linked to Mandaue City on mainland Cebu by the Mactan-Mandaue Bridge and Marcelo Fernan Bridge, the Airport, the country’s second busiest airport and the only public aquarium in Visayas and Mindanao.

Also, the Mactan Export Processing Zone is one of the most successful special economic zones in the Philippines. This is one of the reasons why the economic growth of Mactan is in constant escalation.    

                                               History

        In the 16th century Mactan Island was colonized by Spain. Augustinians friars founded the town of Opon in 1730 nd became a city and were renamed after Datu Lapu-Lapu in 1961.Lapu-Lapu was the king of Mactan. 

On the morning of April 27, 1521, Lapu-Lapu and his men, armed with spears, and kampilan, faced Spanish soldiers led by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. In what would later be known as the Battle of Mactan, Magellan, and several of his men were killed. This battle was commemorated at the Lapu-Lapu Shrine in Punta Engaño. Philippines, who is known as the first native of the archipelago to have resisted Spanish colonization. He is now regarded as the first Filipino hero

 According to Sulu oral tradition, Lapu-Lapu was a Muslim chieftain, and was also known as "Kaliph Pulaka.The people of Bangsamoro, the Islamic homeland in the Philippine Islands, consider him to be a Muslim and a member of the Tausug ethnic group. A variant of the name, as written by Carlos Calao, a 17th century Chinese-Spanish poet in his poem "Que Dios Le Perdone" (Spanish, "That God May Forgive Him") is "Cali Pulacu".

The 1898 Philippine Declaration of Independence refers to Lapu-Lapu as "King Kalipulako de Maktan". In the 19th century, the reformist Mariano Ponce used a variant name, "Kalipulako", as one of his pseudonyms.

AREAS OF INTERESTS

LAPU-LAPU MONUMENT

            (MACTAN SHRINE)

Located at Punta Engaño, Lapulapu City. Site where the battle between Mactan Island Chieftain Lapulapu and the foreign aggressor Ferdinand Magellan occured in April 27, 1521 . It depicts the hero holding a bolo (large sword) in one hand and a pestle in the other. These weapons were believed to have been used during his combat with Magellan. This monument stands as a reminder of Filipino bravery.

 

GUITAR FACTORIES                                                

          Lapu-Lapu City is home to the majority of the guitar manufacturers in Cebu. Visiting one of the many factories will enable you to actually see how guitars are made. There are guitar factories like Alegre and a dozen or so others in the middle of the island. Take a tour of the Alegre factory, it is interesting.

 

 

MARCELO FERNAN BRIDGE                       

The Marcelo Fernan Bridge was opened in August 1999 It was named after Sen. Marcelo Fernan.This was built to alleviate the heavy traffic from the old Mactan-Mandaue Bridge.The bridge is one of the widest and longest bridge spans in the Philippines,reaching the length of 1237 meters or 4058.40 feet. it has become a nation landmark for the Mactan/Cebu area.The japanese government assisted with the funds and construction of this beauty.

MACTAN EXPORT PROCESSING ZONE

The Mactan Export Processing Zone, one of the most successful special economic zones in the Philippines, is located near the International Airport, A key to the growth in region, production of products includes Timex watches, Pentax cameras, Maitland-Smith furniture and other goods. Manufacturing  in the zone comprises about half the regions total exports.   

                                                                                   PLANTATION BAY

Discover a resort in a class of its own. Opened in late 1996, plantation bay has already had over half a million visitors from every corner of the globe. Set on 11.4 hectares of secluded griunds yet only 30 minutes fron downtown Cebu City. IT offers onr of the largest privately-owned waterways in the world. Decompress from life;s pressures in the healing tranquility of an environment feels " away from it all" defined by its clean elegance of colonial plantation architecture.

" Lapu-lapu City is truly a paradise of wonders. Filled with morrow beaches and forestry of economic development. This  attributes the  astounding beauty hidden in a small isle in Cebu. It's fantastic environment is not all about beauty but also gives contribution to the  economic progress, especially in the field of tourism. " .

Sinulog