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Official Spelling is 'Lapulapu' Not 'Lapu-Lapu', Duterte Decrees

The Philippines' first hero.
by Arianne Merez
4 days ago
Photo/s: shutterstock
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President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered that the name of the first Filipino hero be spelled as "Lapulapu" instead of "Lapu-Lapu."

Duterte issued an executive order Monday directing government agencies, government-owned and -controlled corporations, and state universities and colleges to adopt the spelling “Lapulapu” in reference to the datu who led the early resistance against Spanish colonizers in the early 1500s.

“Adopting a common rendering of the name of Lapulapu, so as to conform to earlier references, will aid in the education of our youth about Philippine history which is foundational to the formation of national identity,” Duterte said in the order.

Why the change in spelling? Based on Duterte's order, the earliest rendering in the Latin alphabet of the name of the hero is "Cilapulapu," with "Ci" serving as an honorific title from which founding heroes Jose Rizal and Juan Luna derived their own references to him as "Si Lapulapu."

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Duterte's order amends previous executive orders that established the Order of Lapu-Lapu, an award given to government officials and employees as well as private individuals who rendered invaluable service.

Duterte however clarified that places named Lapu-Lapu such as the city in Cebu, would retain the "Lapu-Lapu" spelling since these are established by statute.

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Lapulapu is regarded as the first Filipino hero who won in the Battle of Mactan and defeated the camp of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan.

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