Proclamation of Lapu-Lapu Day in British Columbia, Canada

(Left photo) Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives to the Attorney General and MLA for Vancouver-Kensington Mable Elmore (left) hands over the Proclamation of Lapu-Lapu Day in British Columbia to Consul General Arlene T. Magno (right).  (Right photo) MLA Elmore reads the text of the Proclamation before Consul General Magno and the members of the Filipino community in British Columbia. 

Victoria, 27 April 2023 – The province of British Columbia officially proclaimed April 27 as Lapu-Lapu Day in British Columbia.

Consul General Arlene T. Magno, together with the members of the Filipino community in British Columbia, received the Proclamation signed by the Honourable Janet Austin, Lieutenant Governor of BC, and Attorney General Niki Sharma during a ceremony held on 27 April 2023 at the Legislature in Victoria, BC.

Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives to the Attorney General and MLA for Vancouver-Kensington Mable Elmore, in her statement, shared the history and heroic acts of Lapu-Lapu.  She underscored that the legacy of Lapu-Lapu runs deep in the psyche of Filipinos and lives in their deep-seated value of bayanihan, a communal desire and the act of helping one another and being connected with others.

In her remarks, Consul General Arlene T. Magno conveyed her appreciation to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, in particular, MLA Mable Elmore, for her work in proclaiming April 27 as Lapu-Lapu Day.  She said that the Proclamation of Lapu-Lapu Day in BC is an acknowledgment of the contributions of Filipinos in their new found home in Canada. Consul General Magno also thanked the Government of British Columbia for its support for public engagement on the development of a provincial center for the Filipino community to celebrate, among others, cultural milestones, such as Lapu-Lapu Day.

Lapu-Lapu was a warrior chieftain from Mactan Island in the Philippines whose victory in the Battle of Mactan represents a pivotal moment in Philippine history, where a group of warriors successfully defended its land from foreign invaders, headed by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan.

Leaders of Filipino community organizations also had the opportunity to thank the BC government for this recognition. END

A copy of the Proclamation of Lapu-Lapu Day in British Columbia signed by The Honourable Janet Austin, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, and Honourable Niki Sharma, Attorney General of BC.

Consul General Arlene T. Magno delivers her remarks before the Filipino community and some members of the Legislative Assembly of BC.  (Photos from Vancouver PCG)