President Rodrigo Duterte has assigned Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea as head of a committee that would prepare the “Filipino-centric” quincentennial commemorations of the country’s role in the first circumnavigation of the world.
Under Executive Order 103 signed on Jan. 28, President Duterte reconstituted and strengthened the National Quincentennial Committee as the country is set to mark the 500th year of its role in Ferdinand Magellan’s circumnavigation, as well as the victory of Lapu-Lapu in the Battle of Mactan.
These events from 1519 to 1522 are collectively known as the “2021 Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines.”
The President also named the National Historical Commission of the Philippines as vice chairperson and executive director of the committee.
The government initiatives related to the 2021 quincentennial commemoration should emphasize Filipino identity and values of unity, magnanimity, and sovereignty, as stated in the EO.
The events should also be multidisciplinary, communicative, and transformative.
The latest presidential issuance amended EO 55 that created the committee in 2018.
With an initial budget of P10 million, the committee has been directed to prepare a comprehensive plan for the quincentennial celebration that seeks to promote tourism and highlight the country’s rich cultural and religious heritage.
