Battle of Mactan memorial

The Portuguese explorer in Spanish service Ferdinand Magellan was killed herre on April 27, 1521. On beach is the statue of Lapu-Lapu, the Visayan chieftain who led tha battle on the native side. He is known as the first native of the archipelago to have resisted Spanish colonization and Roman Catholic proselytizing. He is now regarded as the first national hero of the Philippines.