Sunday, August 2, 2009

Community Profile

Province: Lapu-Lapu
Area: 64.22 sq. km.
Population: 292, 530
Density: 4,555.12/sq. km.
Region: Region VII (CENTRAL VISAYAS)

The City of Lapu-Lapu is a 1st class highly-urbanized city in the province of Cebu, Philippines. The city occupies most of Mactan Island, one kilometer off of mainland Cebu Island, and also covers the whole of Olango Island five kilometers further to the southeast plus a few other islets. It is part of the larger Cebu Metropolitan Area which is centered on Cebu City. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 292,530 people.

The city is linked to Mandaue City on mainland Cebu by the Mactan-Mandaue Bridge and Marcelo Fernan Bridge. Mactan-Cebu International Airport, the second busiest airport in the Philippines, is located in Lapu-Lapu City. The only aquarium attraction in the Visayas is also located in Lapu-lapu City.

The area of the present city was called Mactan before the arrival of the Spanish colonizers. Augustinians then founded the town of Opon in 1730. The town was made into a city in 1961 and renamed after Lapu-Lapu, the native Filipino who defeated Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. This battle is commemorated at the Lapu-Lapu shrine.

Congressman Manuel A. Zosa, the representative of the Sixth District of Cebu, sponsored the Bill converting the former municipality of Opon into the present day City of Lapu-Lapu. This was the Republic Act 3134, known as the City Charter of Lapu-Lapu which was signed on June 17, 1961 by president Carlos P. Garcia.

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