Spanish ship reaches Cebu to trace Magellan-Elcano expedition

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu witnessed history anew as Spanish Navy training ship Juan Sebastian de Elcano paid the island a “goodwill” visit Saturday, March 20, 2021, as part of its tour around the world to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Magellan-Elcano expedition that completed the first circumnavigation of the world in 1521.

The ship, a four-mast brig-schooner built in 1928, left Spain in October 2020 and arrived in Samar in the Philippines on March 16, 2021 before sailing to Cebu City.

At the Cebu International Port, Cebuano dance group Lumad Basakanon performed with the image of the Santo Niño as the ship’s crew watched in attention on board.

The crew members are not allowed to disembark as the ship is placed on lockdown at every port of call owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. The vessel will sail out of Cebu on March 22.

Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella spoke of a significant time in Cebu’s history during the short welcome program.

“Today, we relive history as it happened 500 years ago when Christianity was brought to Cebu and it gave birth to our deep-rooted faith in the Señor Santo Niño. This was made possible through the first circumnavigation of the world,” Labella said.

Year after year, except in 2021 when the COVID-19 pandemic hindered the celebrations, thousands if not millions of Santo Niño devotees flock to Cebu City every January to participate in the Sinulog and Fiesta Señor activities, the biggest in the Philippines devoted to the Child Jesus.

“Cebu City is excited to be part of the Quincentennial Commemorations and we look forward to all the other activities that have been lined up in the coming week and months,” Labella added.

As literature reflects, the voyage in 1521 was completed by Spanish explorer Juan Sebastian Elcano when Ferdinand Magellan was killed in the Battle of Mactan.

The ship’s captain, Santiago de Colsa, said their presence in Cebu and the Philippines “has a great symbolic meaning that compensates the huge effort we have made,” pointing out the difficulties they have endured because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

 “This stopover enhances the strong historic ties between the Philippines and the Spain,” he said.

Aside from Labella, Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan, and Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) Undersecretary Anthony Gerard Gonzales, among others, joined in welcoming the ship.

Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Spain in Manila, Amaya Fuentes Milani, and defense attaché Col. Ricardo Pardo, represented Spain.

At the end of the welcome ceremony, the Elcano crew gave Cebu City a medal and a book that details the arrival of the original Magellan-Elcano fleet in Cebu. In turn, Cebu City gave the crew a miniature sculpture of the Magellan’s cross, among other memorabilia.

The training ship began her 93rd Midshipmen's training cruise on August 24, 2020 with 62 Naval cadets on board.

Duterte

At Guiuan, Eastern Samar where the Juan Sebastian de Elcano took anchor upon arriving in the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte said he hopes that the commemoration would “reinvigorate the historical and socio-civic consciousness of the Filipinos, especially among the new generations.”

And while the Magellan-Elcano expedition led to the colonization of the Philippines by Spain, Duterte said, “the Filipino people can find relief in the knowledge that they have gone far in their efforts to correct the mistakes of the past.”

“The history of the country should make Filipinos reflect on the past and look beyond their future,” he said. “Everyone should therefore honor those who have toiled in order for the Philippines to become modern, progressive and ever thriving as what it is today,” he said.

He added:

“As inheritors of this complicated yet glorious past, the duty now rests on our shoulders to continue the aspirations of our forebears.”

‘Filipino way’

Back in Cebu, Gonzales, a member of the National Quincentennial Committee (NQC), said the commemoration will be observed the Filipino way. This means “we will raise the awareness of our countrymen about the rich yet challenging pre-Hispanic or pre-colonial history.”

“The quincentennial commemorations are our platform to bring forth our own view and voice of what happened 500 years ago, yet grateful to the recorded history by the Europeans, especially Antonio Pigafetta, the chronicler of the expedition,” Gonzales said.

“In this framework, the NQC chose 500th anniversary of the first circumnavigation of the world as the branding of the commemorations instead of the Eurocentric discovery of the Philippines,” he added.

Part of the commemoration are events associated with the first circumnavigation such as the Humanity at Homonhon, the Easter Sunday Mass in Limasawa on March 31, the baptism in Cebu or the 500 Years of Christianity in Cebu on April 14, and the Victory at Mactan on April 27.

“We are also one with the rest of humankind in acknowledging the achievement of science and humanity of encircling the planet for the first time,” he said.

Gonzales said the 2021 Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines will last until October 28, which is the 500th anniversary of the exit of the Magellan-Elcano expedition from the Philippine waters via Sarangani Island, Davao Occidental. —Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon /JMO (FREEMAN)