Officials of the Department of Education-Region 7 (DepEd-7) and Cebu island school division superintendents will participate physically while those in other Central Visayas provinces will join virtually the blended celebration of the 122nd year of Cebu independence from Spanish rule.
The educators, with Cebu heritage organizations, youth, tourism institutions and groups, a community theater, an LBGT group, have co-sponsored with Palm Grass The Cebu Heritage Hotel in launching the celebration “Kasadya! Katawa! Kalipay!” (Celebrating Christmas and Cebu Independence) on December 29, 2020, 3PM, at the hotel’s Hawanan Tres de Abril.
The highlights of this event are: 1) Tiktok Contest and performances of Abtik pas Kilat Songs of History, War and Love; 2) A performance of clowns and Junquera children/youth on Pasko sa Kagawasan, an original song about Christmas and Cebu Independence from Spain in 1898; 4) Conversations on the highlights of the victory of the 1898 Cebu revolution; 5) Trivia quiz on Cebu history; 6) Conversations with the physical audience on the history of favorite Visayan food during Christmas; 7) Free serving of lechon/puso for first 50 physical participants who will register. The event limits physical participants to 50 and will be livestreamed on the FB pages of sponsoring organizations.
On December 24, 1898, the Cebu Katipuneros raised the Philippine flag at Fort San Pedro while the Spaniards left Cebu on their gunboats. On December 29, 1898, a Thanksgiving Mass for the victory of the Cebu Revolution was celebrated at the Cebu Cathedral.
The revolutionary government of Bohol was also installed on December 25, 1898. Earlier, in November 1898, Negros Island was liberated by the Katipuneros with the surrender of Spanish forces.
Sponsoring the December 29 event are the DepEd-7, Museo Sugbo, Diyandi Heritage Center, Bisdak Pride, Cebu City Tourism Office, Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission of Cebu City, SK Federation-Cebu City, Frontliners Lecturers Academe and Guides Guild Inc., Cebu Association of Tourguides Inc., Bag-ong Teatro Junquera, and Palm Grass Hotel.
