A BS Architecture graduate of Tarlac State University was hailed as champion in the Lapulapu National Monument Design Competition of the 2021 Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines.
Rex Sicat Jr.’s winning design called “The Watch of Mactan” is envisioned to serve as the basis of the Lapulapu National Monument to be installed at the proposed Lapulapu Memorial Shrine and Museum in Mactan, Cebu as per the National Quincentennial Committee.
His design depicts the pre-battle wherein Lapulapu stands atop a pedestal preparing for Magellan’s arrival. Sicat said the trapezoidal pedestal symbolizes the territory he protects, while the white podium at the base of the monument represents the white rocky shores of Mactan — a reminder of the deathbed of Ferdinand Magellan and a site of victory to Lapulapu’s people.
“Kalmado si Lapulapu sa pagkakadisenyo, hindi ‘yung katulad ng ibang bayani na nakikita natin na parang akmang pasugod. Kumbaga nakatayo siya doon, tinatanaw, inaabangan yung pagdating nila Magellan nang may tiwala sa mga tao o kasamahan niya,” Sicat said when asked to describe his work.
He also included the Mangatang or warriors positioned as if preparing for an attack. The three mangatang on each side of the monument represents the divisions of the 1,500 warriors of Lapulapu.
At the back of the monument, a mother and child representing the natives are placed inside the balay where the mother is kissing her child as an assurance that they are under Lapulapu’s protection.
Sicat added that the ladder or zigzag pattern that outlines the balay represents Lapulapu’s achievements. At the pinnacle is a hornbill or kalaw which is recognized as a spiritual symbol or guide to the afterlife.
Meanwhile, the goat and carabao signifies abundant resources.
Sicat said that the monument design is a collective effort like the Battle of Mactan where he sought the help of four TSU Fine Arts graduates, namely Ace Navarro, Lymuel Bautista, Jayme Lucas, and Kadi Santos, to complete the design of the two-feet maquette.
The young architect graduated from TSU in 2015. He was hired as a building inspector and designer at the same university from April 2015 to June 2016.
Sicat passed the licensure exams for master plumbers in 2016 and for architects in 2017.
Through the National Quincentennial Committee, the country will commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Victory at Mactan, the first circumnavigation in the world, and other related events on April 27, 2021. These events are collectively known as the 2021 Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines.
The 2021 Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines aims to promote local and national tourism and intensify social awareness to foster Filipino creativity and innovation for socio-economic growth. [Maria Adelaida Calayag]
