Mactan is a densely populated island located a few kilometers (~1 mile) east of
Cebu Island in the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
. The island is part of
Cebu province and it is divided into the city of
Lapu-Lapu and the municipality of
Cordova. The island is separated from Cebu by the
Mactan Channel which is presently crossed by three bridges: the
Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway
The Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX), also known as the Cebu–Cordova Bridge and the Third Cebu–Mactan Bridge (or simply, the Third Bridge), is an toll bridge expressway in Metro Cebu. The bridge connects the South Road Properties in C ...
(CCLEX), the
Mactan–Mandaue Bridge, and the
Marcelo Fernan Bridge. The island covers some and has a population of 527,071 as of 2020, making it the nation's most densely populated island. Along with
Olango Island Group, the isles are administered by a city and a municipality covering .
Mactan–Cebu International Airport
Mactan–Cebu International Airport ( ceb, Tugpahanang Pangkalibutan sa Mactan–Sugbo; fil, Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Mactan–Cebu; ) is an international airport serving Metro Cebu and serves as the main gateway to the Central Visayas reg ...
is located on the island.
Etymology
The modern name Mactan descended from an earlier form, ''Manctan''. However, evidence of this earlier form is scant as, even as early as the 17th century, the island was already named Mactan. This form is attested in the original copy of the
Philippine Declaration of Independence, where
Lapu-Lapu was mentioned as the king of "''Manktan''". This is supported by oral histories, which claim that the name Mactan evolved from the name ''Mangatang''. The name means "pirate" (lit. "those who lie in wait"), and was acquired during a period where the island's population would prey on passing trade ships on the way to the harbors of
Sugbu. The ancient name of the island in precolonial times is Opong, which became the name of the Spanish settlement of Opon (renamed to
Lapu-Lapu in 1961).
History
The island was already a thriving settlement before it was even colonized by Spain in the 16th century. It is a strong ally of the Lakanate of Lawan, a prosperous kingdom in Samar. Datu Hadi Iberein ruled the Lakanate of Lawan. He was described by historian William Henry Scott as a “Samar datu by the name of Iberein was rowed out to a Spanish vessel anchored in his harbor in 1543 by oarsmen collared in gold; while wearing on his own person earrings and chains.”
Portuguese explorer
Fernão de Magalhães arrived on the island in 1521 and became involved in warfare among the kingdoms, only to be killed in
battle
A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and for ...
by the warriors of
Datu
''Datu'' is a title which denotes the rulers (variously described in historical accounts as chiefs, sovereign princes, and monarchs) of numerous indigenous peoples throughout the Philippine archipelago. The title is still used today, especial ...
Lapu-Lapu, the sovereign in the island. However, oral tradition also dictates that the island where the
Battle of Mactan might have taken place in is
Poro Island in the northeast instead. The oral tradition is backed by recent archaeological evidence of such a battle taking place in Poro island during the 16th century.
By 1730, the Catholic
Augustinian friars established the town of Opon. It was later renamed as the
city of Lapu-Lapu by means of the Republic Act 3134, signed by Pres. Carlos P. Garcia on June 17, 1961. 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.
Economy
Apart from the airport, today the island is known for its industrial factories, which are some of the most successful industrial ventures in the Philippines. Many of them are located at the Mactan
Export Processing Zone (MEPZ), an industrial tax-free zone opened in 1979 that includes over 35 business ventures, about 50 percent of which are Japanese-owned.
Also important to the island is its high-class tourism industry and the production of furniture, as well as guitars, ukuleles and other musical instruments.
Tourist attractions
Being one of the major tourist islands of Cebu, Mactan Island boasts of a diverse collection of tourist spots and attractions. Being a
coral island, Mactan offers some of the best diving, snorkeling, island hopping, jet ski, sailing and cultural activities of any island in the Philippines.
Gallery
File:Tropical-area-mactan-philippines.jpg, A view from a resort in Mactan where the sun is directly overhead at noon.
File:Crab in a sea anemone.jpg, A crab in a sea anemone in Mactan
File:Mactan-beach.jpg, Mactan beach
File:Shangri-La Mactan Island Resort & Spa, Cebu (aerial view).jpg, Shangri-La Mactan Island Resort
File:Arothron stellatus ballooned.jpg, An '' Arothron stellatus'' in Mactan
File:Cephea cephea jellyfish.jpg, A ''Cephea
''Cephea'' is a genus of true jellyfish in the family Cepheidae. They are found in the Indo-Pacific and eastern Atlantic oceans. They are sometimes called the crown jellyfish, but this can cause confusion with the closely related genus '' Netro ...
'' jellyfish at Mactan
References
External links
*
Mactan International AirportLapu-Lapu City Government
{{Coord, 10, 18, N, 123, 58, E, type:isle_scale:100000, display=title
Islands of Cebu
Beaches of the Philippines
Coral islands
Lapu-Lapu City