History of OPON

Formerly (Lapu-Lapu City)

Before the island was named “Mactan Island or Lapu-Lapu City” , it is known as “Opon or
opong ” the local word for cogon grass that is abundant in the island. Mactan Island is an island
located at the east of Cebu and known for its history being the site of the so called “Battle of
Mactan”, the first violent incident between native Filipinos and Europeans. The Portuguese
explorer, Ferdinand Magellan, met his death in a surprise ambush at the hands of the tribesmen
under the local chieftain Lapu-Lapu. Mactan Island is an island that is still belong to Cebu,
which belong to the region VII. The island is connected to mainland Cebu by two (2) bridges, the
old Mactan-Mandaue Bridge and the second Marcelo Fernan Bridge which span the Cebu Strait.
The presence of two bridges has greatly improved the accessibility between Lapu-Lapu City and
other areas in the Province of Cebu.

The first and second Mactan bridge is connected from Mactan to Cebu.

In the 16th century Mactan Island was colonized by Spain. Augustinians friars founded the town
of Opon in 1730 and became a city in 1961 and was renamed after Lapu-Lapu, a native Filipino
chieftain who defeated Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. This battle is
commemorated at the Lapu-Lapu shrine in Punta Engaño.

Politician 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.

District
Lapu-Lapu City is politically subdivided into 30 barangays.

• Agus • Maribago
• Babag • Marigondon
• Bankal • Pajac
• Baring • Pajo
• Basak • Pangan-an
• Buaya • Población
• Calawisan • Punta Engaño
• Canjulao • Pusok
• Caw-oy • Sabang
• Cawhagan • Santa Rosa
• Caubian • Subabasbas
• Gun-ob • Talima
• Ibo • Tingo
• Looc • Tungasan

• Mactan • San Vicente