This year’s celebration of the Kadaugan sa Mactan will be bigger in terms of the number of participants and attractions, with new actors for the reenactment, tighter security, and a dragon boat race.
The festival, which started on April 17, will conclude on April 30.

Fortunately, there will be no road closures because the events will be held in six areas all over Lapu-Lapu City.

Battle of Mactan Reenactment
The Kadaugan sa Mactan reenactment on April 30, new actors are to be expected. Tony Labrusca, a finalist of the ABS-CBN show Pinoy Boy Band Superstar, will play Lapu-Lapu, while James Ryan Cesena, hailing from the same show and was raised in California, will assume the role of Magellan. Kapuso star Kris Bernal will play Reyna Bulakna, Lapu-Lapu City Tourism Officer Hembler Mendoza told the local media.

Additional Security
Participants and festival spectators can expect tighter security during the 496th celebration of the Kadaugan sa Mactan. Additional measures were put in place after the clash between the Abu Sayyaf Group and government forces in Bohol in the past weeks, according to Chief Insp. Junnel Caadlawon, Lapu-Lapu City Police Office operations chief.
Caadlawon said more CCTV cameras were installed in Mactan Shrine, where the current Kadaugan sa Mactan Food Festival 2017 is being held.

Dragon Boat Race
The Dragon Boat race is scheduled on April 28 to30. It is one of the new attractions in the festival that will be witnessed at the Mactan Channel. It will be participated in by 80 boats from 37 teams from the Philippines and abroad.

Six Venues
To avoid road closures, Lapu-Lapu City Acting Vice Mayor Harry Don Radaza said that around 60 events will be distributed among six different venues, including the City Hall grounds, the MEPZ soccer field, the Hoops Dome Area, the Liberty Shrine (also known as Mactan Shrine), the City Auditorium, and Cebu Yacht Club.

Radaza said the events were held in separate areas to avoid closing doors, which could disrupt traffic, and minimize crowded areas due to security issues.

Street Party
The Kadaugan Street Party, which started from April 21 and will end on April 29 at the Hoops Dome, will still feature the Rampada (Brazilian Style Street Dancing) competition. The event will be participated in by nine groups for each of the Open and Barangay categories, with P2 million in prizes for the winners.
Every night, entertainment groups from the JPark Island Resort will perform.

Several activities are also included in the roster of activities for this year’s festival, including the road bike circuit challenge, longboard competition, Pinoy boy band, motorcycle show, skate fest, and more.
Medical teams will be dispatched all over the venues throughout the festival.