A famous novelty song and textbooks have emphasized the renowned Portuguese explorer Fernão de Magalhães, commonly known as Ferdinand Magellan's “discovery” of the Philippines on March 16, 1521.

However, contrary to this popular belief, the people of Eastern Samar celebrate not Magellan’s discovery of the island of Samar but the compassion and humanity displayed by the inhabitants when they discovered some ships docked on Homonhon Island carrying several men on the brink of death.

Magellan and his men had just completed a death-defying four-month voyage from the Atlantic and crossed the Pacific depleted of nourishment and clean water. Some crewmen died on the journey, and others were stricken with scurvy.

Marking the celebration

The local government of Guiuan hosted a series of events to commemorate the role played by their Waray ancestors in the first circumnavigation of the world.

House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan of the 4Ps Partylist led the wreath-laying ceremony on March 17 at Cantelado, Barangay Pagbabangnan, Homonhon Island, Guiuan. The ceremony marked the 503rd anniversary of the Philippine part of the First Circumnavigation of the World.

Libanan enumerated the significant historical events that made Homonhon more than just an ordinary island.

“Karuyag ko ipahinumdon han ngatanan nga diri ini ordinaryo nga isla, the fact even, diri ini nga Eastern Samar ordinaryo la nga probinsya, the strongest human and natural forces passed through this area,” Libanan said, pointing out the resilience of Eastern Samareños during the ravaging of Typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

(I want to remind everybody that this is not just an ordinary island. Eastern Samar is not just an ordinary province because the strongest human and natural forces have passed through this area.)

He emphasized the significance of Magellan's arrival on the island of Homonhon, 503 years ago. This event marked the first encounter between a Filipino and a foreigner where the innate Filipino values of humanity and hospitality were displayed.

Libanan stressed the importance of celebrating this event, which is a significant part of Filipino culture and the foundation of the Philippine nation.

"This event marks the cornerstone of the making of the Philippine nation, dito tinayo ang unang haligi, nagkaroon tayo ng bansang Pilipinas,” Libanan said.

(This event marks the cornerstone of the making of the Philippine nation. This is where the first foundation of the Philippines as a country stood.)

He also shared that the commemoration of the Filipino-Spanish contact on Homonhon Island was first celebrated and initiated during his 3-month term as the acting governor of Eastern Samar in 1995.

Homonhon Landing Day Act

Several days before the 503rd commemoration, Libanan filed House Bill 10129, or the "Homonhon Landing Day Act," declaring March 17 of every year a special non-working holiday in the province of Eastern Samar.

According to Libanan, the bill aims to honor the importance of Magellan's landing not just in the local community of Eastern Samar but in the country as a whole.

The Homonhon Landing Day Act emphasized the Philippines' cultural heritage and the importance of Christianity's arrival in the country. It will also encourage educational activities to promote a deeper understanding of this significant moment in the country.

Some historical events may be a subject of debate among historians. Still, the generosity and humanity of the early Eastern Samareños paved the way for the world's first circumnavigation. (VTG, PIA Eastern Samar)