THE GOVERNMENT

Prime Minister of the Government

The motion of the government before the house today is the same as declared in the Republic
Act 2733 that the first Mass in the Philippines took place in an Eastern Sunday, on the island of
Limasawa.

Our first argument,

As described, Butuan is riverine settlement and situated near Agusan River. If Magellan
expedition were there and it was where the first mass occurred then why is there no mention of a river?
It can be said that Mazaua is an island and surrounded by sea, not by river delta. Pigafetta knew what an
island when he saw one and so do we.

Second argument,

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Antonio Pigafetta was the account used by both opposing parties as primary source, the

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Ambrosian text, the complete, and original version, and the Fabre Ramusio text, a garbled and altered

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version to which pro-Butuan propagandists based their research. The disturbing thing is that despite the

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contortions and verbose arguments, the anti-Limasawa team still use it as evidence when they should

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know better to admit the mistake once publicly committed. And so Ms. Chair we stand firmly both our
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motion that Mazaua is indeed the island of Limasawa.
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Deputy Prime Minister

Scientific wise, it should also be noted that the cross is not found anywhere near Butuan but on
the separate island of Mazzau. Also, geographical evidences are showing that the place or island where
the mass took place was in Limasawa. From the Log Book of Albo, a pilot from Magellan's flagship
Trinidad. From the island of Homonhon and the large island of Seilani or which is now known as Leyte,
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they come up with the island they have called "Mazzau" which lies at the latitude of 9 and 2 degrees N
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orth. The said island deemed fit with the island of Limasawa, an island on the southern tip of Leyte with
the coordinates of 9 and 54 degrees North. It also describes an event of planting a cross on a mountain-
top where three islands to the West and Southwest can be seen. This also fits the location of Limasawa
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and not the coast of Butuan, where there’s is no islands can be seen from the South are Southwest, only
from the North. Moreover, as described by Pigafetta, the route of the expedition coincides substantially
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with what is described in the log of Albo. Before getting to Cebu, the Southernmost point they reached is
the Mazau which is 9 and 2 thirds degrees North latitude. Pigafetta also has sketches of the islands they
have been to. Although his sketches are nothing, like a navigation charts, they are very helpful in
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identifying the islands. Her mentioned in his narrative in terms of its relative location and sizes. Three
maps were mentioned: the islands of Samar, Limasawa, and Mindanao respectively. It can be seen in
these maps that the island of Mazau is roughly equivalent to the actual position of Limasawa. And so,
Ms. Chair we stand firmly on our motion that the first mass happened on the island of Limasawa.

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 Whip of the Government

We still stand with our motion before the house today that the first mass in the Philippines happened in
Limasawa because of the following evidences: in a log book by Francisco Albo and Pigafetta's account,
the geographical evidences were showing that Mazzaua is roughly equivalent to the actual position of
Limasawa. The 2 kings when Magellan visited the island, the king of Mazzau and of Butuan. The fact
known that the letter is a visitor of Mazaua and his territory is on Butuan which is another island. So, it
can be said that Mazaua is not Butuan. Butuan is situated in Agusan River and near the delta of the river
is a beach called "Masao" where it argued that the first mass occurred. The evidence that there is no
river mentioned in Pigafetta's account and that Mazau is an island proves that it is surrounded by sea
and not a river delta. lastly, Pigafetta's account a primary source, that used by opposing parties. The anti-

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Limasawa propagandists used Colin's and Combes. The original and complete text were not available at
that time. The fabre/Ramusio text is what they used a translation that greatly misrepresented and

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altered come facts.

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THE OPPOSITION
Leader of the Opposition
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In response to the first speaker, passing a law is not a substantial evidence knowing that it was not even
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approved by the executives and had no scientific evidence as well. Thus, we firmly believe that Masawa,
Butuan is the venue of the first mass here in the Philippines. We are going to take a look on the accounts
of Pigafetta and Albo, the word "Limasawa" mass was not mentioned at all. So how come you concluded
that it is where the first mass was held? Also, we have the island named Mazzau, a 2-3 syllable word
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which is much closer to the word Masawa. It is essential to correct history which is backed up by
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scientific evidence wherein according to Butuan City Cultural and Historical Foundation and Butuan
Government, ten 1,600-year-old Balanghai boats were found in 1976 near Masao, River which is located
in Butuan City. On the other hand, after the celebration of the first mass they stayed in the place for 7
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days and helped in the rice harvest for 2 days. That means to say, what can yo harvest from a typhoon
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prone area that is easily affected by flood like Limasawa. We firmly believed that the mass was held in
Masawa, Butuan and not in Limasawa, Leyte.
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 Deputy Officer of the Opposition

In accuracy of the map and the calculation of the exact location of the island of Mazzau is a questionable
evidence to claim that the first mass happened in Limasawa if geographical features says it's Masawa,
Butuan. If you truly understand Pigafetta's journal, it says there that the island of Mazzau has great
quantity of fowls, goats, pigs, and many more especially and gold mines. Masawa has it all richly and
Limasawa a small and poor island, lacks it especially the presence of fertile rice field and abundance of
gold. Also, there is an existing route from Butuan to Cebu and these two cities has a great relationship
with each other since then that Limasawa to Cebu has none. And again, the presence of Balanghai in the
Butuan is the most sufficient evidence to prove that the birthplace of Christianity in the Philippines is
none otherthan but in Masawa, Butuan.

Whip of the Opposition

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We firmly stand that Butuan was the place where the first mass happened. As my team members

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mentioned, there are a lot if things that can be questionable. Such as the inaccuracy of map as well as

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the geographical location. Moreover, when it is stated in the accounts of Pigafetta, that its description

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was favorable on the side of Butuan. Because it was a rich island while Limasawa does not because it
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was an area that was prone to typhoons and floods. In addition, the word "Limasawa" was not stated in
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the accounts of Albo and Pigafetta. Instead, we have the word Mazzau is much closer to the word
Mazzau and not Limasawa. How come that passing a law could be a substantial evidence when it was
not approved by executives. Even the presence of gold mines can be found in Butuan. Also, the most
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sufficient evidence that could be found in Butuan was the presence of Balanghai boats which only proves
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that the first mass really happened in Butuan.

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