Do you know Datu Sikatuna?

                                                                                                                                                                                      A subdivision in Quezon City was named after him.  Some streets in the country are called Sikatuna. But who is Datu sikatuna?

Every so often I would pass through Sikatuna Village and go by this statue; but I did not pay much attention to it until one day while I was held up in traffic, I had a chance to really look at this figure. I was struck by the seriousness of his facial expression.  Curiosity led me to know a little more about this somewhat obscure historical figure and here's what I found out from Wikipedia:

Datu Sikatuna was the Datu (lord) in the island of Bohol in the Philippines. His real name was "Katuna" but "Si" was added to his name as this is a nominative marker for a Filipino. He made a blood compact ("Sandugo") and alliance with the Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi on March 16, 1565 near the modern town of Loay.

 His pledge of allegiance and friendship with the Spaniards through the blood compact sealed the fate of the Philippines, and paved the way for Spain's conquest of the islands.

The Sandugo Festival commemorates the March 16, 1565 treaty of friendship and brotherhood between the Spanish explorer and captain general Miguel López de Legazpi and Bohol's chieftain, Datu Sikatuna. More than being the Philippines’ first international treaty, the sandugo or blood compact between the two leaders celebrates the kinship between two people of different religious beliefs, different cultures, and different nationalities.  

This historic treaty of friendship was formalized and sealed through a blood compact between the Spanish conquistador and the island's leader. It is believed that the two made a cut on their arms, mixed their blood in a cup of wine, and drank it to honor their brotherhood. This symbolic bloodletting to honor and seal one’s commitment is in accordance to tribal tradition prevalent in the Philippines back then. This treaty simply means that Datu Sikatuna swore commitment and allegiance to the Spanish crown. And the blood compact sealed that commitment. The Sandugo Festival got its name from the Visayan word “dugo,” which means blood. (http://www.philippinecountry.com/philippine_festivals/sandugo.html)