BALAMBAN, Cebu, Philippines – A Cebuano congressman has filed a bill seeking to change the name of a popular mountain in Cebu, Mount Manunggal, in barangay Magsaysay, this town, to “Mount Ramon F. Magsaysay.”

It was in Mount Manunggal that President Magsaysay died 54 years ago on March 17, 1957 when the presidential plane, Mt. Pinatubo, crashed in the . Rep. Pastor Alcover of the Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy (ANAD) partylist wants the public not to forget that tragic event which killed the popular president.

In filing the bill, Alcover said the word “Manunggal” sounds like, and could easily be associated with, “Manananggal” which, in Filipino folklore, is said to be a creature that can split its upper body from the waist and preys on human hearts.

“This possibility that Mount Manunggal could be mistakenly associated with a pejorative word might have an unintended consequence on the significance of Mount Manunggal to Philippine history or even to the name of the man intimately connected with the place,” Alcover said.

Mount Manunggal rises to a height of 1,003 meters above sea level. The site is a favorite spot for mountain climbers and nature lovers. The annual Ramon Magsaysay Death Anniversary Climb also occurs in the area.