Cebu celebrates relations with Mexico
Business leaders, civic leaders and members of the diplomatic community recently came together at the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel where they welcomed to Cebu Mexican Ambassador to the Philippines Tomas Javier Calvillo Unna. The Ambassador was in Cebu for the appointment of Eduardo Graham Gonzalez as Honorary Consul of Mexico in Cebu.
Earlier in the day, Gonzalez, accompanied by his supportive wife Therese Gonzalez, introduced Ambassador Javier to Cebu Provincial Governor Gwen Garcia at the Capitol.
They proceeded to a ceremony for the formal opening of the consulate office at Benedicto College in A.S. Fortuna. Cebu councilor Margot Osmeña did the ceremonial ribbon cutting.
Gonzalez, in his acceptance speech, discussed the similarities between the Philippines and Mexico in spite of our being 9,000 miles apart. His speech touched on the Manila-Acapulco Galleon era, which started the globalization of Asia.
At the time, Manila was the trade center where products from China, India, and the Moluccas, like silk, porcelain, textiles, lacquer ware and spices were traded for Mexican silver and gold. On the return trips, aside from huge amounts of silver, the galleons brought in the missionaries, Mexican traders and new agricultural products like corn, sugarcane, cocoa, chili, potato, tomato, avocado, cotton and tobacco.
He added that during this period, the Philippines and Mexico experienced extensive exchanges. This resulted in the influence on each other’s culture in language, religion, food, agriculture, clothes, songs and dances, fiestas and the arts.
After Mexico gained independence from Spain, official relations with the Philippines were once again established in 1878. In 1953, in a joint declaration between the two countries, the Mexican Embassy was established in Manila.
President Diosdado Macapagal proclaimed 1964 as the “Year of the Philippine-Mexican Friendship.”
The Mexican government donated the monument of Padre Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, considered the Father of Mexican Independence. A few days later, the monument of Dr. Jose Rizal was also inaugurated in Acapulco.
Gonzalez expressed his sincere gratitude to Ambassador Unna. He also extended an invitation to the business sector representatives to visit Mexico City, Acapulco and Guadalajara — sister city of Cebu.
