Mexican ambassador visits Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - His Excellency Julio Camarena, newly installed Ambassador of Mexico to the Philippines, recently visited Cebu for the first time.  He was  enamored by our beaches and the rich diversity of our underwater life, especially the amazing beauty of our coral reefs. The Ambassador's visit was hosted by Mexican Honorary Consul in Cebu Ed Gonzalez.  Consul Ed organized a chic Mexican cocktails affair in the Casino Espanol de Cebu in honor of Ambassador Camarena with Mexican nationals in the Visayas, as well as Cebu's consular corps, government dignitaries and socio-economic leaders, in attendance.

The good ambassador shared that he was surprised to discover some Tagalog words with Mexican origins: "tiangge" (Nahuatl term for market), "palengke" (palenque), caimito, calabasa, camote, calachuche (frangipani), avocado, chico, balsa, tocayo, nana(y) and tata(y), to name a few.  He also pointed out in his very informative extemporaneous talk during his power point presentation, that Miguel Lopez de Legazpi was the mayor of Mexico before he set out to be the conqueror of the Philippines 44 years after Magellan's discovery of our archipelago in 1521.

Ambassador Camarena hopes to have more business ties with Cebu, especially in the furniture industry. It must be noted that Mexico is the 3rd largest importer of Philippine products in the Americas, next only to the USA and Canada; and the 7th largest exporter to the Philippines.  Big Mexican corporations in our midst are CEMEX - the cement factory in Naga that aims to increase production by 1.5 metric tons per year, and FEMSA S.A.B. de C.V. - Coca Cola Philippines which will set up a subsidiary Imbera - manufacturing commercial refrigeration equipment.

Our ties with Mexico go back to the lucrative Manila-Acapulco galleon trade, linking Asia with the Spanish Empire (in Europe) through the Vice royalty of New Spain in Mexico. This lasted for more than 200 years. Lorraine Crouchett, a California-based historian, pointed out a significant detail: "Cebuanos (were) on the galleon San Pablo when it made its historic first crossing of the Pacific Ocean from west to east in 1565 (bringing gold gathered in Cebu), guided by Fray Andres de Urdaneta, as sent by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, to find the return route to Mexico and obtain supplies for his expedition."  This became the route of the small galleons plying between Manila and Acapulco.

Today, the five most important Mexican exports to the Philippines include industrial manufacturing, semiconductors, organic and inorganic chemicals, and sugar preparations.  Without our notice, Mexicans are among us, looking so similar to us in built and color, sharing a common sentiment and cultural history, getting strength from the same Catholic faith.

Salud al Mexico y las Islas Filipinas!