Press Release No. 134-03
3 April 2003
PRESIDENT
ARROYO PROCLAIMS 20-26 APRIL 2003 AS PHILIPPINE-MEXICO FRIENDSHIP WEEK
In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Diplomatic
Relations between the Republic of the Philippines and the United Mexican
States, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued Proclamation No. 344 on
25 March 2003, declaring 20-26 April 2003 as Philippines-Mexico Friendship
Week.
The close ties between the peoples of the Philippines and Mexico hark back
to the historic Miguel Lopez de Legazpi expedition, which sailed for the
Philippines from Mexico in 1565. The founding by Legazpi of the City
of Manila led to the famous Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade of the Spanish
colonial period.
Nearly two centuries after the last Galleon sailed from Manila to Acapulco,
Mexico remains the Philippines’ leading trading partner in Latin America,
and both countries continue to enjoy close cooperation in multilateral fora
such as the United Nations, APEC and FEALAC.
Formal diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Mexico were established
on 14 April 1953, and the first Philippine Diplomatic Legation in Mexico
City was established on 23 April 1953.
A commemorative stamp will be issued by the Philippine Postal Corporation
to highlight the 50th anniversary of this milestone in our diplomatic relations.
The stamps will feature the Virgin of Guadalupe, Patroness of Mexico and
secondary Patroness of the Philippines (by papal bull), and the Cristo Nazareno
of Quiapo, whose image came from Mexico.
The commemorative stamp will be launched at the lobby of the Philippine Post
Office’s Main Branch in Liwasang Bonifacio, Manila, on Wednesday, 23 April
2003, 50 years after the first Philippine diplomatic mission was established
in Mexico.
A Mexican philatelic exhibit will also be inaugurated on the same evening.
The Mexican Postal Services will be sending 167 stamps from the period 1986-2000
for this exhibit while the Philippine Postal Corporation will display another
167 from its own collection.
The public is invited to view the exhibit, which will run from 24-30 April
2003.
END.