Four and a half centuries after the first galleon sailed from Manila to Acapulco, the Philippines and Mexico are still sailing the same cultural tide — this time through stories, flavors, and friendship.
The Philippine Embassy in Mexico, together with the Philippine Honorary Consulate in Acapulco and local partners, marked the 460th anniversary of the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade Route on October 10-11, 2025, with two days of art, literature, and gastronomic celebration at the Museo Histórico Fuerte de San Diego and Plaza México-Filipinas in Acapulco.
The festivities opened with the Mexican launch of the Department of Foreign Affairs’ bilingual children’s book, Ang Paglalakbay ni Galo / El Viaje de Galo — a playful retelling of the galleon’s transoceanic adventures.
Mexican actor and director Carlos Casanni Moran brought Galo’s journey to life through a vibrant storytelling performance that had the young audience sailing in imagination.
To sweeten the journey, guests enjoyed a taste of home across the seas — pancit, lumpia, adobo, and buko pandan prepared by Embassy staff, offering Mexico a flavorful glimpse of Filipino hospitality.
The commemoration continued the following day with a floral offering at Plaza México-Filipinas, attended by Acapulco Mayor Abelina López Rodríguez and Philippine Honorary Consul Dr. Mario de la O Almazán, among others. The symbolic gesture honored centuries of shared heritage and the lives that once connected the two shores.
Back at the Fuerte de San Diego Auditorium, scholars and chefs took the stage for a conference and roundtable exploring how the galleon trade reshaped not just economies, but also kitchens.
Culinary historian Mtra. Maricruz Piza López traced the Filipino influence on Guerrero’s coastal gastronomy, while chefs Avril Navarrete Ríos and Diego Alejandro Cruz swapped notes on how adobo and mole — both born from spice and sea — continue to bridge palates across the Pacific.
A symbolic Mexico-Philippines Time Capsule was handed over from INAH-Guerrero to the Philippine Embassy — a gesture representing the timeless connection between the two nations.
The celebration culminated in a gastronomic exhibition aptly titled “Fusión Gastronómica México-Filipinas”, curated by Mtra. Elsa Zamora Acosta, where guests sampled Filipino classics alongside Mexican staples like bolillo con relleno, guinatan, and tamales — proof that history can be deliciously relived.
In honoring the 460-year legacy of the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade, the Philippine Embassy reaffirmed that the spirit of the galleon still sails on — through shared flavors, stories, and friendships that continue to enrich both sides of the Pacific.