Anything Under the Sun
Mexican influence in west Visayas
Very few West Visayans know the significant influences of Mexico in the region. Mainly, these influences are in religion and economics.
These were so because, the Philippine colony was ruled by Spain thru Nueva España (Mexico) since the beginning up to 1812 when Mexico became independent.
In religion, there are Our Lady of Guadalupe which is the patroness of the Philippines, the third oldest image in the country of Santo Niño in Arevalo, the Churisque architecture of the early churches typical of which is the Tigbauan Church before the recent addition of the second tower.
In iconology, the earliest images were carved following the classical type, followed later by the baroque style – both introduced by the Mexicans.
In economics, the first coins circulated in the colony were minted in Mexico. That's why they were called by West Visayas as "mek".
The Mexicans also introduced maize (corn), pineapple, guavas and avocado in the region. Corn became the second staple food of the West Visayans next to rice. It helped the people during famine and is most suited for cultivation on the hilly terrain abundant in the region.
The natives also found economic use of the fiber of the pineapple leaves (piña). These were woven into cloths. Because of its durability tenderness compared to the native abaca (wild banana) fiber, the piña fiber gained good market in Manila and even in Europe and the United States.
This made the province of Iloilo during the Spanish time the textile center of the whole colony with more than 5,000 looms engaged in weaving industry.
The Spanish galleon Acapulco-Manila trade exposed West Visayan products to world trade. The Spanish galleons used square cement blocks as ballasts and when the galleon trade ceased, these ballasts (piedra china) found their way to West Visayas and used as pathways and door steps for churches as well as for public and private buildings.
Because of the far distance between the Philippines and Spain, most of the lower echelon government personnel were from Mexico who greatly influenced the nationalistic spirit of the natives especially after Mexico itself became independent.
Hence, in the rivalry between the insulares (Spaniards born in Mexico) and the peninsulares (natives of Spain), the West Visayans usually took the side of the former.