Madam Zavala, wife of President Felipe Calderon of Mexico, was here on a two-day visit last week.
At the cultural gala in her honor hosted by Sen. Edgardo Angara held at the Philippine International Convention Center last Thursday, Zavala shared her excitement after reading Jose Rizal’s “Ultimo Adios.” “He wrote it in Spanish!,” she said underscoring the affinity of Mexico and the Philippines in the Spanish language.
She said to the mostly English-speaking audience, “”I know you speak in English but your heart is still in Spanish. “
Zavala, a lawyer and was a member of the Mexican parliament, also observed that Philippine handicrafts are very much similar to Mexican handicrafts. “I’m sure the reason for this similarity goes back to the Galleon,” she said.