27 January 2015 – The Philippine Embassy in Mexico’s Chargé d´Affaires, a.i. Angelo V. Amonoy attended the commemorative activities for the 246th Birth Anniversary of Mexican hero Don Ignacio José Allende y Unzaga on January 21 at the Historic Center of San Miguel de Allende, a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site. He was accompanied by the Embassy´s Cultural Officer Rosabelle Q. Toledo.
Born to a wealthy family in Guanajuato State, Don Ignacio Allende was a captain in the Spanish Army in colonial Mexico who switched sides and fought alongside the peasantry in the fight for independence from Spanish rule. He was captured eventually by the Spanish colonial authorities and executed by firing squad for treason in 1811 in the city of Chihuahua. Today, his remains are kept in the Monumento a la Ángel de la Independencia (Independence Column) in Mexico City.
The whole-day event began with an early-morning Mass at the iconic Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel followed by a civic ceremony at the town plaza led by Mayor Mauricio Trejo Pureco who laid a floral wreath at the equestrian monument of Don Ignacio Allende, accompanied by military and other local officials. The civic ceremony concluded with a 21-gun salute by members of the Mexican Army. Diplomats from various Embassies in Mexico also graced the occasion.
At the town´s ayuntamiento (municipal hall), Chargé d´Affaires, a.i., Angelo V. Amonoy met with Mayor Trejo Pureco and presented the latter with samples of Philippine coco sugar as a gesture of goodwill.
The mayor expressed his appreciation for the Embassy´s participation in the commemorative activities. He said that he looks forward to increased cooperation and exchanges between the Embassy and the Municipal Government of San Miguel de Allende, citing the important role being played by the expatriate community in his town´s development.
Towards noon, a traditional civic and military parade proceeded through the town´s main streets while overhead, units of the Fuerza Aerea Mexicana (Mexican Air Force) performed synchronized fly-bys and air maneuvers.
The celebration was capped in the evening by a musical concert and a fireworks display at the town plaza. END