Almost 500 years ago, in 1521, Ferdinand Magellan came across the Philippines while exploring the Pacific Ocean, and this was the beginning of Spanish interest in the archipelago. In 1543 Ruy Lopez de Villalobos named the islands Las Islas Filipinas to honor King Philip II of Spain. Over the following 350 years, many Spaniards arrived [...]

read more: Spanish Culture in the Philippines: Vigan City