RAFI joins 1st Dia del Galeon Festival. The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) joins the celebration of the 1st Dia del Galeon Festival in the Philippines organized by the Baler 400 Steering Committee and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
The Dia del Galeon Festival is held every Oct. 8 in commemoration of the galleon trade between the Philippines and Mexico that took place between 1565 and 1815. One of the most important trade routes in world history, the Galleon Trade connected Asia with Europe, the Americas, and Africa and was a vessel of cultural transmission.
Dia del Galeon Festival commemorates the Galleon Trade between the Philippines and Mexico.

One of the activities of the Dia del Galeon is the Viaje del Galeon, a commemorative event that reminds the public of the important role of the Galleon as a link in the international trade and as a cultural highway among people touched along its route.
Viaje del Galeon will be held on Oct. 8 to 11 with a cruise from Manila to Cebu then back to Manila. The cruise will feature lectures and activities to around 300 youth participants about the importance and contributions of the Galleon on the spiritual, cultural, and economic developments of the different islands in the Philippines.
RAFI, in collaboration with various partners, is contributing its culture and heritage capability to the activities of the Viaje del Galeon-Cebu leg.
The Viaje del Galeon-Cebu leg will start when the youth leaders arrive by SuperFerry 20 in Cebu on Oct. 9 at 5 p.m. in Pier 6.
A motorcade, bringing the Our Lady of La Paz-Antipolo, the patroness of the Galeon, will begin from the port area to the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral where a mass will be held.
A welcome dinner will be hosted by the Cebu City Government in the Fort San Pedro grounds. Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and Margarita Osmeña, head of the Cebu City Committee of Tourism and Cultural and Historical Affairs, are expected to be present during the dinner.
The delegates will be treated to a night city tour to the famous heritage landmarks of Cebu.
On October 10, the participants will join the motorcade bringing the Our Lady of La Paz-Antipolo, to the St. Joseph’s Parish in Mandaue City. After, they will head straight to the Bantayan sa Hari where they will be welcomed by the staff of the Mandaue City Tourism Office and be treated with Mandaue City’s famous delicacies.
Viaje del Galeon Participants will visit Cebu's Heritage Museums
A tour to some of Cebu’s heritage museums like the Casa Gorordo Museum, University of Southern Philippines Foundation-Rizal Museum, Cathedral Museum of Cebu, and 1730 Jesuit House will follow.
The delegates will then board the SuperFerry 20 at 5 p.m. to go back to Manila.
Other partners in the Viaje del Galeon-Cebu leg include the Cebu City Government through the Office of the Committee of Tourism and Cultural and Historical Affairs, Mandaue City Tourism Commission, and Ho Tong Hardware.
RAFI hopes to make the Youth understand the importance of Culture and Heritage.
Through this event, the Culture & Heritage focus area of RAFI hopes to make the youth understand the importance of culture and heritage to the development of the country and enrich them with mechanisms on preserving and protecting heritage sites.
Culture & Heritage is one of the five focus areas of RAFI’s comprehensive approach to elevating lives and communities, believing that a confident community begins with a strong sense of identity. Its other focus areas are Integrated Development, Micro-finance & Entrepreneurship, Leadership & Citizenship, and Education.
For more information about the Viaje del Galeon, please contact 418-7234 loc. 702 and look for Karl Damayo.
RAFI Joins the 1st Dia del Galeon Festival and Viaje del Galeon posted at Cebu Events Blog.

Earlier today was the start for the Pre-Dawn Mass aka Simbang Gabi, Misa De Gallo(Misa de Gallo is the Spanish phrase for Midnight mass). Marks on our culture and only in the Phillipines that this custom lasts for nine days(like in novenas), starting on December 16 up to December 24, usually starting at around 2:00-5:00 a.m. This practice started during the Spanish colonial period centuries ago when priests held early dawn masses for the farmers who wanted to attend Christmas mass but could not leave their fields. These masses were held before daybreak, hence the Filipino term "Simbang Gabi" (Midnight Mass). And still alive today, we have this colourful custom to wake up at early dawn for nine consecutive days to attend mass and eat culture-savoured foods(Traditional Filipino foods, such as puto bumbong (a purple colored rice pastry, seasoned with grated coconut and brown sugar),tsokolate (a hot cocoa drink), bibingka (flour and egg cakes cooked on top and under), and salabat, or ginger tea) after the mass celebration.