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<img src="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources-25/king-juan-carlos-and-queen-sofia-with-lim.avif" alt="King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia of Spain presented with Key of the City of Manila by Mayor Afredo Lim" />
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(In a symbolic gesture of goodwill, Manila Mayor <a href="Alfredo Lim" class="news_link">Alfredo Lim</a> honored King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia of Spain with Manila’s Key to the City.)
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<h3>
Historical Context
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The Philippines, named after King <a href="Philip II of Spain" class="news-link-ext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Philip II</a> of Spain, was under Spanish colonial rule from 1565, when <a href="https://kahimyang.com/articles/3097/the-life-and-legacy-of-miguel-l-pez-de-legazpi" class="news_link">Miguel López de Legazpi</a> established the first permanent Spanish settlement in Cebu, until 1898, when Spain ceded the islands to the United States under the <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/805/today-in-philippine-history-december-10-1898-the-treaty-of-paris-through-which-spain-ceded-the-philippines-to-the-united-states-was-signed" class="news_link">Treaty of Paris</a>. This long colonial period left a lasting legacy, including the Spanish language, Catholicism, and cultural traditions, which continue to shape Filipino identity. By 1995, diplomatic relations between the two nations had evolved into a partnership based on mutual respect and shared heritage. The visit of King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia was a symbolic gesture to strengthen these bonds, especially as the Philippines approached the centennial of its independence from Spain in 1998.
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The 1995 State Visit of King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia to the Philippines