Long before the Philippines achieved independence from Spain, Manila was considered a crown jewel of the Spanish Empire. Its significance stretched across oceans, even inspiring a name for a distant territory in North America: Texas.
During the early 1700s, when Texas was still part of New Spain, the area was informally referred to as "New Philippines," a nod to the archipelago thousands of miles away in Asia.
A Model Colony Across the Ocean
At the time, Spain had decades of experience in colonization. The Philippines served as one of its most successful and enduring territories. The colony’s efficient administration, thriving economy, and successful missionary work made it a model that Spanish officials hoped to replicate elsewhere, including in Texas.
Texas was much smaller than its current size and still in the early stages of colonization. Missionaries, particularly the Franciscans, sought to convert indigenous populations just as they had done in the Philippines.
It was within this context that Spanish missionary Antonio Margil de Jesús referred to Texas as the "New Philippines" in a 1716 letter to the viceroy of New Spain.
He hoped his missionary success would earn the favor of King Philip V and that Texas would become another shining example of colonial governance.
Official Recognition of the Name
The name "New Philippines" wasn't just a fleeting term in a letter. In 1718, a formal document addressed to Martín de Alarcón, then governor of Spanish Texas, bestowed upon him the title "Governor and Lieutenant Captain General of the Provinces of Coahuila, New Kingdom of the Philippines, Province of the Texas."
The term "Nuevo Reino de Filipinas" (New Kingdom of the Philippines) started appearing in official records, solidifying the connection between Texas and its Asian namesake.
Governor Alarcón founded his capital in what is now San Antonio, and for the next forty years or so, the region carried the informal name "Nuevas Filipinas." However, this hopeful vision of a new model colony was soon overshadowed by political instability.
Echoes of Instability and Revolution
As the Spanish Empire began to wane, so did its grip on New Spain. Texas, like the Philippines, soon entered a period of upheaval. In the early 1800s, the United Mexican States emerged from revolutionary movements against Spain. Texas became part of this new country, only to later declare its independence and eventually join the United States in 1845.
Throughout these turbulent times, the romanticized title of "New Philippines" faded into obscurity. Texas was rebranded, its indigenous name, believed to mean "friend" in the Caddo language, gained prominence, and its early ties to the Asian archipelago were largely forgotten.
A Curious Historical Footnote
Although this connection between Texas and the Philippines is not widely known, it serves as a fascinating glimpse into how deeply interconnected colonial histories can be. It illustrates the global scope of the Spanish Empire and how ideas, names, and administrative ambitions crossed oceans.
The term "New Philippines" may not have endured in popular usage, but it remains a unique chapter in the shared colonial narratives of both regions. It also highlights how names can be used aspirationally, with colonial powers projecting ideals from one territory onto another.
Why It Matters Today
In a time when global history is often compartmentalized by region, stories like this remind us that the past is far more interconnected than we may think. Texas' temporary identification as "New Philippines" underscores the shared legacies of colonization, missionary work, and cultural exchange.
Understanding these unexpected connections not only enriches our knowledge of the past but also opens new pathways for cultural dialogue. It allows both Southeast Asians and Americans to explore lesser-known intersections in their histories.
By revisiting these overlooked narratives, we can better appreciate the complexity of global history and perhaps even discover common ground between places as distant as San Antonio and Manila.
