Greeks in the Philippines

The Greek Community in the Philippines comprises about 100 persons, mainly in the capital Manila and Luzon. Most are descended from Greek sailors and have retained their Greek names and faith, though knowledge of Greek is diminishing and contact with mainland Greece is declining as the Greek state has shown no interest in promoting it.
History
The name of the country itself is of Greek origin and can be traced to the name of the father of Alexander the Great, Philipp II of Macedon,( — φÎ¯λος,philos = friend + Î¯ππος, hippos = horse, It was given in honor of the then reigning king of Spain when the archipelago was conquered by the Spanish Empire.
The Adamopoulos family of Legaspi were the founders of Adamson University in 1932, which is today one of the leading institutions of higher learning in the country. The symbol of the university is the Greek Goddess of Wisdom, Athena. Alexander Adamson later also founded the first Greek Orthodox Church in the country which was completed in 1996 and is the focus for the parish of approximately 200.
Present Situation
According to the Greek MFA there are about 10 families in Manila and somewhat more in Luzon, mostly descended from Greek sailors and which retain their Greek names.

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