Walking through the bustling streets of Macao, there’s plenty to remind one of the close connections currently shared between the Special Administrative Region (SAR) and the Philippines. From comforting aromas that waft from Filipino bakeries, to the sound of the Southeast Asian country’s musicians enlivening this city’s watering holes. There’s also the hard working Filipina domestic workers, whose presence enhances many a Macao home.
In fact, Filipinos make up Macao’s biggest non-Chinese ethnicity by a long shot. According to official figures, there were about 31,000 Philippine nationals living and working in the city at the end of last year, or 4.5 percent of its total population.
In the wake of the Sinulog Festival, a vibrant celebration for the Filipino diaspora that’s held in Macao annually, we pay tribute to the ties binding the two regions: those that are visible now, and those at risk of being forgotten. For beyond their modern-day contributions, Filipinos have helped shape Macao’s social, economic and religious history. Their stories deserve to be told as part of the SAR’s multicultural narrative.
The Filipino Legacy: A History of Contributions and Connections
From Catholicism to commerce, Macao and the Philippines are deeply intertwined. Ivo Carneiro de Sousa delves into the annals of history to uncover the stories of four remarkable Filipinos who shaped Macao’s legacy – and were, in turn, shaped by it. Carneiro de Sousa serves as a history professor at Macao’s East-West Institute for Advanced Studies.
Religious and literary foundations
One of Macao’s most charming churches, the Guia Chapel, sits atop the city’s highest peak, nestled within a 17th-century fortress. Built more than 400 years ago by nuns from the Order of Saint Clare, the chapel served as an early connector between Macao and Manila, the Philippines’ capital.
Those Clarist nuns reached Macao via the Philippines. While most were of Spanish origin, one noteworthy novice was a Philippine native. Her name was Marta de San Bernardo, and her ethnicity barred her from becoming a fully-fledged nun in who homeland due to strict rules imposed by the Spanish Empire, which administered the region at the time.
Fortunately, Bernardo was able to bypass these barriers by travelling to Macao, where she became the first Filipino nun in the Order of Saint Clare.
After arriving in the city in 1633, Bernardo went on to play a pivotal role in the Clarist monastery as a guardian and teacher. Her contributions extended to literature; she left behind a lengthy Portuguese-language manuscript centred around the final stages of Jesus’ life. This work is another reason Bernardo’s name is worth marking down in the history books: she was one of Macao’s earliest female writers.
Women entrepreneurs
The 18th century saw Filipinos actively engaging in Macao’s thriving trade networks. Interestingly, the first female registered as owning a ship in the city was a Filipina from Batangas Province named Maria de Abreu. Abreu had married the wealthy Macanese merchant Luís de Abreu in 1708. Noted for his success in trading goods like Chinese silk and South American silver, Luís taught his young wife all he knew. This came in handy after his death, when she not only managed but expanded the family business.
Abreu became a successful trader in her own right, her ship laden with betel nuts, rice, altar wine and religious artifacts – including images of the Virgin Mary and Catholic saints that still adorn Macao’s churches today. She died in 1721, leaving behind a large family of seven daughters and three sons.
Another Filipina, named Regina Verrosa, became a prominent businesswoman in Macao in the early 19th century, following the death of her French husband, the naval officer Généreux-Jean-Felix Dayot. Verrosa leveraged her family connections in Manila to establish profitable trade routes that included her native Philippines, but also Cochinchina (also called Nam Ky, today’s southern Vietnam), Mauritius, the Caribbean and France. She gained a reputation for bringing Bordeaux wines to Macao and other cities across southern China.
José Rizal’s visit to Macao
A notable chapter in Filipino-Macao relations is the visit of Philippine national hero José Rizal in 1888. Rizal, a polymath and prolific writer, described the city with sensitivity and fondness in his letters and diaries. These included notes on Macao’s architecture and the coexistence of different cultures.
During his stay, Rizal lodged with Juan Francisco Lecarós, a wealthy Filipino mestizo whose family had deep ties to Macao, and his Macanese wife. Lecarós’ trade connections spanned Manila, Macao and Canton, while his home overlooking Praia Grande became a hub for intellectual and cultural exchange.
Rizal recalled the Lecarós’ home in his writing, describing the exotic plants imported from the Philippines and many illustrious friends, including the surgeon Lourenço Marques Pereira – whose namesake road runs along the Macao Peninsula’s western flank.
Recognising a shared heritage
The stories of Marta de San Bernardo, Maria de Abreu, Regina Verrosa and José Rizal illustrate the deep and enduring connections between Macao and the Philippines. Indeed, Filipinos have enriched Macao’s cultural and economic fabric through their work, commerce and spiritual practices for centuries. Their legacy is a testament to Macao’s cosmopolitan identity, shaped by diverse influences from across Asia and beyond.
Edna May Lazaro: Consul General
Interview by Amanda Saxton
Edna May Lazaro took on the role of Philippine consul general in Macao late last year, stepping into her new city with open eyes and high hopes. The experienced diplomat shares insights into a vibrant Filipino community that’s defined by the Bayanihan spirit, and reflects on what makes Macao such a favoured destination for her compatriots.
This interview has been edited for length and brevity.
What has Filipino migration to Macao looked like in the modern era?
The first wave of Filipino migrants to Macao started in the late 1970s. Most were white collar professionals and nurses. Over the next few decades, engineers and skilled workers in the construction industry helped build Macao, before a major wave of our people arrived in the 2000s as the hospitality industry started growing very rapidly.
Filipina domestic helpers, of course, have been arriving throughout. These diligent workers play indispensable and meaningful roles in household life in Macao.
Tell us about Macao’s Filipino community today.
There are more than 30,800 Filipino nationals in Macao, mostly temporary workers but also permanent residents. Aside from domestic helpers, who make up about half of this population, we have Filipino healthcare workers who worked tirelessly during the pandemic – something I believe the Macao government was very thankful for. We have several professors working for major universities in Macao, as well as teachers in some international schools. Filipinos involved in education are very important because they help mould the minds of the youth in Macao.
There are business owners, too. Macao has its own ‘Pinoy Street’ [Rua da Alfândega, forming the unofficial centre for the city’s Filipino community]. These businesses persevered through the pandemic and continued to employ Filipino workers, in many case enabling them to stay in Macao. They helped keep the economy going. Filipinos are also famously musical. Many of the singers and entertainers working in Macao’s hotels are talents from the Philippines.
Macao’s tourism and hospitality sectors employ many Filipinos, too. We really are at the heart of the economy here. Then there are the priests and other religious leaders who carry out charity work and provide spiritual guidance. That’s mainly in the Catholic community, but also goes beyond.
There are many different Filipino groups active here, united by an umbrella organisation called the Filipino Community Alliance in Macau. Its mission is to strengthen unity and camaraderie amongst Philippine nationals in the city. Filipinos tend to have the spirit of volunteerism; everyone pulls together to organise festivities and events. That’s what I like so much about our community in Macao, the Bayanihan spirit is alive and well.
The Bayanihan spirit? Say more.
We have this concept in the Philippines called the Bayanihan spirit. It’s part of our DNA and means working towards the common good of the community. All over the world, Filipinos are recognised as being warm, being welcoming, and being very dedicated to our work. We go over and beyond what is expected of us.
I think wherever Filipinos go, they are always distinguished by their work ethic and caring natures. We are valued all over the world for these reasons, including here in Macao. We are proud of that. Proud of our reputation, which has a lot to do with the Bayanihan spirit.
Aside from job opportunities, what attracts Filipinos to Macao?
One thing is proximity. It’s just a two-and-a-half hour flight from Macao to Manila. That’s very important for our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), the ability to stay connected to family. It was made even easier by favourable visa policies between the two regions.
Another big advantage is that Macao people are very open and accommodating to foreigners. This is something I heard about before coming to Macao, but I am also starting to experience myself. Macao is also quite laid back compared to cities like Hong Kong and Tokyo. People aren’t too rushed, they take a stroll and can enjoy the view. I like this vibe. I think most Filipinos appreciate that Macao is a very walkable city.
Being able to practice your religion is also important, right?
Indeed, that point is very important to those of us living here: freedom of religion is respected in Macao. Filipinos thrive in an environment where they can practice their Christian faith. We are known for transporting our faith wherever we go: it’s central to Filipino culture and keeps us united as a people.
So, it’s very special for us to be able to have mass in the beautiful St. Augustine’s Church, in our own Tagalog language. I think the mere fact that Macao allows a Filipino mass to be heard in its very centre, inside a UNESCO heritage site, speaks volumes of the respect the city accords to foreigners.
How are you finding your new role? What exactly does a consul general do?
It felt like a very auspicious time for me to be assigned in Macao, since so many milestones are being celebrated. We had the 25th anniversary of the Special Administrative Region back in December, for example. And 2025 is a very important year for the Philippines and China’s bilateral relations because we will be celebrating our golden anniversary.
As for the job, we have three pillars in the Philippine foreign service: political diplomacy, economic diplomacy and our assistance to nationals. Our Macao consulate is mainly dedicated to that third pillar, due to the large number of Philippine nationals here.
So, I think I have a very important task to do: to ensure the wellbeing and also the protection of our OFWs, and to make sure that our people-to-people exchanges with Macao are further strengthened. I’m here to build more bridges between our two peoples.
What are some of the ‘bridges’ you plan to build this year?
There are plans to bring Filipino artists here as part of the celebrations for the golden anniversary, along with sports teams – you know, Filipnos are very fond of football and basketball. We also want to facilitate more academic exchanges between the universities of Macao and the Philippines, which will enable us to learn from each other.
Can you speak to the existing ties between the two regions?
While our formalised bilateral relations with China go back 50 years, our people-to-people exchanges with that country and, more specifically, Macao stretch back far further. When the Philippines was under Spanish rule (1565–1898), Macanese traders were already establishing businesses in Manila’s Chinatown, Binondo. Bindondo is considered to be the oldest overseas Chinese community in the world.
A major common thread is our shared Iberian heritage, brought to us by the Spanish and Macao by the Portuguese. You can see that in our European-style vernacular architecture and taste it in our food – much like in Macao.
Francisco José Penalba Fajardo: Pastry Chef at ANAK PHILIPPINE BREAD
Interview by Amanda Saxton | Photos António Sanmarful
Franscico José Penalba Fajardo’s parents, Lucille Penalba Fajardo and Crisostomo Cruz Fajardo, were part of an early wave of Filipino migrants to Macao in the 1980s. The city is where they fell in love, raised their family and founded a highly successful culinary business. Their original bakery, located on the famed ‘Pinoy Street’ – aka Rua da Alfândega – has morphed into three separate eateries, one of which is manned by Fajardo and his wife. Here, the pastry chef reflects on the mark his family has made in Macao, and on his identity as a proudly Macao-born Filipino.
This interview has been edited for length and brevity.
First up, tell us how your family came to be in Macao.
My parents moved here in the mid-1980s, individually. My mum tells me there were a handful of about 20 Filipinos in the city at that time, and they would see each other in church every Sunday. Seeing the congregation get bigger each week was how she knew the Filipino community was growing. Things were very different for the community back then. Mum says it was very quiet, and Filipinos felt like aliens landing on a new planet when they arrived in Macao.
Mum and dad met in church. She was working as a domestic helper for a Portuguese family, he was a lifeguard at Hac Sa Beach though later worked in hotels. They ended up getting married, having three kids (I was born in 1990), and the rest is history.
How did Anak Philippine Bread get started?
My mum and her brother kicked off the business. They started out experimenting in our home’s oven, testing out recipes back in the early 2000s. After settling on a basic pan recipe, they started selling bread to friends and family. Soon there were random people coming over to our house to buy bread and stuff all the time, because I think we were the only place in Macao where you could buy Philippine pan. I’d come home from school, be doing my homework, and the doorbell was always ringing with customers. After a month or so of that, mum and dad started talking about renting a place for a proper bakery. The time felt right.
That bakery officially opened in 2003. In the beginning, we served mainly Filipinos. The community was growing very fast at that time, as the integrated resorts were being established and hiring more and more Filipinos. Then we started getting tourists from the mainland, other parts of Asia and the rest of the world.
What was the bread that started it all?
That would be the pandesal. The classic bread roll of the Philippines: sweet, soft and airy. And it’s still our best-seller today.
Anak’s very much a family operation, right?
Totally. My parents run the business in a really old-school manner; no outside parties involved. And I think that’s one of the reasons we have done so well, especially during the pandemic. It’s been a bonding experience for our family. The word anak actually means ‘children’ in Tagalog.
We now have the original bakery, a dessert shop – that’s where my wife, who is also a pastry chef, and I work – and a canteen. But my mum’s opening a fourth place this year, which is going to be a restaurant. I’m not sure if it will be her final project or not!
Have you always been involved the business?
No, I studied at the Macao Institute for Tourism Studies [now the Macau University of Tourism] and was actually working at a hotel when my mum proposed that she and I open up a dessert shop. She asked if I would consider letting her teach me everything she knew, how to bake cakes and all sorts of other desserts, in order to eventually run this new place – which would mean giving up my hotel career.
So, that’s how I got involved in the business [in 2016 or 2017]. At the start, my mum and I fully concentrated on the dessert shop while her brother looked after the bakery. Now, my wife and I are in charge.
It’s been an amazing experience, to be honest. I love seeing how everything my mum taught me is now being translated into supporting my family [Fajardo has a young son, and another child on the way]. That’s what I love doing the most.
What do you think’s behind Anak’s popularity?
When Filipinos come over to Macao, they are looking for better jobs and opportunities. But at the same time, they miss their hometowns. So, you’ve got this big and growing population of Filipinos who are dreaming of home, but can’t go back because they’re trying to earn a good living. They can come to our shop, take a bite out of a pandesal, and… it’s just a good feeling for them. A nostalgic taste of home.
How would you describe Macao’s Filipino community?
Filipinos tend to be very traditional and they brought their traditions over here to Macao. We have festivals like Sinulog [honouring the Child Jesus] and Pahiyas [a harvest festival honouring the patron saint of farmers] that we celebrate over here, and of course all Filipinos love Christmas so much. In Macao, pretty much everything gets celebrated – so that’s great.
We tend to be very comfortable in Macao because its cultural diversity, which has been around forever. Culture-wise, religion-wise, there just aren’t many barriers here.
Where’s ‘home’ for you, as a Macao-born Filipino?
To be honest, I got homesick when I spent six months in the Philippines as a child. Homesick for Macao. My parents had wanted me to get in touch with my roots, study the language, learn more about my culture, you know. When my mum would call, I’d be asking after all my friends in Macao and must have sounded a bit sad. She asked me, “So, do you miss Macao?” And I told her I missed Chinese food, my friends and just everything!
Macao has always been my home and it will be my home for the rest of my life. My wife is a Macao-born Chinese. We were both raised here, we are raising our son here. I’m very proud to say that Macao is my home, and I am proud of what my family is contributing here.
