24/07/2025
FILIPINO FAMILY FACES RACIAL BIAS IN BARCELONA
BARCELONA — A Filipino businessman has come forward to denounce what he described as a “deeply upsetting” encounter involving his wife and 16-year-old daughter at the entrance of the Sagrada FamĂlia, Barcelona’s iconic basilica and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In a public statement, Pruds Garcia, president of Mekenis Food Products and a respected entrepreneur from Pampanga, Philippines, recounted the incident that occurred on July 24 during a guided visit with 23 other tourists.
According to Garcia, he was assigned to a different security lane while his wife and daughter went through another. After their bags passed through the x-ray scanner, a female security guard asked them, “What nationality are you?” When they responded, “We’re Filipinos,” the guard allegedly replied, “Open your bags. I don’t trust Filipinos.”
The statement, which Garcia shared online after his attempts to contact UNESCO and Spanish cultural authorities reportedly bounced back, has sparked concern over discriminatory practices at one of Europe’s most revered religious and cultural landmarks.
“I understand and respect the role of security,” Garcia wrote. “But singling someone out based on nationality is not protection, it’s prejudice.”
Garcia said he only learned of the incident later that evening when his daughter, Faith, quietly confided in him over dinner, unsure of how to process what had happened. He described the moment as heartbreaking — not just as a father, but as a Filipino and a global traveler.
The Sagrada FamĂlia, designed by Antoni GaudĂ, attracts millions of visitors each year and stands as a symbol of creativity, reverence, and architectural wonder. For Garcia, the experience cast a long shadow over what should have been a day of awe and reflection.
“We travel to learn, to grow, and to connect — not to be judged for where we come from,” Garcia said.
He added that while no response has been received from the relevant authorities, his intention in speaking out is not to condemn but to ensure such incidents are never repeated — “not to any Filipino, not to anyone.”
Garcia ended his statement with a message to his daughter: “You showed quiet strength in that moment… your dignity is not diminished by anyone’s ignorance. I will always stand with you.”
Spanish authorities and representatives of the Sagrada FamĂlia have not publicly commented as of this writing. DTPANGILINAN
