Pinoy meets world

MANILA, Philippines - It’s Filipino hospitality and the display of rich culture and arts through songs and dances that captured the hearts of visitors at the Philippine Pavilion during the recently-concluded World Expo 2010 in Shanghai, China.

The Shanghai Expo, which had a total of 241 participants from countries and international organizations of Europe, Oceania, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, occupied the largest site ever at 5.28 square kilometers.

The recent exposition, which carried the theme “Better City, Better Life” representing the global concern for future policy making, urban strategies and sustainable development, posted the biggest number of participating countries and is said to be the most expensive in the history of world fairs.

With over 73 million visitors recorded by the end of the expo, the Philippine Pavilion showed a strong presence with an average of 40,000 to 50,000 sightseers per day, topping 60,000 on peak days.

In a speech during the PLDT-sponsored Philippine gala show celebrating the Philippine participation at the Shanghai Expo held last Oct. 28, Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim said, “We had more than ample opportunities to showcase our country’s tourism attractions, history and culture as well as expand our existing trade and investment relationships with the hundreds of thousands of guests who visited the Philippine Pavilion these past six months.”

The gala show, titled “Mabuhay Philippines!” and produced by the Cultural Center of the Philippines, was held at Entertainment Hall, Puxi side of the World Expo site in Shanghai, China.

The musical spectacle interpreted the theme of the Philippine Pavilion and emphasized the variety of Filipino culture and the dynamism of the “performing cities” of the Philippines.

It was topbilled by internationally-acclaimed soprano Rachelle Gerodias, Bo Cerrudo, Frencheska Farr, the Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company, Ballet Philippines, UST Singers and Banda Kawayan.

Lim said the tourism department is hopeful that the visitors at the Philippine Pavilion, who were treated to musical performances and other forms of relaxation, would find their way to the Philippines.

The Philippine pavilion, which carried the theme “Performing Cities” and which had a land area of 2,000 square meters, featured live daily performances from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. of a wide variety of genres including pop vocals, classical chamber, operatic solos, folk dance, jazz, neo-ethnic, orchestral, street celebration and choral singing.

These performances were aimed at demonstrating how music, dance and celebration literally create the liveable qualities and distinct characters of Philippine cities.

Another certified crowd-drawer was the massage and spa offering, which was operated by world-famous Chi Spa of the Shangri-la chain resorts/hotels located in Makati, Pasig, Cebu and Boracay.

This treat, especially the “hilot,” a traditional Filipino style of therapeutic deep-tissue massage to relieve stressed muscles, plus the comforting ambience may have been the reasons why the Philippine Pavilion was chosen as the “Most Relaxing Pavilion” by an online survey.

Shanghai Morning Post, one of Shanghai’s biggest news dailies, announced in an article published last Oct. 11 the people’s choice as best pavilions at the Expo through an online survey conducted among its thousands of readers.

The survey results were featured in Expo Morning Post’s Oct. 11 issue, in an article titled “Expo Best of the Best, People’s Choice Awards: Pavilion Edition.”

A subsidiary of the Shanghai Morning Post, the Expo Morning Post, which was published daily, had a circulation of 500,000 and was available at information counters throughout the World Expo 2010 grounds and accommodation facilities.

Dubbed the “Expo Oscars,” the survey results included nine other awards won by the top and most popular pavilions such as that of China for being the most attention-grabbing, Saudi Arabia as the most sought after, Germany as the most fun and interactive, Urban Best Practices Area as the most futuristic, and Joint African Pavilion as the most historical/natural.

Philippine Organizing Committee Secretary General Gerry Panga said, “The accolade is a great honor for the Philippine participation not because we are alongside the best but because it was the people’s choice.”

Nelia Sancho, officer-in-charge of Travel Café that served food to guests, said they had very good sales, especially in the months of May to August.

Philippine Pavilion manager Tess Mauricio was also thrilled with the tribute, saying, “The acknowledgement makes all the hard work and effort worthwhile despite the overwhelming odds faced during the preparations and the operational run.”

Carla Alipit, one of 22 tour guides at the Philippine Pavilion, said the visitors also loved the fact that the tour at the pavilion was “free-flowing” compared to the others.

“Upon entrance, visitors can go anywhere they want, to the hilot, restaurant, souvenir shops or watch the live performances,” Alipit said.

Of course, an array of Filipino food also added flavor to the Philippine Pavilion.

“They particularly liked our adobo, pinakbet, pancit, sago and leche flan,” Sancho said. “Another favorite was kapeng barako.”

Jose Capistrano Jr. and Gwen Batoon, of the Philippine Organizing Committee to the Shanghai Expo, both said the Philippine Pavilion was another manifestation of the Filipinos’ living spirit and overwhelming desire to sell the country to tourists.

They also underscored that apart from hard work, the establishment of the pavilion would not have been possible if not for the generosity of donors, which include Chinese-Filipino businessman Carlos Chan and Pablo Tobiano of Dai-ichi Electronics.

Philippine Pavilion PR manager Ramon “Jojo” De Veyra Jr. said, “While it is true that the RP Pavilion’s video installations showcasing tourism destinations and government initiatives may not have been as splendid as that of the more advanced countries, the unique Filipino charm, coupled with delightful performances, more than showcased the vibrancy of Philippine cities and surely made a lasting mark in the minds of the visitors.”