PH Embassy in Brunei Joins BIMP-EAGA Showcase, World Halal Culinary Championship 2019

Philippine Ambassador to Brunei Christopher B. Montero, together with Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Business Council (BD-BEBC) Chairperson Pengiran Yura Kesteria PSN Pg Yusuf, and Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia Dr. Sujatmiko during the ceremonial ribbon cutting at the BIMP EAGA Tertiary Industry Forum Showcase 2019 & World Halal Culinary Championship 2019. (Brunei PE photo)

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN 22 December 2019 – Filipino tourism, cultural, and food products were on display at the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Tertiary Industry Forum Showcase 2019 & World Halal Culinary Championship 2019 held at the Perpaduan Hall of the International Convention Center (ICC) in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam from 10 to 12 November 2019. 

Organized by the Brunei Darussalam BIMP-EAGA Business Council (BD-BEBC), the event aims to strengthen cooperation among BIMP-EAGA countries in the tertiary industry especially on logistic services, supply chain, cross border trading, online to offline business, food manufacturing and network marketing.

The Executive Chairman of the BD-BEDC Pengiran Yura Kesteria PSN Pg Yusuf, together with Philippine Ambassador to Brunei Christopher B. Montero and Indonesian Ambassador Dr. Sujatmiko, formally opened the event.

The Philippine Embassy mounted a country booth at the Expo, putting in full display t’nalak fabrics and colorful Maranao landap cloths, as well as posters of Philippine tourist destinations. Filipino entrepreneurs in Brunei likewise participated by showcasing Filipino cultural and artisan products during the three-day event.

One of the important highlights of the event was the signing of eight business-to-business agreements among various companies from the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. For the Philippines, the agreement signed involved Reefer Pilipinas Express Line, Inc., a PH logistics company based in Manila and Davao that recently launched its BIMP-EAGA sea cargo route, which was represented during the signing by its CEO, Mr. Felix Ishizuka.

Reefer Pilipinas utilizes a conventional type vessel with load capacity up of to 290 TEU containers, and 10,000 loose cargoes. It undertook its maiden voyage at Ho Chi Minh Port in June 2019, traversing Malaysia’s Labuan and Sepanggar, and Indonesia’s Bitung and Ternate, before docking at Davao City’s Kudos Port. With the agreement, Reefer Pilipinas will be able to add Muara Port in Brunei Darussalam in its shipping routes.

At the first-ever World Halal Culinary Championship 2019, Filipino celebrity chef Eugenio Ramon “Gene” Gonzalez served as one of the invited judges. Chef Gonzalez also appeared at the morning television show ‘Rampai Pagi” where he promoted Philippine cuisine and did a demonstration on Ensaladang Kasag (Crab Fat Salad). END

Philippine Ambassador to Brunei Christopher B. Montero (center), together with Filipino Celebrity Chef Gene Gonzalez (fourth from right) and the officers of the Philippine Embassy, during the opening ceremony of the BIMP EAGA Tertiary Industry Forum Showcase 2019 & World Halal Culinary Championship 2019. (Brunei PE photo)

Filipino Celebrity Chef Gene Gonzalez (leftmost) during the judging of the final round of the World Halal Culinary Championship 2019. (Brunei PE photo)

Filipino Celebrity Chef Gene Gonzalez (right) promoting Philippine cuisine and ingredients at the television morning show “Rampai Pagi”. Chef Gonzalez also made Ensaladang Kasag (Crab Fat Salad) during the show. (Brunei PE photo)

Philippine Ambassador to Brunei Christopher B. Montero (sixth from left) and Atty. Malou Montero (fifth from left) with officials from Brunei Darussalam-BIMP EAGA Business Council and from Reefer Pilipinas Express Inc, Chef Gene Gonzalez (fourth from left), and PTIC-Singapore Commercial Counsellor Cynthia Ricafort (fourth from right) at a lunch hosted at the Ambassador’s Official Residence. (Brunei PE photo)

For more information, visit https://www.bruneipe.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.philippine-embassybrunei.org or https://www.facebook.com/PHinBrunei/.