More Than 17,000 Visitors Attend PH ‘Hala Bira’ Fiesta in Juffair, Bahrain
Ati-atihan performance by the members of the Filipino community organization “Katilingban Sang mga Ilonggo sa Bahrain.” (Manama PE Photo)
MANAMA 13 February 2024 – The Philippine Embassy in Manama supported and participated in the Philippine festival entitled “Hala Bira Fiesta” held at the Oasis Mall in Juffair, Kingdom of Bahrain on 01 to 03 February 2024. The festival was organized by events company, BrandME, with the support of the Philippine Embassy, the Capital Governorate of the Kingdom of Bahrain, Oasis Mall, and the Filipino Business Council-Bahrain.
The three-day fiesta featured Philippine culture, music and cuisine, an art exhibition, sports matches for basketball, chess, and darts, as well as Zumba sessions. The event amassed more than 17,000 visitors, with various Filipino community organizations, volunteers, performers, and vendors present at the fiesta.
Philippine Ambassador Anne Jalando-on Louis and Chairman of the ASEAN Bahrain Council (ABC) Shaikh Daij bin Isa Al Khalifa led the ribbon-cutting ceremony to formally open the festivities on the first day. The opening ceremony was also attended by Malaysian Ambassador Shazryll Zahiran, Indonesian Ambassador Ardi Hermawan, Thai Ambassador Piyapak Sricharoen, Brunei Chargé d’ Affaires Nazirah HJ Zaini, Mr. Yusuf Lori, Director of Information and Follow-up of the Capital Governorate, and members of the ABC.
The second day featured a Consular Outreach Mission which included various consular and assistance-to-national services as well as conducted Overseas Voting registration. The Embassy’s Migrant Workers Office (MWO), OWWA, and SSS were also present to provide services. In addition, the Embassy collaborated with Pag-IBIG Manila in providing a video call facility that enabled Filipinos to speak to a Pag-IBIG representative team in Manila about their queries and other concerns with the said agency.
Ambassador Anne Jalando-on Louis (4th from right ) and His Excellency Shaikh Daij bin Isa Al Khalifa (center), Chairman of the ASEAN Bahrain Council (ABC), lead the ribbon-cutting ceremony to formally open the “Hala Bira! Fiesta!” at the Oasis Mall in Juffair, Kingdom of Bahrain, on 01 February 2024. The Fiesta, which ran until 03 February 2023, was organized by events company, BrandME, with the support of the PHL Embassy, the Capital Governorate, Oasis Mall, and the Filipino Business Council-Bahrain. Also in the photo are Malaysian Ambassador Shazryll Zahiran (3rd from right), Indonesian Ambassador Ardi Hermawan (3rd from left), Thai Ambassador Piyapak Sricharoen (leftmost), Mr. Yusuf Lori (2nd from right), Director of Information and Follow-up of the Capital Governorate, Ms. Cristina Fulgencio (4th from left), CEO/Founder of BRANDME Events & Marketing, and members of the ABC. (Manama PE Photo)
The Philippine Embassy booth at the fiesta, where the Embassy’s personnel extended various consular and assistance-to-nationals services, conducted Overseas Voting registration, and consultations with the Migrant Workers Office (MWO), OWWA, SSS and Pag-IBIG. (Manama PE Photo)
For more information, visit https://www.manamape.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.facebook.com/PHLinBahrain or https://www.instagram.com/phlinbahrain/.