15 April 2016 - The Philippine Embassy in Brunei Darussalam, headed by Ambassador Meynardo LB. Montealegre, along with all Embassy personnel, showcased Filipino culture during the Embassy’s participation in the Flavors of BIMP EAGA & Beyond: Culture and Food Expo 2016 held at The Airport Mall in Bandar Seri Begawan from March 30 to April 03. Embassy personnel set up and manned a Philippine booth during the five-day event, in partnership with a delegation from Palawan who also participated in the Expo.

The booth showcased Philippine native products such as Filipiniana dresses, wooden carabao decors, bahay kubo miniatures inside empty bottles, colored abaniko fans, Pilipinas shirts and jewelries such as baby South Sea Pearl necklaces and Corn Pearl necklaces, among others. Tarpaulins of tourist destinations in Palawan were posted as backdrop of the booth while DOT’s “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” tourism promotion video was being played in loop.

Members of the Palawan delegation who participated in the Expo include Ms. Maribel C. Buñi, Chief Tourism Operations Officer from the Provincial Government of Palawan and Head of Delegation; Ms. Sweet Jonalyn F. Mata, Executive Assistant III at the Palawan Provincial Governor’s Office; Mr. Karl Erik D. Bernido; Mr. Dale G. Rodriguez; and Mr. Paolo Andre P. Castro, students from the Holy Trinity University in Palawan.

The Expo was officially launched on  March 30 by Yang Berhormat Dato Paduka Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT), accompanied by Pengiran Yura Kesteria PSN Pg Yusuf, Chairperson of the Brunei Darussalam BIMP-EAGA Business Council (BD-BEBC). The event kicked-off with a number of traditional dances presented by performers from the MPRT and Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS), and cooking demonstrations from top restaurants in Brunei. Following the program, Dato Haji Ali, along with Ambassador Montealegre and BD-BEBC officials, toured the Philippine booth and had the opportunity to interact with the exhibitors. The Minister admired the Philippine booth for being “lively and colorful.”

Philippine songs, dances, and gastronomic talents were showcased during the “Afternoon with the Philippines” on March 31. The program commenced with the cooking demonstration of the famous Filipino dish, chicken adobo, by students from the Holy Trinity University in Palawan.

The Embassy invited Filipino talents to showcase their vocal prowess through renditions of Tagalog songs “Tagumpay Nating Lahat, Dahil sa Iyo,” and “Kahit Maputi na ang Buhok Ko,” performed by Ms. Jeanra S. Bometivo, a Filipino music teacher in one of the prestigious music schools in Brunei, and the international hit song “Anak” presented by Mr. Philip Andre B. Cabrera, a student from Seri Mulia Sarjana School in Bandar Seri Begawan. WCOPA gold medalist winner Gyver Jude T. Concon also delivered powerful renditions of Adele’s Hello and Duffy’s Mercy. Traditional Philippine dances were also shown during the program as the Seri Mulia Sarjana School Dance Troupe performed a Maranao dance or the “Sambi sa Malong” and the famous “Tinikling.” After the program, members of the audience were invited to visit the Philippine booth to see and buy the native products and food on display, including the famous sorbetes ice cream.

The Flavors of BIMP EAGA & Beyond: Culture and Food Expo 2016 was supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT), the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT), the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sports (MCYS), and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA). The said Expo aims to promote cultural exchange between and among BIMP-EAGA member-countries through their respective traditional culture and food in the region. END