The Philippine Consulate General in Chongqing presented the Philippine food exhibit, “Pagkain,” during the four-day 2015 Chongqing Cultural Industry Expo held at the Chongqing International Expo Center on 10-13 September 2015.

The Expo’s Opening Ceremony was presided over by top-ranking Chongqing Government officials. Among them were the Director General of the National Peoples’ Congress (NPC) Standing Committee of Chongqing (Ms. Zhang Xuan), her Deputy Director General who is also Deputy Director General of Administration of Industry and Commerce of Chongqing (Mr. Shen Jin Qiang), the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Chongqing Vice Chairman (Mr. Liu Guang Lei), the Director General of the Propaganda Department of Chongqing (Mr. Yan Ping) and his Deputy (Mr. Zhang Hong Bin), as well as the Consuls General of the Philippines and the United Kingdom. Mr. Yan Ping delivered the Welcome Remarks.

In an 18 square meter booth provided by the organizers, the Philippine Consulate showcased Filipino food and its influences through seven stations - pre-historic Filipino habits, Impluwensya, Linamnam, Pangasim, Sawsawan, Kanin and Merienda. The Philippine booth stood close to the booths of the other consulates general in Chongqing and Chengdu, such as those of the United Kingdom, Italy and Australia.

Many of the visitors were curious about Philippine food, and were able to enjoy some as the Philippine booth served warm and inviting Filipino dishes like arroz caldo, sinigang na baboy, chicken-pork adobo (CPA), sinangag, paksiw na lechon, steamed pla-pla, maja blanca, polvoron and dried mangoes. An advertisement was also put out by the “Chongqing Daily” group, the main organizers of the Expo, which brought even more people to the booth on the last day of the Expo, on 13 September 2015.

The “Pagkain” exhibit was commissioned by the Department of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.  - END