MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Embassy in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain, supported and participated in the Philippine festival Hala Bira! Fiesta, with the theme of Baguio City’s Panagbenga Festival, held last January 30 to February 1, 2025.
The festival, showcasing Philippine culture and heritage, was organized by Filipino-owned events company BrandME, with the support of the Philippine Embassy, the Capital Governorate, and Oasis Mall/Al Rashid Group.
During the ribbon cutting ceremony, Philippine Ambassador to Bahrain Anne Jalando-on Louis expressed her appreciation for the participation of the Filipino community in Bahrain for making the event a success.
“The festival brings the Filipino community in Bahrain together, as well as promote understanding of Filipino culture and heritage by Bahrainis and other foreign nationals,” Jalando-on said in her remarks.
Furthermore, she commended Filipino-owned businesses for participating in the festival, noting the spirit of entrepreneurship in the Filipino community.
Ambassador Jalando-on invited foreign audiences to visit the Philippines to experience more of the Filipino brand of hospitality and to see the country’s amazing tourism destinations.
The three-day event featured cultural performances and entertainment numbers by various Filipino community organizations and Filipino artists based in Bahrain, and a fiesta bazaar with 30 participating vendors offering mostly Filipino products and delicacies.
Other activities organized during the event included a Festival Queen competition, fashion show, band performances, street dances, a pet show, a 3x3 basketball tournament, and a darts competition.
In conjunction with the opening of the Hala Bira! Fiesta, the Carrefour supermarket at the Oasis Mall also launched a promotion of its Philippine products.
The Embassy also put up a Philippine tourism promotion booth where Filipinos and foreigners alike enjoyed photo opportunities.
The Panagbenga Street Dance was the highlight of the second day where performers from various Filipino community groups, including KABSAT GAACI, MATIKAS Guardians, Pinay Ikaw Na!, Our Lady of Hope, All Guardians, and Katalingban Sang Mga Ilonggo-Awali Training, showcased a variety of festival dances.
Diplomatic officials who attended the event with Jalando-on Louis were Mr. Yusuf Lori, Director of Information and Follow-up of the Capital Governorate; members of the diplomatic corps, namely Indonesian Embassy Chargé d’ Affaires, a.i., Mulyadi, Brunei Embassy Chargé d’ Affaires Nazirah Zaini, Malaysian Embassy First Secretary Fadhilah Daud, Thai Embassy First Secretary Suthiwit Soisuwan, and Mr. Sandeep Narain, Al Rashid Group Territory Head for Bahrain.
