The best of Filipino cuisine, hospitality, and entertainment will be highlighted at the Summit Gala Dinner themed as “ASEAN Fiesta,” on April 29, Saturday, which will be hosted by President Rodrigo Duterte, and attended by the Heads of States of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).
“Filipinos celebrate milestones through various cultural festivities. Staging a fiesta is one way to honor their important guests,” a press release from the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) stated.
“ASEAN leaders, together with their spouses and delegates, will be treated to various fanfares from start to finish. The program will include native dance and music performances akin in origin and style from other ASEAN cultures,” the statement continued.
The Philippines is hosting the 30th ASEAN Summit with President Duterte as chair. It runs from April 26 to April 29 and is the first of the two annual meetings of ASEAN leaders in 2017.
It was reported that included in the attendees of the summit are Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Laos President Bounnhang Vorachith, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Thailand Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.
Meanwhile, here are some things to expect at the summit gala dinner, according to a press release by PCOO:
1. It has “ASEAN Fiesta” as a theme.
The theme aims to showcase the Filipinos’ innate warmth and hospitality as a people as well as to celebrate the Philippines’ cultural diversity and commonality with its ASEAN neighbors.
PCOO said the event will display the Philippines’ unique brand of hospitality, art and culture, and outstanding local talents; and will also showcase the commonalities of Filipino heritage with their ASEAN brothers.
2. Around 800 guests are expected.
According to PCOO, around 800 guests are coming to the dinner. It will be composed of ASEAN heads of states, their spouses, their respective delegations, members of the diplomatic corps, government officials and business leaders are expected to attend the festive occasion, depicting a sense of community, harmony and togetherness.
3 . ASEAN leaders will be wearing creations of Filipino designers.
As noted by PCOO, the ASEAN leaders will wear Mindanao-inspired barong Tagalog by Rajo Laurel, featuring fabric from different Philippine ethno-linguistic tribes.
On the other hand, their spouses will be wearing Rhett Eala designs made from gazar or mikado fabric for the top and crepe fabric for the bottom.
4. A grand and festive welcome at Sofitel awaits ASEAN leaders.
According to PCOO, as guests arrive at Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila, they will be greeted by locals in indigenous outfits, and welcomed with music played by the Citizen’s Brigade Band of Dasmariñas, Cavite. A singkaban arch and festival banners will welcome guests at the hotel driveway.
As the guests walk towards the cocktail area at Le Bar, they will be serenaded with rondalla music. Then, as guests walk towards the hotel’s grand ballroom, merry sounds of gongs and a kulintang ensemble will be heard.
5. Mindanao-inspired elements will adorn the venue.
The hotel’s lobby is sais to be festively adorned with Mindanaoan decor, jewel tones, and other intricate details.
Inside the ballroom, the concept of Philippine fiesta will be seen through colorful decor.
6. There will be cultural presentations, a mash-up of ASEAN pop hits number, and a performance of Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra.
PCOO said that a string octet from the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra will serenade the delegates over dinner.
It will then be followed by a cultural presentation dubbed as “Golden Weave.” The presentation is said to consist of four parts beginning with the ASEAN ‘Gold Overture,’ featuring instrumental solos of indigenous instruments from different ASEAN countries. It will be followed by ‘Post Cards and Songs,’ featuring world-class Filipino artists singing a mash-up of ASEAN pop hits, well-known standards, and current chart-toppers.
The third part will be the ‘Dances, Gongs, and Strings,’ that will feature Philippine dances including Cordillera’s ‘banga,’ Pangasinan’s ‘wasiwas,’ and ‘pandanggo sa ilaw’ of the South. The last part is the ‘Fiesta’ which will highlight the beats of the Buganda Drumbeaters.
7. Furniture by Ito Kish will be displayed at the venue.
The works of celebrated Filipino designer Ito Kish will be displayed at the Romblon Room, which serves as the holding room for the ASEAN leaders.
8. The ASEAN leaders will be given gifts with Philippine motifs.
According to PCOO, ASEAN Heads of States will be presented with wood trays made of Philippine Mahogany with brass etching.
Three design motifs were prepared: singkil, a folk dance from Maranao; another is a pattern copied from the traditional tapestry called T’nalak of the T’bolis from South Cotabato; and the Sarimanok, a legendary bird with colorful feathers, which is said to be a symbol of good fortune.
Their spouses, on the other hand, will be presented with clear tempered glass cheese plates as tokens.
The tokens come with two design accents: brass kulintang, an ancient musical instrument made from nickel plate; and brass Sarimanok in nickel plate.
