OSAKA, Japan – President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., described the Philippine Pavilion at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka as a “very good opportunity to expand and promote (Philippine) tourism”.
President Marcos, together with First Lady Louise Araneta Marcos, made a special visit to the Philippine Pavilion on Friday (June 20).
His working visit came after the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru to attend World Expo 2025 Osaka during his official visit to the Philippines last April, marking a significant moment in strengthening cultural and diplomatic ties between the two nations.
The first couple was warmly welcomed by Filipino representatives and guests led by Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, as they explored the pavilion’s vibrant exhibits showcasing the rich heritage, innovation, and creativity of the Philippines.
As of 19 June 2025, the Philippine Pavilion at the World Expo Osaka 2025 has welcomed 372,611 visitors.
The President himself took an immersive journey inside the Pavilion, through its scrims that tell the diverse stories of all 18 regions of the Philippines.
Themed “Nature, Culture & Community — Woven Together for a Better Future,” the Philippine Pavilion highlights the country’s vibrant heritage, biodiversity, and creativity. Its distinctive woven exterior, created by Filipino artisans, represents unity in diversity, showcasing over 200 handwoven textiles from across the country’s diverse regions.
Guests embark on an immersive experience through the “Dancing with Nature” installation that showcases the country’s breathtaking destinations and an interactive AI-driven photobooth.
The Philippine Pavilion also celebrates Filipino craftsmanship and gastronomy through the Habi Gift Shop and the Hain Take-out Counter, encouraging global connections and promoting tourism, trade, and cultural exchange.
According to Frasco, the President’s hands-on tour emphasized the Philippines’ commitment to innovation, tourism, and global collaboration.
“We are very excited and grateful that President Marcos is here in Osaka to visit the Philippine Pavilion. This is a demonstration of his vision coming to fruition. At the beginning of his administration, he expressed a desire for the Philippines to be reintroduced to the world, not only from the strength of our beaches, our diving, and our mountain destinations, which have been well known all over the world but also importantly, from the strength of the Filipino identity. The Philippine Pavilion is a demonstration of that proud identity that is so unique in the sense that the diversity that pervades our regions is so rich. We have made the effort to feature all the regions of the Philippines from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, not just to highlight our physical assets, but also, importantly, the work of our local communities, and that is best demonstrated in the 212 woven textiles from various weaving communities all over the country that are proudly bannered in front of the Philippine Pavilion,” Frasco said.
Part of the President’s working itinerary in Japan was a high-level meeting with important business groups for trade and tourism.
Before he visited Yumeshima Island, where the World Expo 2025 Osaka is held, the President led a meeting with key stakeholders in the tourism sector on Friday morning. He was joined by Secretary Frasco, Philippine Ambassador in Tokyo Mylene Garcia-Albano, Philippine Consul General to Osaka Voltaire Mauricio, and other DOT officials.
In his message, the President expressed his gratitude for the continued support of the Japanese tourism stakeholders. He underscored the importance of supporting infrastructure and connectivity, particularly in showcasing the Philippines’ natural and cultural assets to further propel the country’s prosperity.
The President shared optimistic updates, including the increased air connectivity from the Philippines to Japan, from 204 flights per week in 2019 to 214 flights per week, with weekly seat capacity also increasing from 45,041 to 50,111 seats.
He also discussed some of the initiatives to make the Philippines a more attractive and accessible destination to tourists, such as the ongoing development of regional airports and improvement of road networks to improve accessibility for travelers, the rollout of the DOT’s Philippine Experience Program: Arts, Culture and Heritage Caravans (PEP), as well as important policies such as the signed Executive Order No. 86 on the Introduction of the Digital Nomad Visa, the improvement of medical facilities in resorts, and the continuous training of tourism workers.
In 2024, the Philippines welcomed 444,528 visitors from Japan, an increase of 17.73 percent compared to the previous year.
