The Philippine Pavilion at World Expo 2025 Osaka adds new flavors to its cultural showcase with a special collaboration between Hain by Via Mare, the Pavilion’s official concessionaire, and Filipino chef and food writer Angelo Comsti.
Comsti has crafted a menu highlighting classics like pancit molo and binignit; flavors that bring comfort to the palate and carry with them stories of home and heritage.
“Pancit Molo is more than just a dumpling soup,” Comsti recalls. “Years ago, I visited a friend in Iloilo, and we went down a rocky alley that led to a small compound. At the end of it, I saw women folding dumplings by hand, hundreds of them. When we finally ordered a kaldero-ful of pancit, it came steaming, fragrant with spring onions, and brimming with comfort. That memory stayed with me, and I wanted Expo visitors to experience it too.”
His second dish, binignit, is a sweet stew of tubers, fruits, and glutinous rice simmered in coconut milk. “No two versions are exactly the same,” he explains. “Some families add tapioca, others drop in bilo-bilo–chewy rice balls like mochi. It’s a dish shaped by availability, preference, and tradition. For me, that adaptability mirrors the Filipino spirit: resourceful, communal, and always generous.”
By featuring these dishes, the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines continues its mission to showcase the country’s gastronomic diversity as part of the Pavilion’s theme, “Nature, Culture, Community: Woven Together for a Better Future.”
“Food allows us to tell our story in the most relatable way,” said Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles, TPB Chief Operating Officer and Secretary General of the Philippine Organizing Committee for Expo 2025. “Through collaborations like this, we bring not only flavors but also the traditions and human connections behind them. It’s a taste of the Philippines that lingers far beyond the table.”
The collaboration strengthens the role of Hain by Via Mare as a culinary window into the Philippines, offering visitors a taste of dishes rooted in regional memory and identity. It also underscores TPB’s commitment to advancing gastronomy tourism as a pillar of the country’s cultural brand. By partnering with chefs, local enterprises, and cultural advocates, TPB brings to light the Philippines’ regional diversity and culinary creativity, ensuring the nation is remembered not only for its landscapes and leisure but also for its rich gastronomic experiences that bring people together.
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ABOUT THE PHILIPPINE PAVILION
Step into “Woven”, the Philippine Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka—a vivid showcase of the country’s theme, “Nature, Culture & Community: Woven Together for a Better Future.” In line with the Expo’s vision of Designing Future Society for Our Lives, the Pavilion brings together tradition, innovation, and genuine human connection. Featuring 212 indigenous textiles on its façade, 18 region-inspired handwoven artworks, interactive AI installations like Dancing with Nature, and daily cultural performances—discover why the Philippine pavilion is one of the Expo’s top draws.
ABOUT TPB
The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines aims to market and promote the Philippines domestically and internationally as a world-class tourism and MICE destination. As an attached agency of the Philippine Department of Tourism, TPB develops strategic partnerships with private and public stakeholders to deliver unique high-value experiences for visitors, significantly contributing to increased arrivals, receipts, and investments in the country. For more information, please visit www.tpb.gov.ph.
Reference:
Maria Charina Quiwa
Manager
Marketing Communications Department
cha_quiwa@tpb.gov.ph