OSAKA – The Philippine Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka received the Silver Award for Exhibition Design and attracted more than 1.1 million visitors during the six-month event, organizers said.
Presented by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) on Monday, the award honors self-built pavilions under 1,500 square meters that demonstrate exceptional exhibit design and storytelling.
The pavilion officially closed with a ceremony attended by dignitaries, partners, artists, and visitors. Tourism Promotions Board Philippines Chief Operating Officer Margarita Montemayor Nograles led the program, with Philippine Ambassador to Japan Mylene Garcia-Albano and Tourism Undersecretary Myra Abbubakar, delivering the keynote for Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, in attendance.
The Philippines wins big at the World Expo, bagging the Silver Award for Exhibition Design. (Photo courtesy of TPB)
“From the very beginning, when this was just an idea drawn on paper, we knew that the Philippine Pavilion was going to be more than just a physical structure,” Frasco said. “It was going to be our nation’s heartbeat at Expo 2025 — a living expression of who we are: strong, creative, and bound by community. And now, as the curtains close, I stand before you knowing — with all certainty — that we did not just build a Pavilion. We built pride. We built hope. We built a home for the Filipino spirit — here in Japan, and in the eyes of the world.”
Under the theme “Nature, Culture & Community — Woven Together for a Better Future,” the pavilion offered a multisensory experience featuring AI-powered installations, traditional weaves, culinary showcases, and live performances. It was the first Philippine World Expo pavilion to feature a live performance façade. The exhibit included over 200 handwoven panels from weaving communities across all 18 regions of the country, the largest collaboration of its kind.
Inside, visitors experienced large-scale woven art, generative algorithm-powered “Dancing with Nature” installations, AI photobooths, a Habi Shop, and a Hilot wellness corner. The pavilion showcased Filipino creativity, craftsmanship, and commitment to sustainability while engaging audiences in cultural storytelling and healing traditions.
Philippine Pavilion Committee Head for Central Information Raquel Tria-Joya (L) receives the Silver Award for Exhibition Design at the World Expo 2025 Osaka on Oct. 13. Together with her on stage are representatives from Poland (gold) and Austria (bronze). (Photo courtesy of TPB)
Key elements of the pavilion will be repatriated to the National Museum of the Philippines and select regional sites. Some exhibits will also appear at the ASEAN Tourism Forum and Travex in Cebu in January 2026, extending the pavilion’s impact beyond Expo.
“What we created here was both a space and a feeling — of warmth, of welcome, of wonder. And we carry that spirit home with us,” Nograles added. “Through the Pavilion, we invited the world to rediscover the Philippines — and we thank every visitor who answered that invitation. We look forward to welcoming more of you to our country very soon.” - PR/FJJ
