OSAKA – The Philippines has unveiled its plans for a collaborative, innovative, and sustainable pavilion at the 2025 World Exposition, set to take place on Yumeshima Island in Osaka from April 13 to Oct. 13 next year.
The Philippine Pavilion will feature the first-ever interactive live performance façade, showcasing traditional dance and crafts that embody the Filipino spirit of creativity and connection. To celebrate diversity, the façade will also display 212 handwoven textiles, marking the largest collaboration of weavers in a single project. Each piece presents a unique narrative, reflecting the rich heritage, traditions, and art of each community. The pavilion will also convey the story of sustainability, with plans for an upcycled “second life” at the National Museum in the Philippines after the Expo.

From left: Commissioner General of the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition Koji Haneda, Lead Architect and Designer Carlo Calma, Philippine Ambassador to Japan Mylene Garcia-Albano, Tourism Secretary and Commissioner General of the Philippine Organizing Committee for World Expo 2025 Osaka Christina Garcia Frasco, Secretary-General of the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition Hiroyuki Ishige, Tourism Promotions Board COO Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles, Fashion Designer Randy Ortiz, and Osaka City Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama (Photo by Din Eugenio)
“All of these features were lovingly put together by our design team. We cannot wait for you to see the full glory of our pavilion very soon,” said Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Chief Operating Officer Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles at a press conference following the international press launch and concept presentation at The Garden Oriental Osaka on July 24.
Architect Carlo Calma, who leads the design team, echoed the sentiment of anticipation.


Tourism Promotions Board COO Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles (Photo by Din Eugenio)
“I think the beauty of the woven is really these thousand of pieces of units of rattan that’s weaving and twisting and it’s kind of the labor of love of handicraft of the Philippines,” he said.
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, who also serves as Commissioner-General of the Philippine Organizing Committee (POC) for the Expo, emphasized the pavilion’s dual focus on economy and sustainability.


Tourism Secretary and Commissioner General of the Philippine Organizing Committee for World Expo 2025 Osaka Christina Garcia Frasco (Photo by Din Eugenio)
“The Philippine Pavilion seeks to be as economical as it is sustainable, recognizing that the Philippines and all nations must invest if it is to expect returns in terms of trade, investment, and tourism,” she said.
Frasco noted the pavilion’s potential to boost tourism.
“We expect that the presence of the Philippines at the Expo will further grow the visits of the Japanese to the Philippines, which was pegged at over 300,000 in 2023, and which we project to exceed half a million by 2025. That, of course, will translate to visitor receipts that will contribute hundreds of millions to our economy,” she added.
Philippine Ambassador to Japan Mylene Garcia-Albano praised the collaborative efforts between Japan and the Philippines.

Philippine Ambassador to Japan Mylene Garcia-Albano (Photo by Din Eugenio)
“I think it was really the invitation of the Japanese government for us to participate and the hard work of our Department of Tourism and our Tourism Promotions Board that was able to make this happen. It’s been a while, a lot of talks have been going on, but there have been constant interactions, so through their [Frasco and Nograles] personal attention to this, we finally see the concept and the actual model of the pavilion,” she told the Filipino-Japanese Journal.

Topping out ceremony of the Philippine Pavilion led by Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, Tourism Promotions Board COO Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles, Philippine Ambassador to Japan Mylene Garcia-Albano, Philippine Consulate General in Osaka Consul General Voltaire Mauricio, DOT Osaka Tourism Attaché Jerome Diaz, along with the design, project management, and construction teams.
With the theme, “Nature, Culture & Community, Woven Together for a Better Future,” or simply “Woven,” visitors of the 600-square-meter pavilion can enjoy an immersive experience celebrating Filipino creativity, craftsmanship, and cultural heritage.
A topping out ceremony for the Philippine Pavilion was held on July 25. The building is scheduled to be completed by March 2025. - Florenda Corpuz