Grand Central Terminal rolls out red carpet for Philippine tourism, business and culture
This LED Wall at Vanderbilt Hall will welcome visitors to a showcase of the Filipino way of life. Jerry Sibal designed the wall.
Don’t be surprised if, from May 9 to 12, you will spot some men in Ati-Atihan soot and women in colorful couture at the Grand Central Terminal Main Concourse on your way to work. The frolicsome music of the rondalla is likely to lead you to Vanderbilt Hall as you exit to 42nd Street.
It’s called Explore Islands Philippines, this large-scale event where the world’s largest and busiest train station will showcase Philippine tourism, business and culture and everything it has to offer. There will be tourism presentations on adventure tours such as diving destinations, romantic tours, and ambassador tours; sessions on trade and investment opportunities, real estate presentations, Filipiniana fashion, OPM and kulintang music, martial arts, architecture, and, oh yes, mouthwatering Filipino food. There will be a contest for Wedding Destination for straight and gay couples, as well as specialty tours packaged for the mobile Millennials.
It’s the Filipino way of life being unveiled before New Yorkers and tourists who transit through the terminal. With over 700,000 people passing the station every day, Grand Central is the ideal venue, its mass of commuters a matchless market. The Philippine Department of Tourism, the flag carrier Philippine Airlines, and the U.S.-Philippines Society, a private organization comprising business executives, government officials, and diplomats, are partners in this event.
“We would like to help bring American and Filipino-American tourists to the Philippines,” said Jerry Sibal, president of JS Productions, Inc., who is organizing the event with his partner Edwin Josue.
“I am confident the (event) will successfully present the Philippines as a premier tourism and investment destination, and New York certainly offers an unparalleled international stage to bring people together whether as prospective tourists or investors,” said Philippine ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez.
Philippine Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez (2nd from left) welcomes to D.C. the Explore team. Front row from left, Jerry Sibal, president of JS Projections Inc., Edwin Josue, co-organizer; and Marilyn Abalos, Project Management and PR consultant. Back row from left, Hank Hendrickson, executive director of the US-Philippines Society; Karen Gamba, Business Development consultant; and Carl Nelson, Special Events consultant.
“Our goal would be to connect investors from the USA to Philippine businesses, and vice-versa,” said Hank Hendrickson, executive director of the US-Philippines Society based in Washington D.C. “We will focus on business and tourism as well as arts and culture programs.”
The event promises to be high-powered, lively and in keeping with the frenetic pace of New York City life. An assembly of celebrities and noted personalities are lending their presence. HRH Princess Katarina of Yugoslavia who is a member of the British Royal House and president of Tourism Guild of U. K. will cut the ribbon when the event opens on May 9. She will be joined by Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Tulfo Teo, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, Ambassador Romualdez, and other Philippine government officials.
Explore will come to life with presentation and business meetings held simultaneous in Vanderbilt’s East Hall. On Day One, Tourism will open Explore featuring major promo programs and highlights of the best of the Philippines. On Day Two, Explore will present key trade and investment speakers from government and private sectors to talk about the “build build build” program and opportunities in the Philippines. One-on-one side meetings may be arranged. Days Three and Four will include the cultural and lifestyle demonstrations as well as a mix of tourism and trade discussions.
Said Sibal, “We hope to draw great interest at our inaugural event and (for people) to come explore these opportunities, not only this year, but for many years to come.”
“It is our goal to connect individuals, companies and investment groups in the U.S. with relevant public and private offices in the Philippines to help facilitate and support economic development in the country,” he said further.
Josue said the event is expected to support the Philippine economy as one of the fastest-growing in ASEAN. Philippine gross domestic product is expected to grow by 7-7.5 percent in 2018 alone. He pointed to the revival of manufacturing, the booming real estate, biotech and healthcare industries as the drivers of this growth.
Sibal summed up why he thinks an event like Explore is extraordinary. “Nothing like this has ever been done for the Philippines in New York,” he said.
© The FilAm 2018
At the Explore launch at the Philippine Consulate in NYC: From left, model Keri Dundon; David Turley, representing the Constituency Affairs Office of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo; Hank Hendrickson of the US-Philippines Society; Jerry Sibal; Consul General Theresa Dizon-De Vega; Tourism Attaché Susan del Mundo; and Edwin Josue.
