Strengthening economic cooperation – GulfToday

Strengthening economic cooperation – GulfToday

Mariecar Jara-Puyod UAE Minister of State Ahmed Bin Ali Al Sayegh and Philippine Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez re-affirmed the strengthening of bilateral ties between the two countries on Friday afternoon. Lopez, also the Bangkota (Coral Reef) Philippine Pavilion commissioner general, heads the 232-strong public-private sectors delegation including 90 professional theatre artists for the Feb. 11 “Philippine National Day,” 121 days ahead of the June 12 Philippine Independence Day commemoration, and held within the time frame of the landmark Expo 2020 Dubai that ends on March 31. The Philippine flag was raised twice-at the Bangkota Philippine Pavilion at 12 noon and at the Stage of the Nations within the Al Wasl Plaza at 4:30pm -amidst the strains of the “Lupang Hinirang” (“Chosen Land”) and before dignitaries as well as a huge crowd of Filipino families and their friends from across the seven emirates. At 7:30pm and from the Jubilee Park, while awaiting the world premiere of the one-hour highly-technologically/digitally-crafted musical narrative, “Daluyong ng Diwa” (“Tides of the Soul”), and the concert of famous Filipino rock star Bamboo, Filipinos cheered, as they were pleasantly surprised, when President Rodrigo Roa Duterte greeted them through a video clip, beamed from the stage.