FILSOC, PBC and UAP : Dubai Based Filipino Organizations promotes Bangkota

The Filipino Social Club, Philippine Business Council and United Architects of the Philippines. Three pristine gems that pour out from the same cloth. What do they have in common? To unite with a sense of dynamism and actively support bringing together the Filipino community in the U.A.E, ensuring that they too, are the integral backbone and the vision behind Bangkota, the Philippine Pavilion.  

Filipino Social Club (FilSoc) President Ericson Reyes

• What is your organisation’s participation in Philippines Pavilion-hosted events?

As one of the official community partners of the PH Expo Team, we are participating in upcoming Expo events such as the ASEAN National Day, and PH National Day Parade. In addition, the FilSoc Expo Chorale will also perform during the opening day program for the Bangkóta pavilion and at the welcome reception in December.

• Do you have scheduled community activities aligned with promoting the Philippines Pavilion?

Yes, we have plans to do monthly physical events like Townhall Meeting 2, Expo Sports Unlimited, Photography Competition, Wet Olympics, Concerts and Cultural Shows, Paskong Pinoy and many more other side events for the duration of the Expo.

Philippine Business Council Chairman Bobbie Carella

• What is your organisation’s participation in Philippines Pavilion-hosted events?

• Do you have scheduled community activities aligned with promoting the Philippines Pavilion?

The Philippine Business Council – Dubai & Northern Emirates (PBC-DNE) was brought onboard last month in order to assist the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in attracting 500 attendees to the opening of the Bangkóta (Philippines Pavilion) on 1 October. In order to foster community support and engagement, we initiated a 4-wave campaign. The first wave began on the 1st week of September with the “I am Bangkóta” slogan. Kababayans in the UAE were encouraged to send us their videos repeating the phrase “I am Bangkóta” to generate initial interest, hype and for them to take ownership of the Philippines pavilion. 

The 2nd wave of the 2nd week, our slogan changed to “Bangkóta Whaaat?’ A 3-actor short video which included an explanation of what Bangkóta stands for.

The 3rd wave on the 3rd week was the #iambangkota Conference. The objective of which was to provide mainstream & social media an interactive forum to discover the motivation and meaning of the Philippines Pavilion as well as activate our Filipino TikTok Champions. These champions would assist us with the promotion of the Bangkóta via the release of the PBC-DNE official Bangkóta Song – TARA NA! and the Bangkóta dance 

For the 4th wave, we unveiled the UBE car last weekend. The PBC-DNE’s official car for Ube Boy when he goes around the emirates to invite our kababayans to visit the Expo. 

In addition to the above activities, we plan to utilise the Bangkóta pavilion as the venues for all foreseeable council activities, particularly those of The Executive Club, a programme of PBC-DNE for the business owners, CEOs and company decision makers (subject to DTI’s approval). Two of our subcommittees, the League of Food and Beverage Entrepreneurs (LFBE) and the League of the Filipino Freight Forwarder also plan to hold activities promoting the Bangkóta. The LFBE will take part in the 3-month Bangkóta Filipino Food Festival happening from January to March 2022.

PBC-DNE is a member of the ASEAN Business Councils Alliance – Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore & Thailand – and as such we also intend to hold integrated activities with these respective pavilions, one of which is the ASEAN Business meetings and private tours for our members. Likewise, we have the ASEAN Business Trends Conference in December. Also, on the drawing board is the ASEAN Festival slated in January 2022.

United Architects of the Philippines (UAP) Dubai Chapter IP President Architect Christian Vasquez

1 – What is your organisation’s participation in Philippines Pavilion-hosted events?

UAP Dubai is one of the official partners of our Philippine Organizing Committee – World Expo 2020 Dubai.

Prior to the appointment of the local consultant and contractor here in Dubai 2 years back, Global Filipino Architects of Dubai was working hand in hand with Arch. Royal Pineda and DTI in developing the concept design of Bangkóta by providing relevant information and leads. We also assisted DTI in recommending consultants, suppliers, and contractors at that stage. From time to time, we are visiting the site to ensure the smooth progress of the construction.

2 – Do you have scheduled community activities aligned with promoting the Philippines Pavilion?

We started 2 years back, when we hosted the unveiling of the Bangkóta logo at VOX cinema. 

Followed by another event with the contractor of our Bangkóta to discuss the development and construction methodology of the pavilion.

Series of events followed suit with webinars focusing on the content of the exhibition.

We partnered with PBC DNE with the “I am Bangkóta” campaign in 4 waves this September, from social media #iambangkota, launching of the “Tara na” theme song, and unveiling of Ube Boy car

Last Friday, 24 September, UAP Dubai hosted the I am Bangkóta night, showcasing the pride and talents of the Global Filipino Architects together with Arch. Royal Pineda.

UAP Dubai committed to bring more than 500 members on the opening day.

In December, UAP Dubai will be hosting a forum entitled, Global Filipino Forum together with Senator Pimentel, DTI Secretary Mon, PRC Chairman Tolentino, and the Philippine Overseas Construction Board.

On 11-14 February, UAP Dubai will be hosting the UAP Dubai International Conference for the 1st time. It is a knowledge exchange set up conference wherein Architects in Dubai will be sharing presentations to the Filipino Architects delegates from the Philippines and outside UAE. Pre-COVID-19, we are expecting around 1500 delegates of Filipino Architects around the world. This is also in partnership with the Philippine Organizing Committee – Expo 2020 Dubai.