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Malaysia Showcases Culture and Tourism in Manila Festival
Makati City, Philippines – Malaysia brought a taste of its culture, tourism, and cuisine to the Philippines with the Malaysia Tourism, Arts, Culture, and Food Festival 2025, held at One Ayala, Makati, from September 12 to 13. The event also served as the official launch of Visit Malaysia 2026, themed “Surreal Experiences.”
The festival was organized by the Embassy of Malaysia in Manila, through its Tourism Malaysia Office. Distinguished guests included H.E. Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino, Ambassador of Malaysia; H.E. Sonexay Vannaxay, Ambassador of Laos; H.E. Megawati Manan, Ambassador of Brunei; and H.E. Lai Thai Binh, Ambassador of Vietnam.
Guests enjoyed vibrant cultural performances, a Kebaya Nyonya fashion showcase by heritage advocate Dr. Kenny Loh, and authentic Malaysian dishes prepared by celebrity chef Dato’ Chef Ismail Ahmad. Partner airlines and travel agencies also introduced special tour packages for Filipino visitors.
In line with the festivities, the ASEAN Ladies Foundation Inc. presented the ASEAN Coffee and Tea Diplomacy program, promoting the region’s shared culinary heritage while supporting nonprofit advocacies.
Malaysia aims to attract 47 million international visitors during Visit Malaysia Year 2026. From January to July 2025 alone, over 349,000 Filipino tourists visited Malaysia—an 8.7% increase from the previous year. New direct flights between Cebu and Kuala Lumpur are expected to further boost travel.
The Manila festival highlighted Malaysia’s vision of sustainable growth through tourism while strengthening cultural and economic ties with the Philippines.
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