A FEAST OF FRIENDSHIP: THE PHILIPPINES AND SINGAPORE CELEBRATE 56 YEARS OF DIPLOMATIC TIES WITH 

CULINARY HERITAGE AND MUSIC

In celebration of the 56th anniversary of Philippines-Singapore diplomatic relations on Friday, 16 May 2025 and in line with the Philippines’ National Heritage Month in May, Philippine Ambassador to Singapore H.E. Medardo G. Macaraig, in partnership with the Orchard Hotel Singapore, hosted a luncheon reception to launch the two month-long culinary feast titled “Manila Meets Madrid: A Filipino-Spanish Buffet” at the Orchard Cafe of the Orchard Hotel.

The event brought together distinguished guests from the Singapore government, diplomatic corps,  institution partners and members of the Singaporean business community, and local content creators. The luncheon was also graced by the presence of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Deputy Secretary for Southeast Asia and ASEAN, Ms. Foo Chi Hsia. 

In his opening remarks, Ambassador Macaraig expressed appreciation to all guests who joined the luncheon to celebrate the 56 years of Philippines and Singapore ties. He shared the long-standing and vibrant partnership between the Philippines and Singapore across all areas, and the significant contribution of the Filipino Community in Singapore to the Philippines. Ambassador Macaraig also took the opportunity to greet Deputy Secretary Foo, and other Singaporean friends on the 60th  anniversary of Singapore this year. 

The Orchard Hotel’s Executive Chef Thenesh Murugaya together with its very own Filipino chef Joseph Edward Getalada, teamed up with Filipino guest chefs Renato D. Dela Cruz and Ian Kristopher P. Nepomuceno from The Heritage Hotel Manila, to showcase the vibrant fusion of Filipino and Spanish flavors. 

The Embassy’s guests indulged in an extensive spread featuring Filipino classics such as pinakbet (mixed vegetables), laing (shredded taro leaves in coconut milk), Filipino meat specialties like kare-kare (beef stew), pata tim (pork knuckle), chicken inasal, escabeche (sweet and sour fish),  live station of pork sisig, inihaw (grilled) na manok, baboy, pusit at hipon (grilled chicken, pork, squid and shrimp), and the iconic whole roasted lechon (suckling pig), among others – each prepared with authentic flavors and time-honored cooking techniques. Guests experienced the diversity of Filipino cuisine, which carries echoes of Spanish influence, blending tradition with modern culinary artistry. 

The buffet also highlighted the seamless integration of Spanish culinary traditions, demonstrating how centuries-old influences have shaped Filipino gastronomy. From rustic paellas to vibrant tapas, the fusion was both a cultural homage and a feast for the senses.

Guests were also serenaded with Filipino and modern classic guitar arrangements with the live performance by the PIMA Guitar Quartet, a classical guitar quartet from the Philippines, who were also in Singapore for a two-night concert organized by the Classical Guitar Singapore from 16 to 17 May 2025. 

As part of the 2025 Philippine National Heritage observation with the theme “𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬: 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞”, the Embassy invites everyone to check out the “Manila Meets Madrid: A Filipino-Spanish Buffet” at the Orchard Cafe which will run until 30 June 2025. Filipino cultural products and other handmade items from Singapore-based shops Filshopper, Maison Inabel, and My Fair Artisan, are also available for sale at the Orchard Hotel./END

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