Philippines - Expo Osaka 1970
The Philippine Pavilion exhibition presented the modern Filipino and his institutions. Under the theme of "Progress through Cultural Harmony", the exhibits showed the Philippines in terms of its people and their aspirations, activities and achievements.
The pavilion conveyed its message through idea centres, clusters of photographs, articles and artefacts in artistic arrangements designed to create an atmosphere rather than express facts and figures.
It wove an environment from one idea cluster to another so that an attentive visitor could go through an emotional experience, which made one leave the pavilion feeling that one had met Filipinos at their best.
You entered the exhibition area through an escalator that took you to the first level where you were oriented to the location and position of the country. Descending to the main level, you met the working Filipino in his political system, social milieu and economic enterprises. The basement level gradually led you to the infrastructure of the economy through architecture and introduced you to Filipino arts, literature and music.
On an outdoor stage, a performance troupe demonstrated the evolution of customs, indigenous dance and gong singing and mountain wear, through Muslim institutions and Spanish heritage, with modern dancers and musical virtuosity.
But the great attraction of the pavilion was the Filipino hostesses, fluent in English and Japanese, and radiating Filipino friendliness, hospitality and warmth.
In addition to the main pavilion, which is on Senri Bridge Avenue, the Agriculture Industry Commerce (AIC) centre was set up as a modern Filipino business office that provided information on opportunities in the Philippines.