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The 2,000-square-meter Philippine National Pavilion at the World Expo Shanghai 2010 is “Performing Cities”. The pavilion will be integrating musical performances with city planning by presenting how the Filipino people integrate music and performances into urban planning and make them an essential part of the landscape.

One of the most unusual aspects of the pavilion is that it will have not only restaurants and cafes, but also a spa and a massage center. The Philippines is famous for its therapy spa and a kind of massage called hilot. Hilot, as one of the Filipino healing arts, is the oldest practice in the Philippines.

Philippine Consul General to Shanghai Maria Rowena Mendoza Sanchez said that the Philippines will be organizing activities to drum up interest about the Philippines among the Chinese people in the run up to 2010. Citing the projected 70 million people who will attend the six-month-long 2010 Expo, Consul General Sanchez noted that “the Philippines participation in the Shanghai World Expo is a tremendous opportunity to promote not only Philippine tourism and culture but also for Philippine companies to showcase their products to the Chinese market.”

The Philippines has set aside June 9 as Philippines Pavilion Day, an annual celebration date for the friendship of China and the Philippines.