RP voted as most relaxing pavilion at Shanghai Expo

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine pavilion was chosen as the “Most Relaxing Pavilion” during the recently concluded 2010 Shanghai Expo.

Shanghai Morning Post, one of the city’s biggest news dailies, announced in an article published last Oct. 11 the people’s choice as best pavilions at the EXPO through an online survey conducted among its thousands of readers.

The survey results were featured in Expo Morning Post’s Oct. 11, 2010 article titled “Expo Best of the Best, People’s Choice Awards: Pavilion Edition.”

A subsidiary of the Shanghai Morning Post, the Expo Morning Post, which was published daily, had a circulation of 500,000 available at all information counters throughout the World Expo 2010 grounds and accommodation facilities.

Dubbed the “Expo Oscars,” the survey results included nine other awards won by the top and most popular pavilions such as that of China for being the most attention-grabbing, Saudi Arabia as the most sought after, Germany as the most fun and interactive, Urban Best Practices Area as the most futuristic and Joint African Pavilion as the most historical/ natural.

The Most Relaxing Pavilion award given to the Philippine pavilion was based mainly on its distinct spa and massage offering to visitors, especially the hilot, a traditional Filipino style of therapeutic deep-tissue massage to relieve stressed muscles.

It was one of the most popular attractions at the pavilion, generating the most votes among online survey participants.

Aside from the massage and spa offering, which was operated by world-famous Chi Spa of the Shangri-La chain resorts/hotels located in the Philippines, the Philippine pavilion also featured musical shows and an array of souvenirs and Filipino delicacies.

Philippine Organizing Committee Secretary General Gerry Panga said “the accolade is a great honor for the Philippine participation not because we are alongside the best but because it was the people’s choice.”

Philippine pavilion Manager Tess Mauricio was also thrilled with the tribute.

“The acknowledgement makes all the hard work and effort worthwhile despite the overwhelming odds faced during the preparations and the operational run,” she said at the awarding ceremony held at the Expo Bureau Conference Center last Oct. 17.

Meantime, in a speech during the PLDT-sponsored Philippine gala show celebrating the Philippine participation at the Shanghai Expo held last Oct. 28, Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim said, “We had more than ample opportunities to showcase our country’s tourism attractions, history and culture as well as expand our existing trade and investment relationships with the hundreds of thousands of guests who visited the Philippine Pavilion these past six months, averaging 40,000 to 50,000 a day.”

Lim added that the Shanghai Expo “will leave a legacy of conceiving mitigating measures and inspiring creative solutions to meet our cities’ future needs.”