H.I.H. Princess Hitachi Visits the Philippine Booth at the 2024 Charity Bazaar of the Asia Pacific Ladies Friendship Society (ALFS)
On 26 March 2024, the Asia Pacific Ladies Friendship Society (ALFS) held its annual Charity Bazaar at Meiji Kinenkan in Tokyo. Despite Tokyo’s downpour, around 3,000 people came to the event to shop at the various booths.
Her Imperial Highness (H.I.H.) Princess Hitachi graced the bazaar as ALFS’ special guest and took time to visit the booths of the various participating Embassies. At the Philippine booth, H.E. Mylene J. Garcia-Albano, Philippine Ambassador to Japan, greeted H.I.H. Princess Hitachi when she came to look at the various Philippine items put on sale. The Imperial Princess bought dried mangoes and an embroidered pouch made of fine abaca fiber.
This year, aside from the Philippine-made bags, gift items, household ornaments, and other handicrafts, the Philippine Embassy also featured coconut-based products such as coconut caramel filling for bread, coconut milk, and coconut sugar produced by a local Japanese specialty company that imports and sells coconut products from the Philippines. The regular bazaar mainstays such as Philippine-made banana chips, dried mangoes, mango, and calamansi juices received consistent patronage from the bazaar guests.
The Philippine Embassy, as a member country of the ALFS, annually participates in this philanthropic event where bazaar proceeds are used to assist local organizations in each of the member countries of ALFS. In 2023, the Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai International School (PNJKIS) received the donation for the Philippines which was used to fund the purchase of books for deserving scholars in the school’s Grades 11 and 12. Through this bazaar, ALFS aims to continue to assist, especially deserving women and children, in each member’s country.
