Philippines Chairs 2012 ALFS Festival and Charity Bazaar
HIH Princess Hitachi (middle foreground) is joined by Madame Maria Teresa L. Lopez (leftmost foreground, Chairperson of the 2012 ALFS Festival and Charity Bazaar and Madame Sosan Hong, Vice Chairperson of the 2012 ALFS Festival and Charity Bazaar.
Madame Maria Teresa L. Lopez, spouse of the Philippine Ambassador, successfully chaired the 2012 Asia Pacific Ladies Friendship Society (ALFS) Festival and Charity Bazaar held at the ANA Intercontinental Hotel Tokyo on 18 April 2012.
Her Imperial Highness Princess Hitachi graced the event along with Mrs. Mikiko Gemba, wife of the Foreign Minister and Mrs. Kazuko Oosawa, wife of the Governor of Gunma prefecture, and ALFS President Haruko Komura, among other important guests.
In her remarks, Madame Lopez commended and appreciated the hard work and dedication of the ALFS member countries, members of ALFS Executive Board and members contributed to make the Festival and Charity Bazaar successful and well-attended and other ALFS activities meaningful.
More than 3,000 guests visited the Festival and Charity Bazaar where they enjoyed traditional cuisine, food products, local handicrafts from 26 participating countries in the Asia Pacific region. The Philippine booths received many visitors during the bazaar.
Traditional Filipino dances such as the tinikling and subli performed by the Philippine Cultural Dance Troupe of the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies were part of the cultural performances in the event. Traditional Korean dances were also shown courtesy of Madame Sosan Hong, spouse of the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea and Vice Chairperson of 2012 ALFS Festival and Charity Bazaar.
Round trip tickets from Narita to Manila from Philippine Airlines and accommodations at Pan Pacific Manila were also raffled off as part of the grand prizes.
The ALFS activities, particularly through the Asia Pacific Festival and Charity Bazaar support, among other things, a welfare fund for regular donations to charitable institutions in each member country and an emergency relief fund earmarked for natural disaster victims.
Established more than 44 years ago, the ALFS has a long history and many accomplishments in its thrusts to strengthen and deepen understanding and friendship among women and their families of the Asia-Pacific region.
HIH Princess Hitachi selects some Philippine handicrafts.
(From Left to Right) ALFS Executive Director Hanayo Kato, Madame Sosan Hong, Madame Maria Teresa Lopez, and ALFS President Haruko Komura.
Ambassador Manuel M. Lopez and Madame Lopez in front of Philippine handicrafts booth.
Students from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies perform traditional Filipino dances.
