PHILIPPINE EMBASSY MAKES A SPLASHING COMEBACK, WELCOMING OVER 4,000 GUESTS DURING THE 2024 PASSPORT DC AROUND THE WORLD EMBASSY TOUR

Mabuhay Inc. Dance Ensemble brings more color to the event with their Filipino dance medley despite the cloudy weather.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. welcomed Washingtonians and DC visitors on 04 May 2024 during the 2024 Passport DC Around the World Embassy Tour. This event coincides with our celebrations for Philippine National Heritage month, and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May. Despite the inclement weather, more than 4,000 guests visited the Philippine Embassy.

“After a four-year hiatus, the Philippine Embassy triumphantly returned to showcase the beauty of the Philippines during the highly successful 2024 Passport DC, reminding the world of our nation's undeniable charm and allure, and why they should LOVE the Philippines as much as we do.” Ambassador Jose Manuel G. Romualdez said.

This year, the Embassy invited a wide array of local and global Filipino brands and artists, offering them a platform to exhibit the rich tapestry of Philippine culture, heritage, and products.

Visitors indulged in authentic Philippine flavors, bringing home a variety of Mama Sita’s mixes, Tito Al’s Choice Chicharon and snacks courtesy of 2A Marketing, and Philippine beverages sponsored by the Department of Agriculture. Lucky guests also received exclusive giveaways from Sun & Stars coffee, Fila Manila, and S.N.R.G Productions.

The Embassy also invited local DMV (District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia) food vendors to promote their respective products:

1. Toby’s Ice cream, hailed as Arlington's Best Ice Cream by Arlington Magazine, highlights their handmade ice cream featuring Filipino flavors such as Philippine mango, calamansi sorbet, ube, and pandan;

2. Matelna Bakes, a Filipino-owned local business based in Maryland, tantalized taste buds with their exquisite ensaymada and brownies infused with the beloved Philippine ingredient, ube; and

3. Kam46, a food truck based in the DMV area, delighted visitors with its fusion of local Hawaiian and Filipino cuisine, offering a modern twist on Pinoy favorites like chicken barbecue and sisig.

To highlight this year’s Passport DC theme “Music Diplomacy”, DJ Marlino Bitanga from MYX Global and The Filipino Channel (TFC) infused the event with a Pinoy Fiesta vibe, spinning Original Pinoy Music (OPM) throughout the day. Renowned Maryland-based tenor, Mr. Allan Palacios Chan, showcased the immense power of Filipino vocals with a stellar performance.

Adding to the cultural showcase, the Mabuhay, Inc. Dance Ensemble and George Washington University Philippine Cultural Society (GWU-PCS) captivated the audience with mesmerizing traditional Filipino dances, including the well-known Tinikling. Visitors also had the chance to experience Filipino martial arts firsthand through a demonstration by Pinakatay Arnis.

The Tourism booth displayed the rich island destinations of the Philippines and provided tourism brochures that visitors could take home. Meanwhile, kids and adults were invited to the activity booth to experience the vibrancy of traditional Filipino fiestas and learn about traditional Filipino scripts.

Passport DC commemorates International Cultural Awareness Month in the District of Columbia every May and aims to showcase Washington, D.C.'s thriving international diplomatic community.

The Around the World Embassy Tour, part of Passport DC, offers a single-day opportunity for Embassies to welcome the public, providing a diverse experience of international cultures through traditional dances, music, art exhibits, and culinary delights.

People waiting in line to visit the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C



Ambassador Jose Manuel G. Romualdez welcomed Secretary of the District of Columbia Kimberly A. Bassett and Embassy Liaison Jan Du Plain to the Embassy.


Several lucky visitors also won either a copy of the book “The New Filipino Kitchen,” ube & coconut spread from Fila Manila (as seen on US television series, “Shark Tank”), or Arabica coffee from Sun & Stars. They also got a chance to pose with 2022 Miss Teen Maharlika Amiel Alvina, her escort Mr. Joshua Aung (second photo on top), 2023 Miss Teen Philippines-America Francesca Bondame, and 2023 Miss Teen Washington DC & Miss Teen Heritage Giulla Concepcion (first photo at the bottom).


Guests line up to take home Filipino treats from Mama Sita’s, Tito Al’s Choice, and 2A Marketing.


Mr. Allan Palacios-Chan serenaded the crowd with a Filipino song, “Maalaala mo Kaya,” which was complimented by a dance interpretation by the Mabuhay Inc. Dance Ensemble.


GWU Philippine Cultural Society (left) and Mabuhay Inc. Dance Ensemble (right) invited guests to dance the Tinikling.


Pinakatay Arnis demonstrated a few techniques and introduced Filipino Arnis to guests.


DJ Marlino Bitanga from MYX Global energized the crowd with lively Pinoy beats and got everyone moving with infectious line dancing


Kids and adults enjoy Baybayin bookmarks and coloring postcards at the Embassy’s activity booth.


Ambassador Romualdez visits the Philippine Department of Tourism booth.


Ambassador Romualdez, joined by US Ambassador John F. Maisto, visited the US-Philippines Society booth and conversed with Erwin Tiongson. Throughout the day, the US-Philippines Society presented the shared Philippine-US history with guests while selling Filipino-related literature, particularly on the Philippine-American Heritage in Washington, D.C. by Erwin Tiongson and Bounden Duty by Kate Baker.






Guests lined up at Toby’s Ice Cream, Kam&46, and Matelna Bakes to sample Filipino food.