The Philippine Embassy in Cambodia reported its successful participation at the ASEAN Food Festival organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, as part of Cambodia’s celebration of the 48th ASEAN Anniversary, held in Phnom Penh on 29 August 2015.   

“Food, traditional handicrafts and costumes, especially that of a woman, reflect also the culture of a country. As ASEAN is so rich and diverse in its culture, the exhibition of ASEAN food, handicrafts and costumes in more than 40 booths demonstrates clearly the diversity in unity of ASEAN,” Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said in his welcome remarks.  

The Philippine Embassy booth featured  two Filipino restaurants/caterers which sold sisig, kare-kare, halo-halo, leche flan, and some of the Philippines’ traditional kakanin, such as puto, biko, and kutsinta. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong tried some of the puto when he visited the Philippine booth, and noted its similarity with Cambodian rice puddings.   

As expected, the halo-halo was a best seller. Home-made ice cream, peddled in the traditional sorbetero cart, was also very popular. Because of its colorful and artistic design, the sorbetero cart is steadily becoming an attraction at many cultural festivals participated in by the Philippine Embassy.

In addition to food, the Embassy sold some Philippine handicrafts made of buri, shells, and capiz, as well as banaca bags by Ditta Sandico Ong. 

All nine ASEAN Embassies participated in the Festival, along with 35 other Cambodian enterprises. The proceeds of the Festival went to Kantha Bopha Children Hospitals in Cambodia. END.