Malacañan Palace
6 April 2016
President Benigno S. Aquino III received the Madrid Fusion Manila’s playmakers and facilitators, and lauded them for their effort in allowing the Philippines to stage this international culinary event.
“We thank you for this effort to include Manila in this really positive movement. The artistry, the dedication involved is really appreciated by so much in such a short period of time. We believe that we will have more successful events this year. We hope that this will just be another step in the upward progress of more and more involvement, more and more success down the line,” President Aquino said.
Iñigo Cañedo, General Manager and Administrator of Arum Estrategias de Internacionalizacion S.L., said that Madrid Fusion Manila’s objective is to “try situate Manila and the Philippines as the center of gastronomy in Southeast Asia.”
Aside from Cañedo, present also during the courtesy call were Secretary Jesus Gracia of State of International Cooperation in Kingdom of Spain, Spanish Ambassador to the Philippines Luis Calvo, Foro de Debate’s Lourdes Plana, Maria Teresa Capel and Ana Capel, Mielle Esteban of Arum Estrategias de Internacionalizacion S.L., Madrid Fusion Manila’s Antonio Sanchez de Mora and Margarita Fores, Amy Besa, Remy Dorotan, Michael Aspiras, and Myke Sarthou.
President Aquino also received Jungsik Yim, Nurdin Tepham, David Thompson, Leah Cohen, Kevin Cherkas, Jerdi Butron, Fernando Perez Arellano, and Yoshihiro Narisawa.
Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr. and Dir. Verna Buensuceso were also in the courtesy call along with Domingo Ramon Enerio III of Tourism Promotion Board and Philippine Ambassador to Spain Carlos Salinas.
After the courtesy call, a gala reception was prepared in Bonifacio Hall for the visitors.
Madrid Fusion Manila is an international culinary event that convened gourmet professionals and enthusiasts. This year’s event was dubbed with the theme, “The Manila Galleon: East Meets West” to extol the 450th anniversary of Galleon Trade which allows Asia to connect with the Western World.
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