TOKYO, Japan—The Philippines has formally pledged its participation in the International Horticultural Expo 2027 in Yokohama, positioning the event as both a trade platform and a showcase for climate-resilient agriculture during the State Visit of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to Japan.
At the ceremonial contract signing held Monday night, May 25, in the capital city of Japan, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr., section commissioner and chair of the Philippine Organizing Committee, said the Manila’s participation goes beyond a traditional expo exhibit and reflects deepening agricultural and economic ties between Manila and Tokyo.
At the 2027 expo, the Philippines will unveil its pavilion and garden under the banner “Bukás: Gardens of the Bayanihan Spirit,” aligned with the expo’s theme, “Scenery of the Future for Happiness.”
The agreement was signed by Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr., Department of Agriculture, Section Commissioner and Chair of the Philippine Organizing Committee to Green X Expo 2027, Secretary-General Masato Komura, Japan Association for the International Horticultural Expo 2027, Yokohama Ambassador Shimmi Jun, Commissioner of the International Horticultural Expo 2027, Yokohama Japan and witnessed by Ambassador Mylene Garcia-Albano, Philippine Embassy in Tokyo, Ambassador Kazuya Endo of Japan to the Philippines, Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay, Department of Tourism, Co-Chair of the Philippine Organizing Committee to Green x Expo 2027 Deputy Secretary-General Hachiyama Koji, Japan Association for the International Horticultural Expo 2027, Yokohama, Agriculture Attache Aleli G. Maghirang, OAA Tokyo and DA Undersecretary Christopher V. Morales.
The Philippines aims to expand exports of high-value crops and products including banana, mango, pineapple, coconut, coffee, cacao, calamansi, durian, avocado, ube, papaya, okra and abaca, while opening more opportunities for floriculture, ornamental plants and natural fibers in Japan.
The Japan Association for the International Horticultural Expo 2027 Yokohama has allotted the Philippines a 436-square-meter space for its garden and pavilion. The expo will run from March 19 to Sept. 26, 2027. ### (Photos by the Office of the Agriculture Attaché in Japan)
