The Health
& Wellness Confex 2024 recently concluded at the SMX Center in Pasay
City, on a high note, with government and private sector representatives
pledging to work together to promote the Philippines as a prime health and
wellness tourist destination.
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(Center) Department of
Tourism (DOT) Undersecretary Myra Paz Valderrosa-Abubakar, Pasay City Mayor
Imelda Calixto-Rubiano, HWC Executive Director Cory Quirino, DILG Secretary
Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr., Philippine Retirement Authority General Manager/CEO Cynthia
Lagdameo Carrion, DOH Undersecretary Dr. Maria Francia Miciano-Laxamana,former
Department of Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo; (Left) Nurture Wellness Village
President Catherine Turvill, HWC Founder & Mblessed Travel & Marketing
COO Macky Soriano, Miss Philippines Air 2023 Kerri Reilly, and The Farm at San
Benito Global Head of SMC Jennifer Sanvictores;(Right) HWC Executive Producer
& Concept One President Vilma Selga, Former DOT Asst. Secretary Maria
Lourdes Japson, DOH Director Roderick Napulan and Asian Journal President Roger
Oriel. |
In his keynote address, Herbosa said
supporting wellness tourism is now a priority for the DOH. This was confirmed
by Dr. Maria Francia Miciano-Laxamana,
DOH undersecretary for medical tourism, who pointed out in her presentation
that ensuring the safety and health of tourists is a major department
objective.
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(1) Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Dr. Teodoro J. Herbosa
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“I’ve also been running every week and I spend
one hour in the gym every day,” he added. “Health and wellness are all about
attitude and it should be a priority for everyone regardless of age,” he said.
Calixto-Rubiano echoed the importance of
having the right mentality towards health and wellness. She also talked about
the various health and wellness programs of the Pasay City government,
including the empowering mothers and infants or EMI project. “We are aligned
with the First 1,000 Days program, a public health initiative that aims to
provide comprehensive health and nutrition support during the first 1,000 days
of a child's life,” she said.
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(1) Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr. |
In addition, the city implements feeding
programs, conducts free medical tests, and extends support for COVID-19
patients.
The first day's list of speakers also included
Wanda Teo, former DOT secretary, and
Cynthia Lagdameo Carrion, Philippine
Retirement Authority (PRA) general manager and CEO. Every speaker focused on
their unique perspectives, but all of them emphasized the need to integrate
health and wellness into the tourism industry.
The messages particularly cited the huge boost
the recent collaborative efforts between the DOT and DOH would give to the
campaign to promote the Philippines as a prime health and wellness tourist
destination.
Another highlight of the first day of the
Health and Wellness Confex 2024 conference was a roundtable discussion about
the Filipino brand of wellness. The discussion was moderated by Catherine Turvill, Wellness Nurture
Village founder and president. The panel was made up of Jennifer Sanvictores, The Farm at San Benito global head of sales
and marketing communications, Vikki C.
Aquino, Okada Manila director of The Retreat Spa, Kenneth Trullench, Las Caidas Wellness Resort Wellness Resort
manager, and Atho De La Cruz, Ilaya
Retreat Spa at Damires Hills Farm and Spa Resort Spa and Wellness director.
The second day of the Health & Wellness
Confex 2024 was a thrilling journey through the latest in travel, technology,
and natural wellness. Attendees were treated to an array of workshops and
demonstrations that not only showcased the future of wellness travel but also
delved into the cutting-edge technology shaping the health industry.
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(Center) DOH Secretary Dr. Teodoro J. Herbosa, Health & Wellness Confex Executive Director Cory Quirino, (right) DOH Undersecretary Maria Francia M. Laxamana, and (left) former Department of Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo |
A highlight was the series of workshops
dedicated to natural and organic anti-aging practices. Experts in dermatology
and holistic health unveiled the latest research and techniques in natural
skincare, emphasizing sustainable and chemical-free approaches to maintaining
youthfulness and vitality.The final day of the event took a vibrant turn with
the holding of the Masigabo Wellness Festival, a special celebration that was especially
dedicated to Filipino migrant workers, more commonly known as overseas Filipino
workers (OFWs).
The presence of Jerome A. Alcantara, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) assistant
secretary, underscored the government's commitment to supporting OFWs. In his
message, Alcanta lauded the resilience and hard work of the Filipino diaspora
and emphasized the importance of initiatives like Masigabo in fostering a sense
of unity and pride among Filipinos worldwide. Tourism representatives,
meanwhile, sought to enlist OFWs to become health and wellness ambassadors.
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(Center) DOH Secretary Dr. Teodoro J. Herbosa, DOH Undersecretary Dr. Maria Francia Miciano-Laxamana, (left) Health & Wellness Confex Executive Director Cory Quirino, and (right) celebrity host Regine Tolentino |
The Masigabo Festival not only brought the
event to a memorable close, but also reinforced the theme of holistic health by
celebrating the connection between cultural well-being and physical wellness.
Attendees left with not just knowledge of and insights into health and
wellness, but also a deeper appreciation for the cultural ties that bind the
Filipino community together.
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Health & Wellness CONFEX at SMX Convention Center Manila
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Department of Health (DOH) Pavillion |
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Department of Tourism (DOT) Pavillion
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Major Sponsors:
Philippine Retirement Authority, Enjoy Health, Lifecore Bio Integrative Inc.,
Dean & Deluca Philippines, The Zen Institute, Conrad Manila, The Farm at
San Benito, Nurture Wellness Village, Organique, CWC Interiors, Pots for
Plants, and Center for
Healthy Aging and Regenerative Medicine (CHARM), Lanson Place, Networld Hotel,
Lime Hotels & Resorts;
Minor Sponsors:
Food Club, Sonia’s Garden, Annapoorna, Happy Garden Café, Holistic Integrative Care Center Philippines
(HICC), Aba Pardes, King Fu Express, Piggy Papa, The Belle Salon, Speir
Modern Residences;
Event Partners: IQ
Capture Printing Corporation, Ark of Dreams, Market Social, SMX Convention
Center, DigitalCircles Marketing Services, and Phildiz Studios;
Media Partners:
GMA Network, ABS-CBN Corporation, GMA 7 GTV, Aliw Channel 23, Asian Journal,
Balikbayan Magazine, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Business Mirror, Daily Tribune,
Digital Out Of Home Media (DOOH), Manila Standard, Rising Tigers, DZRH,
Entrepinas TV, and Quezon City Performing Arts Development Foundation Inc.
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Health & Wellness CONFEX 2024
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Organizers and Event Managers: Mblessed Travel & Marketing, Inc. and Concept One Management
Services.
From the creative concept of Mblessed Travel
and Marketing, Inc., the Health & Wellness CONFEX 2024 was spearheaded by a
team of seasoned event organizers, wellness advocates, travel and tours
agencies, and marketing & communication professionals, and with the
country's wellness guru, Cory Quirino, as its Executive Director.
As the Health & Wellness Confex 2024
concluded, participants were already looking forward to next year's event,
anticipating more innovations, learning, and community celebrations that lie at
the heart of this unique gathering.
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