RIYADH, 29 June — Omar M. Pangarungan, trade, investment & tourism attaché at the Philippine Embassy, has been transferred to Manila on the completion of his tenure in the Kingdom.
He was given a farewell party at the residence of Madam Raja Al-Muneef, general manager of Dar Noor Design and other DND establishments that import Philippine products. Officials from the Philippine Embassy and dealers in Philippine products were also present.
Later, speaking to Arab News, Omar said he will be heading either the economic diplomacy unit under the office of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs or the Saudi Arabian Desk under the Office of the Middle East and African Affairs.
During his tenure, Omar was cited for his role in promoting Philippine food products, both through the embassy and the local media in the Kingdom. "Food, furniture and home accessories are becoming the fastest growing areas of trade between the Philippines and the Kingdom, " Omar said, adding that Saudi Arabia ranked as the No. 1 importer of Philippine furniture in the Middle East and No. 4 among the 70 countries represented in the recently concluded Philippine International Furniture Show 2001 in Manila and Cebu.
"The trend shows a significant increase in the flow of Saudi importers visiting Philippine trade fairs," he said .
