ABU DHABI // With a staff that is expected to rise to 6,000 Filipinos by the end of this year, the Lulu Hypermarket chain is honouring the country's food and customs with an 11-day festival that began yesterday. After Grace Princesa, the Philippine ambassador to the UAE, and Yusuf Ali, the managing director of the Lulu chain, cut into a massive cake decorated with banana and pineapple, a group of sixth-grade students from the Philippine National School performed the traditional tinkling dance, hopping between two bamboo poles held just above the ground.
Mr Ali said the chain plans to add 2,000 Filipino staff to its current roster. "We have about 4,000 Filipino staff and just now I've met two of them who have been with us for 14 years," he said. "I'm very happy with them." The chain flew in 18 different fruits, including 10 varieties of bananas, for the festival. During the tour around the supermarket, the ambassador chanced upon Abdullah Omar al Saggaf, a 52-year-old UAE national who was filling his shopping trolley with pancit canton noodles, canned tuna and other Filipino products on display.
"I find Filipino food tasty and my children have grown to love a noodle dish, which our Filipina helper prepares," he told Ms Princesa. "She has been with us for 14 years and we consider her part of the family." @Email:rruiz@thenational.ae