The Official Website of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul, Korea

PH HIGHLIGHTS PRIORITIES, INITIATIVES, AND IMPORTANCE OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN ADDRESSING MARINE LITTER AT THE 7TH INTERNATIONAL MARINE DEBRIS CONFERENCE

PR MTD 114 2022 7th IMDC Busan

The Philippine Embassy in Korea, led by Ambassador Ma. Theresa B. Dizon-De Vega, participated at the 7th International Marine Debris Conference (7th IMDC) held in Busan, Republic of Korea from 18-23 September 2022.

The 7th IMDC is the largest and longest-running conference series dedicated to the issue of plastic pollution and marine litter.

Assistant Secretary for Maritime and Ocean Affairs Maria Angela A. Ponce served as a main panelist in the opening plenary’s multi-stakeholder panel discussion organized by the 7th IMDC in cooperation with the ROK Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the United Nations Environment Program, and the Korea Oceans and Environment Management Corporation. The multi-stakeholder panel aims to bring together representatives from diverse organizations to discuss their contribution to addressing the issue of plastic pollution, protecting the marine environment and the future role of each actor in this context. During the panel discussion, Assistant Secretary Ponce highlighted the Philippines’ National Plan of Action for the Prevention, Reduction, and Management of Marine Litter (NPOA-ML) and emphasized that capacity-building and financing, empowerment of stakeholders, and complimentary legislative action are needed for its effective implementation. She also expressed the importance of science and evidence-based data and research in combatting the complex and multidimensional problem of marine litter.

The Philippine delegation likewise meet several Filipino participants during the conference, including environment advocate and TV personality Antoinette Taus who is also the founder of Communities Organized for Resource Allocation (CORA), a non-profit organization dedicated to creating sustainable programs to help solve global issues including marine debris and climate change. END

PH AND ROK AFFIRM FURTHER COOPERATION ON OCEANS AND FISHERIES

PR MTD 119 2022 Meeting with MOF DepMinSong

25 SEPTEMBER 2022, BUSAN - Philippine Ambassador to Korea Theresa Dizon-De Vega and DFA Assistant Secretary for Maritime and Oceans Affairs Maria Angela A. Ponce met with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries Deputy Minister Song Myeong-Dal on 21 September 2022. Ambassador Dizon-De Vega expressed appreciation for the support and participation of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries in the inaugural PH-ROK Maritime Dialogue.

Deputy Minister Song conveyed that the Philippines can look forward to the Republic of Korea’s expanded programs on marine debris and marine environment conservation with KOICA, especially on plastic pollution monitoring and management. Deputy Minister Song also looked forward to working with the Philippines under the ambit of international governmental organizations where both the ROK and PH are members, including Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA).

As a response, Assistant Secretary Ponce expressed that both the ROK and the Philippines have aligned priorities regarding maritime cooperation, as the Philippines just released the National Plan of Action on Marine Litter in November 2021. She also expressed the importance of capacity-building on fisheries, ocean economy, and new technology in this field. Ambassador Dizon-De Vega reiterated some points from the PH-ROK maritime dialogue including the need for working group level focal points for cooperation work of implementors on the ground, especially for Fisheries Monitoring. At the end of the meeting, both sides agreed to work closely together for the 2nd PH-ROK Joint Fisheries Committee (JFC) Meeting which will be held in January 2023. It is the next important ocean economy engagement with the Republic of Korea, after the 1st PH-ROK Maritime Dialogue.

The JFC is a useful forum to discuss very specific technical cooperation projects such as capacity building, especially training courses which are very important in the ocean economy. END

PH AMBASSADOR THERESA B. DIZON-DE VEGA DELIVERS KEYNOTE SPEECH AT THE KOREA MARITIME WEEK 2022 INTERNATIONAL MARITIME HIGH-LEVEL DIALOGUE

1PRKorea Maritime Week

Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega delivered the keynote address at the opening ceremony of the Korea Maritime Week on 21 September 2022.

Under the theme, “Challenges and tasks in the international maritime sector in the new normal era”, the Korea Maritime Week 2022 brought together government officials, international experts, and the academe to discuss major issues in the international maritime sector.

In her remarks, Ambassador De Vega emphasized how international cooperation on shared priorities such as green shipping, protection of the marine environment through digitalization and de-carbonization, and economic cooperation form part of the comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to address the broad challenges of the maritime sector. She also noted that the impact of marine litter and plastic pollution on water and food supplies, public health, and industries such as fishing, shipping, and tourism is a shared problem that requires shared solutions. The Ambassador also lauded the ROK for taking steps to recognize the value of a green ship and potential strategies to increase energy efficiency and decarbonize global shipping, an area of interest and cooperation for the Philippines.

Ambassador De Vega was joined by ROK Vice Minister for Oceans and Fisheries Song Seung Dal, IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim, ROK National Assembly Representative Ahn Byung-gil, and the Mayor of Busan Park Heong-joon. END

PH EXPLORES MARINE AND FISHERIES COOPERATION WITH THE KOREA MARINE ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT CORPORATION

Meeting with KOEM 1

Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega, DFA Assistant Secretary for Maritime and Oceans Affairs Maria Angela A. Ponce, and the rest of the Philippine delegation had a productive meeting with Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation (KOEM) Vice President and Executive Director Sang Joon Yoo, along with team members of the KOEM Maritime Conservation Division to discuss collaboration opportunities between the PH and ROK marine and fisheries sector with the organizational support of KOEM.

KOEM spearheads ROK’s global efforts in marine environment management. Ambassador Dizon-De Vega expressed interest in furthering international cooperation between the PH and ROK in sharing best practices on the management system for a sustainable marine environment. She likewise informed KOEM that the Philippines is actively taking part in international efforts for the preservation of the marine environment by enhancing PH's capability to respond to international issues. To date, KOEM is involved with KOICA in the marine-litter collecting vessel and Enhancement of Marine Litter Management in Manila Bay projects of the ROK in the Philippines. These form part of the ROK USD7.7 million Official Development Assistance to the Philippines for the establishment of a marine litter monitoring system and training for officials of the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). KOEM also supports ROK’s bilateral partnership with the Philippines in achieving clean and sustainable oceans by combatting marine plastic pollution.

Assistant Secretary Ponce briefed KOEM officials on the Philippine National Plan of Action on Marine Litter. Both sides agreed to see where KOEM and the Philippines can cooperate in various areas under the action plan, including the reduction of plastic consumption and enhancement of waste and material management infrastructure and systems.

KOEM also introduced marine conservation awareness programs it undertakes such as the KOEM bus, an informational caravan on maritime awareness and marine environmental management, which travels around major maritime cities in Korea. The Philippine delegation was able to visit the KOEM bus during Korea Maritime Week on separate occasions. END