GOVPH

SPECIAL RADIO INTERVIEW AT DIVERSE VOICES

Ambassador Ma. Theresa B. Dizon- De Vega (right) with Ms. Jasmine Lee (left), host of the radio show "Diverse Voices," inside the studio at TBS eFM in Seoul on 10 March 2022

SEOUL, 15 March 2022 — Philippine Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega appeared on "Diverse Voices," a radio show on English broadcaster TBS eFM (101.3MHz) last 10 March 2022 to discuss Philippines-Republic of Korea bilateral relations, in honor of both countries celebrating the 73rd anniversary of bilateral relations last 3 March 2022. The show is hosted by Filipino-Korean Ms. Jasmine Lee, the first migrant member of the Korean National Assembly and a multiculturalism advocate.

Diverse Voices is a radio show that covers a wide range of subjects, including multiculturalism, foreign residents, the economy, travel, and culture. Ambassador De Vega discussed the state of Philippines-Korea relations, travel to the Philippines, and her perspectives on the importance of inclusivity and multiculturalism.

Ambassador De Vega cited the close historic ties and shared sacrifices between the Philippines and Korea which form the bedrock of the strong and enduring relationship the Philippines and the Republic of Korea enjoy today.
The Ambassador likewise spoke on the vibrant people-to-people exchanges between the two countries and how this will hopefully will once again be maximized as we recover from the pandemic with renewed two-way mobility.
On tourism, Ambassador Dizon-De Vega shared the latest developments on the Philippines re-opening to foreign visitors including to Korean nationals. She invited listeners to consider the Philippines, in particular popular destinations such as Cebu, Boracay, Bohol, Palawan, Clark, among others, for their future travel plans.

Ambassador De Vega also invited listeners to some of the key events the Philippine Embassy will be celebrating from March to May, including the slate of activities in commemoration of Women’s Month, Know Your Rights and Responsibilities Legal Seminars, free online legal aid counselling, and the upcoming Philippine Overseas Absentee Voting from April to May 2022.

In celebration of PH-ROK’s 73rd anniversary of relations, Ambassador De Vega also provided Philippine dried mangoes and banana chips as giveaways for the listeners. END

Philippines participates in Sookmyung University International Women’s Day Forum

Ambassador Theresa Dizon- De Vega during the Sookmyung University’s International Women’s Day Forum, 8 March 2022 in Seoul. 

SEOUL, 15 March 2022 —  In celebration of International Women’s Month, Philippine Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Theresa Dizon-De Vega joined a panel discussion convened by Sookmyung Women’s University President Yunkeum Chang with seven Ambassadors of Diplomatic Missions in the Republic of Korea on 8 March 2022. The topics of discussion included ways to empower women and making this count through education, COVID-19’s impact on access to education for women and girls, and whether women are using available opportunities to make their power count.

During a vibrant and lively discussion, Ambassador Dizon-De Vega shared the Philippine experience on bridging the gender gap as well as working on inclusivity and access of women and young girls to education.

On education, Ambassador Dizon-De Vega highlighted the importance of platforms and venues aside from formal classroom settings for women to learn and for their voices to be heard. The Ambassador also stressed the importance of gender education in all stages of life. “We talk about education which is very important in itself, but we also need to create opportunities for women and girls after education and beyond the classroom so they can contribute significantly in their chosen fields,” the Ambassador said.

Ambassador Dizon-De Vega likewise noted that the COVID-19 pandemic is an important lesson for governments to build better education safety nets in the future, particularly for women and girls as they were among the most vulnerable to disrupted access to education, the full impact of which may not be felt until many years later.

She highlighted that there are numerous gender and development achievements in fields such as STEM, including more girls and young women pursuing work and study in this area. The rise of non-profit organizations like Girls Who Code or Women in Tech, along with a growing number of women trailblazers in cloud computing, artificial intelligence,  and space science, are all positive developments.  

In response to a question on access to STEM, the Ambassador emphasized that opportunities are forged by a collective understanding of the need to create multiple pathways for women and girls to pursue these disciplines. She highlighted the Philippines’ initiatives to get more women and girls in STEM, creating a conducive environment in these fields, and the impact of pioneering role models to normalize women in these disciplines.

“Women and girls need to play an active role in breaking societal gender bias. Stereotypes have to be broken. Beyond education, young girls and women have to be able to see what lies ahead for them. That there are opportunities for career advancement for girls who code, girls in physics, girls in knowledge industries. These are career paths they are free to pursue.”

Aside from the Sookmyung University roundtable discussion, the Philippine Embassy will take part in other activities commemorating International Women’s Month. END

AMENDED ADVISORY ON THE PROTOCOLS FOR ENTRY OF FOREIGN NATIONALS TO THE PHILIPPINES BEGINNING 10 MARCH 2022