The Official Website of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul, Korea

PHILIPPINE EMBASSY CONDUCTS BRIEFING FOR LOCAL EXECUTIVES PARTICIPATING IN THE FOREIGN STUDY MISSION ON LOCAL GOVERNANCE AND INNOVATION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

[Above photo L-R] Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega welcomes the delegation to the Philippine Embassy in Seoul, screen recording of Senator Francis Tolentino’s message to the delegation and DAP VP Ms. Imelda Caluen delivering her remarks. [Below photo] Delegation poses for a photo with the Philippine Embassy officials Third Secretary and Vice Consul Reisha Olavario (first row, leftmost), Deputy Chief of Mission and Consul General Romulo Victor Israel Jr. (first row, second from left) and Ambassador Dizon-De Vega (first row, seventh from left)

08 December 2024, Seoul – Philippine Embassy in Seoul officials led by Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega received the courtesy call of the second batch of local chief executives and LGU officials participating in the 2024 KDIS-DAP Foreign Study Mission on Local Governance and Innovation for Economic Development at the Sentro Rizal Hall of the Philippine Embassy on 18 November 2024.

In her remarks, Ambassador Dizon De-Vega recognized the role of the LGUs as frontliners in terms of public service and stressed that sub-national cooperation is one of the thrusts of the Philippine Embassy. She wished the delegation a productive seminar as they engage with ROK institutions to broaden their knowledge on public governance.

Deputy Chief of Mission and Consul General Romulo Victor M. Israel Jr. shared that the Korean War serves as the cornerstone of the enduring relations of the Philippines and the Republic of Korea. Both countries also work hand-in-hand to constantly elevate the relationship into a mutually beneficial partnership. He also mentioned the milestone events for the Philippines and ROK such as the commemoration of the 75^th Anniversary of bilateral relations and the State Visit of ROK President Yoon Suk Yeol to the Philippines.

In a video message, Senator Francis N. Tolentino who spearheaded the DAP Adaptive Governance and Innovation for Local Executives (AGILE) Program is confident that the participants will be able to absorb all the lessons they will learn from the study mission to enhance their leadership skills and be able to contribute to their respective LGUs.

Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) Vice President Ms. Imelda Caluen mentioned the importance of drawing lessons from experiences of other countries and best practices that will help both local and national agencies shape policies for economic and sustainable development. The study mission will also serve as a platform for knowledge sharing, establishing networks and enriching the global experience of the participants.

Korea Development Institute School of Public Policy and Management Managing Director Ms. Yun Hai-Young shared that the KDI has been working with partners to design different types of learning opportunities for study missions to share ROK’s innovative and sustainable governance.

Delegation leader Vice Mayor Maria Caridad Goteesan of the Province of Samar shared that her province is also a recipient of various cooperation projects and development assistance from the ROK through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

Third Secretary and Vice Consul Reisha L. Olavario, Head of the Political and Economic Section of the Embassy presented an overview of Philippines and ROK bilateral relations highlighting the elevation of the bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership and the ratification of the PH-ROK Free Trade Agreement. END

Deputy Chief of Mission and Consul General Israel Jr. shares milestone activities of PH-ROK with the delegation. Third Secretary and Vice Consul Olavario presents an overview of PH-ROK relations. Delegation leader Vice Mayor Goteesan of Eastern Samar and KDI Managing Director Yun sharing their messages to the delegation.

DILG-PPSC MASTER IN CRISIS AND DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT (MCDRM) CLASS “MARAGHAWI” BENCHMARKS BEST PRACTICES OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA IN DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE

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[Above photo, L-R] Deputy Chief of Mission and Consul General Romulo Victor M. Israel Jr. delivers remarks and a presentation on the role of the Embassy in disaster response to the members of the DILG-PPSC MCDRM delegation. Head of Delegation Director and Dean of the National Police College Romeo S. Magsalos, MPSA, Ph.D, DPSG expresses appreciation to the Embassy on behalf of the DILG PPSC MCDRM delegation. [Below photo] DILG-PPSC MCDRM Class “Maraghawi” pose for a group photo with Deputy Chief of Mission and Consul General Israel Jr.

03 December 2024, Seoul. On 25 November 2024, Deputy Chief of Mission and Consul General Romulo Victor M. Israel, Jr. of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul received the courtesy call of a delegation from the Department of the Interior and Local Government – Philippine Public Safety College (DILG-PPSC) Class “Maraghawi” who were conducting their International Field Exposure and Study (IFES) in the Republic of Korea from 23 to 29 November 2024.

During their courtesy visit, the Embassy welcomed the delegation and presented an overview of Philippines-ROK bilateral relations highlighting the milestone events in the year-long commemoration of the 75^th Anniversary of diplomatic relations; the elevation of bilateral relations into a Strategic Partnership; and the signing of the Philippines-ROK Free Trade Agreement. DCM Israel likewise cited some best practices of ROK in disaster preparedness and pandemic response such as the (1) Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Transport Operation and Information Service (TOPIS) for road monitoring; (2) Smart City Integrated Platform a command center of smart cities providing real-time monitoring of crimes, accidents and traffic; (3) MOIS Integrated Disaster and Safety Information System; (4) Flood outbreak forecast and warning system; and (5) Emergency Ready App, a mobile application that provides early warning in case of impending disaster.

He also shared the Embassy’s role in disaster response for Filipinos in Korea that includes making representations with the ROK government to discuss Disaster Risk Cooperation; partnership with the Boramae Safety Experience Center, a renowned facility for emergency training; conduct of Filipino Leaders Camp which included a dedicated session on emergency preparedness wherein participants received valuable and practical information on contingency planning; and participation in the ROK Nationwide Civil Defense Drill conducted by the Ministry of Interior and Safety (MOIS), among others.

DILG PPSC MCDRM Head of Delegation Director and Dean of the National Police College Romeo S. Magsalos, MPSA, Ph.D, DPSG, expressed appreciation to the Embassy for welcoming the delegation and providing the briefing on its role in disaster response. He also shared that he continues to encourage DILG PPSC scholars to visit other countries to learn best practices that they can bring home to the Philippines.

Dedicated to enhancing disaster risk resilience and management in various national government agencies and local government units, the delegation also met with officials of the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), Gyeonggi-do Fire and Disaster Headquarters, Incheon City MCR2030 Resilient Hub and Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) and UNDRR Office for Northeast Asia and Global Education and Training Institute to learn about their programs and initiatives. They also visited the Boramae Safety Training Center on 27 November 2024, where they had hands-on simulated exercises on different kinds of disasters like fire, earthquake and typhoons. END

TEAM PH IN ROK DISCUSSES 2024 ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND FUTURE PROJECTS AT YEAR END PLANNING CONFERENCE

Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega led the discussions of the 2024 Year-End Planning Conference of Team PH in ROK together with the section heads of the Philippine Embassy and its attached agencies on 05 December 2024 at the Seoul Dragon City, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, ROK.

12 December 2024, Seoul. Team Philippines in the Republic of Korea composed of the Philippine Embassy and attached agencies, Philippine Department of Tourism (PDOT-Korea), Philippine Agriculture Office (PAO-Seoul), Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC-Seoul), Migrant Workers Office-Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (MWO-OWWA), Office of the Defense and Armed Forces Attaché (ODAFA), and Pag-IBIG Fund Korea Office conducted its 2024 Year-End Planning Conference on 05 December 2024 in Seoul.

Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega led the discussions at the planning conference which highlighted the Embassy and attached agencies plans, activities, and programs accomplished in 2024, a milestone year for PH-ROK relations marking 75 years of diplomatic ties. In addition, Team PH in ROK presented priority tasks and activities for 2025 programs.

Relevant to the discussions are the marked increase in bilateral engagement between the Philippines and Korea after the elevation of relations to that of a Strategic Partnership and the ratification of the PH-ROK Free Trade Agreement, including frequent official visits of PH government delegations to ROK, the ROK hosting of the APEC Summit in 2025 as well as renewed programs for the overseas Filipino Community. END

Officers and representatives from Seoul PE and Attached Agencies including PDOT-Korea, PAO-Seoul, PTIC-Seoul, MWO-OWWA, ODAFA, and Pag-IBIG Fund presented on the overview of their respective offices’ accomplishments and plans for 2025.

FILIPINO INVENTORS WIN MULTIPLE AWARDS AT THE SEOUL INTERNATIONAL INVENTION FAIR (SIIF) 2024

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09 December 2024, Seoul. The Philippine Embassy in Seoul joins the Philippine delegation of Filipino inventors and officials of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in celebrating the multiple recognition and awards received during the Seoul International Invention Fair (SIIF) 2024 held from 27 to 30 November 2024 at COEX Seoul, Republic of Korea.

From 519 inventions and products from 32 countries, DOST Team Philippines’ fifteen (15) technologies won three (3) gold awards, three (3) silver awards, four (4) bronze awards, and thirteen (13) special awards from various award conferring bodies from Thailand, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and the Republic of Korea.

Gold awards were presented to inventions on (1) Covert Security Yarns & Markings for Anti-Counterfeiting Applications developed by a team of inventors from the Philippine Textile Research Institute (DOST-PTRI), (2) Engr. Jeremy De Leon’s MAKE-roscope, and (3) Engr. Mark Kennedy E. Bantugon’s Pili Seal.

Three inventions from the Philippines also received Silver awards such as the (1) Smart Helmet: The Head Covering Emergency Alarm System, Life Saver, and Monitoring Device by Peter John R. Bacani and Miraleih S. Jaime, (2) IET Pro: The effective and affordable Impulse Excitation Technique Prototype by Beatrice V. Bayan, and (3) Multifunctional School Furniture / Silyang Pinoy by Engr. Edward Paul S. Marasigan.

The inventions on (1) Smarter and Integrated Local Health Information System (SMILHIS) - eHATID by Jaztine A. Calderon, (2) iPOND by Zalda R. Gayahan, (3) Bamboo Textile Fiber Technology by Marie Antonette V. Berces, and (4) Herbal Cream preparation DEBCC Cream in Removing of Basal Cell Carcinoma or Skin Cancer using Cashew Nut Extract by Inv. Lorena B. Dela Cruz-Chiu, likewise received Bronze awards during the SIIF 2024.

The Embassy is truly proud to have Filipino inventors recognized at the SIIF 2024, a testament to the world class talent and ingenuity of the Filipino people. It also reinforces the Philippines’ innovation in the field of science and technology.

The Philippine Embassy in Seoul continuously supports Filipino Scientists and Inventors competing and developing their inventions in the Republic of Korea. The Philippine Embassy regularly invites these talented Filipinos to participate in capacity-building initiatives with the Filipino community, often serving as resource speakers for informational seminars in academic colloquiums, intellectual property rights, and research and development.END

PILI-PINAS. Top row, left: 2024 SIIF Gold Award Winner Engineer Mark Kennedy E. Bantugon presented his Pili Seal to Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega ahead of the SIIF 2024. The Pili Seal is a sustainable and hybrid aircraft sealant from the waste resin of the Philippines’ Pili Tree. Top row, right: Engineer Mark Kennedy E. Bantugon with Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega, IPOPHL Director General Rowel Barba, Third Secretary and Vice Consul Reisha Olavario, and Commercial Counselor Jose Ma. Dinsay. After his arrival in Seoul, Engineer Bantugon was invited to serve as a resource speaker for the Embassy’s Know-Your-Rights-and-Responsibilities Seminar on Intellectual Property Rights in November 2024.