The Official Website of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul, Korea

Philippines Joins 2024 Busan-ASEAN Esports Global Exchange

PR MTD 163 2024

12 December 2024, Busan. The Philippine Embassy in Korea represented by Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega took part in the opening program for the 2024 Busan-ASEAN Esports Global Exchange which took place on November 29, 2024, at the Busan Esports Arena. The event was organized by the Busan Metropolitan City, Busan Global City Foundation (BGCF), and the Busan IT Industry Promotion Agency (BIPA). The event aimed to foster cultural exchange and promote the growing esports industry among youth from Busan and ten ASEAN countries, including the Philippines.

The event featured a competitive tournament with teams of four representing different ASEAN nations. Over 2,500 spectators attended over the course of the competition sessions, and the competition culminated in an award ceremony where the top three teams were recognized. Competing teams came from schools with a high concentration of multicultural students in the Busan Metropolitan Area.

Among the special guests at the opening event were Busan Vice Mayor for Administrative Affairs Lee Jun-seung, BGCF CEO Jun Yong-Woo, BIPA CEO Kim Tae-yeol, and ASEAN Culture House Director General Lee In Hyuck.

In his welcoming remarks BGCF CEO Jun Yong-Woo underscored the event’s role in fostering more collaboration among ASEAN countries and Busan in the key emerging sectors of gaming and digital innovation. Busan Vice Mayor Lee Jun Seung in his keynote remarks emphasized Busan’s commitment to becoming a global Esports hub and touted the construction of city’s esports arena as a major step forwards towards this goal. He expressed appreciation to nationals from ASEAN countries for taking part in the event.

In her congratulatory remarks, Ambassador Dizon-de Vega shared that Esports is fast becoming a popular platform for sports and innovation engagement between ASEAN and Korea in general and with ROK innovation hubs like Busan, in particular. She likewise noted that in ASEAN there has been a surge in Esports popularity and that the Philippines as host of the 2019 SEA Games was the first country to present Esports as a medal competition sport in the SEAG. Increasing interest in Esports has led to the offering of a four-year university degree in Esports Science at the Lyceum of the Philippines.

Representatives from each ASEAN country received their official competition armbands from the special guests at the event.

Busan has been the longtime host of the G-Star Convention, one of the largest gaming conventions in the world and where there is regular participation from Philippine gaming and related companies. END

PHILIPPINES HIGHLIGHTS KEY PRIORITIES IN THE HEALTH SECTOR AT THE GLOBAL HEALTH ROUNDTABLE WITH AMBASSADORS IN KOREA

[Above photo: L-R] Ambassador Dizon-De Vega delivers PH intervention during the Global Health Roundtable with Ambassadors in Korea held on 27 November 2024. Ambassador Dizon-De Vega met with Honorable Park Jumin, member of the ROK National Assembly. [Below photo] ROK National Assembly members and representatives from ROK health agencies pose for a commemorative photo with Ambassadors and representatives of diplomatic missions in Seoul.

04 December 2024, Seoul. Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega participated in the Global Health Roundtable with Ambassadors in Korea held on 27 November 2024 at the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea.

Hon. Jumin Park, Chair of the Health and Welfare Committee of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea who is also the President of the Korean Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health led the roundtable discussions which aims to foster enhanced cooperation between the Republic of Korea and the countries of the broader Asia-Pacific region in the field of health.

Hon. Park was joined by Assembly Members from the Health and Welfare Committee namely Hon. Miae Kim, Hon. Sunwoo Kang, Hon. Boyun Choi and Hon. Yoon Kim in welcoming the participants. Assembly Member Jiho Cha of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee and Secretary-General of the Korean Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health and Mr. Ilsoo Ha, President of the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare also joined the roundtable.

Ambassador Dizon-De Vega shared the Philippines’ health initiatives such as the implementation of the Universal Healthcare (UHC) Law that guarantees accessibility of quality healthcare for all Filipinos. She also mentioned the challenges facing the PH healthcare sector on the need to improve health infrastructure, streamline management of health insurance, digitalization of health services, data and records management and vaccine development.

The Ambassador also underscored that Philippines and the Republic of Korea should leverage on the important provisions of the Philippines-Korea Joint Declaration of Strategic Partnership and collaborate on key priorities on health including on digital health innovations; sustainable and equitable health financing mechanisms; health security, strengthening of pandemic preparedness and health system resiliency, and innovative technologies for diagnostics and treatment; knowledge exchanges on effective health promotion programs and interventions, human resource development and management for the health workers; pharmaceutical industry particularly in facilitating joint research and development mechanisms for drug development, biotechnology, and biomanufacturing; and establishment of infrastructures for vaccine development.

Officials from the ROK Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) and the Korea Foundation for International Health Care (KOFIH), shared brief introduction on their mandates and international cooperation initiatives.

Ambassadors and representatives from the Embassies of Sri Lanka, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Indonesia and Vietnam delivered their respective countries’ health priorities during the meeting.

The roundtable discussion also served as a platform for the participating countries to share collaborative opportunities to address shared health challenges across the Asia Pacific region. END

PHILIPPINE EMBASSY JOINS CAMPAIGN TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN THROUGH EMPOWERING HEALTH AND WELL-BEING VIA KKK: KAALAMAN SA KALUSUGAN NG KABABAIHAN SEMINAR

[Above photo] Seminar participants pose with the End VAW hand signal. [Below photo L-R] Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega delivering her opening remarks, Professor Emilie Lopez and Dr. Jin-ju Ok sharing their presentations to the participants.

05 December 2024, Seoul. In observance of this year’s 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women (VAW) from 25 November to 12 December 2024, the Gender and Development Unit of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul organized a seminar on “KKK: Kaalaman sa Kalusugan ng Kababaihan” (A Reproductive Health and Wellness Seminar for Filipino Women in Korea) on 24 November 2024 at the 2^nd Floor, Sentro Rizal Hall of the Philippine Embassy for the members of the Filipino Community.

The seminar underscored that care of one's body through exercise, proper nutrition, and wellness techniques can boost confidence, energy, and mental clarity. When women feel physically strong, they are more likely to stand up for themselves and set healthy boundaries. It also emphasized that women who are physically healthy also have more energy, vitality, and a sense of autonomy, which makes it easier for them to take action in their own lives, including preventing or escaping abusive situations

In her welcome remarks, Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega thanked the resource persons for sharing their expertise on women's health and wellness and stressed to the participants the importance of regular early health screening and testing. She mentioned that maintaining proper health balance will lead to a strong and healthy Filipino community in Korea.

Professor Emilie Lopez, a Korea-based University Professor in Nursing and AFEK Vice President, Researcher, Author of Caregiving Books, Adviser and Editorial Board Member in Health and Education-related Research and Dr. Jin-ju Ok, Professor Primary Care, Travel Medicine Physician at the International Health Care Center of The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital served as the seminar’s resource speakers.

Third Secretary and Vice Consul Reisha Olavario moderating the seminar program and Prof. Lopez delivering her lecture.

Professor Lopez’s presentation focused on risk factors of chronic diseases, importance of stress management strategies, techniques to manage blood sugar and blood pressure as well as wellness tips to handle stress and chronic illnesses of the cardiovascular and related body system. Dr. Ok spoke about women’s health particularly on gynecological cancers and menopause. She also shared aqua wellness activities that the participants may try to boost their health and well-being.

Five (5) lucky participants received glucometers or blood sugar test kit. Professor Lopez provided a brief demonstration on how to use the test kit. The seminar was simultaneously livestreamed on the official Facebook page of the Embassy and is accessible for those who are interested to watch.

The Philippine Embassy in Seoul continues to advocate for women's health as a preventive strategy to address violence against women, and which underscores that a strong sense of self-worth, nurtured by physical and emotional well-being, makes women less likely to tolerate harmful behavior or relationships and empowers them to seek help or exit abusive situations. END

PH Participates in International Conference on Geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific and the Rules-Based International Order

PR MTD 159 2024

11 December 2024, Seoul. Panelists from the Philippines took part in the International Conference on Geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific and the Rules-Based International Order held on 23 October 2024 at the Korea Press Center in Seoul.

The Seoul International Law Academy (SILA) in cooperation with the Eunsung Global Research Foundation (EGRF) hosted the annual international conference bringing together distinguished scholars, legal experts, policymakers, and diplomats to discuss pressing issues surrounding geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific and the rules-based international order.

The conference discussed the evolving geopolitical dynamics in the Indo-Pacific region; challenges to the existing rules-based international order; and (3) opportunities for collaboration among nations to promote peace, stability, and adherence to international law.

The conference was opened by Korea University Professor Chung Suh-yong, President of the Seoul International Law Academy, who emphasized the importance of the Indo-Pacific as a focal point of global politics and the need for robust legal frameworks to address emerging challenges in the region across critical fields.

The keynote address was delivered by Korea’s First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Kim Hong-kyun, who spoke on the importance of multilateral cooperation and a rules-based order in navigating complex challenges in the region.

Philippine Ambassador to Korea Theresa Dizon-de Vega was a panelist on “Rules-based Strategies in the Indo-Pacific on Climate Change where she presented the Philippines’ longstanding advocacy for a rules-based international order in addressing climate concerns.

Professor Jay Batongbacal of the University of the Philippines joined the panel on the “Status and Challenges of Indo-Pacific Strategies Amid Geopolitical Shifts,” where he discussed maritime security issues and legal mechanisms under UNCLOS.

The Seoul International Law Academy annual conference provides a platform for meaningful discussions on global cooperation in international legal matters. END