The Official Website of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul, Korea

PHILIPPINE EMBASSY PARTICIPATES IN THE 6TH KOREA FOUNDATION (KF) PUBLIC DIPLOMACY WEEK

(PHOTOS – Top Left and Right: Ambassador Maria Theresa B. Dizon-De Vega joins Ambassadors from Brazil and Canada in a panel discussion. Below left: Ambassador Dizon-De Vega welcomes visitors to the PH booth. Below right: Vice Consul Jilliane De Dumo-Cornista (right), ATN Officer Fatima Tabio (middle) and Consular Assistant Chariz Ballaran (left) at the Philippine booth.)

30 October 2023, Seoul – The Korea Foundation (KF) held recently its 6^th Korea Foundation (KF) Public Diplomacy Week from 13 to 15 October 2023 at the Central Square, Understand Avenue, Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, a trendy and popular events venue located in Seoul.

Ambassador Dizon - De Vega welcomed the visitors to the Philippine booth that showcased traditional muslim attire and handicrafts. Local sweets, travel brochures and postcards from the PH Tourism Office in Seoul were also offered to the guests. The popular game “sungka” was also a hit with the crowd while the “salakot” photo booth was a favorite among the multi-cultural visitors at the event.

The KF also organized a public diplomacy roundtable discussion with the theme “A Connected World A Joint Future” participated in by the Ambassadors from Brazil, Canada and the Philippines. The wide range of topics covered in the discussion were experiences of a female diplomat in Korea, exploring career opportunities in public diplomacy, cultural and public outreach programs, introducing world cultures to the Korean public, among others.

(PHOTOS – Visitors and Members from the Diplomatic Corps in Seoul attending the 3-day event visit the PH booth.)

The Embassy also participated in the on-site cooking show/class wherein Ms. Rina Marquez, a Korean language student in Korea introduced the pancit bihon (rice noodles) and chicken & pork adobo (marinated and braised chicken & pork) to the selected audience. Chicharon (fried pork rind), dried mango fruit, peanuts and corn snacks were also offered to the audience.

(PHOTOS – Top Left and Below: Ms. Rina Marquez, a Masters student from the Academy of Korean Studies participating in the KF Philippine cooking show. Top Right: Ms. Iris Kim, (left most) a Philippine-born Korean/Tagalog/English speaker from the Global Hope Foundation teaches visitors how to play the “sungka”.)

About a thousand visitors attended the event while fourteen embassies based in Seoul participated in the 3-day event. END

PHILIPPINE EMBASSY JOINS ASEAN FAMILY DAY 2023 IN SEOUL

Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega together with Philippine Embassy personnel and family members joined the Embassies of ASEAN Member States (AMS) in Seoul in celebrating the ASEAN Family Day 2023. Ambassador Dizon-De Vega played the game of HOM pétanque (Pétang) with Ambassadors of AMS in Seoul.

25 October 2023, Seoul. Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega led the Philippine Embassy Team comprising of personnel and their family members in the first post-pandemic celebration of the ASEAN Family Day 2023 on 22 October 2023 at Banpo Hangang Park in Seoul. The event was organized by the Embassy of the Lao PDR as the Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Seoul (ACS), in cooperation with ASEAN embassies in Seoul.

Participants from the Embassies of ASEAN Member States (AMS) in Seoul enjoyed the festivities and participated in games such as HOM pétanque (Pétang), Ping Pong Ball Race, Dancing Chair and Tug of War. To showcase the flavors of the Philippines, the Philippine Embassy served pancit (a noodle dish), banana turon (Filipino fried banana rolls), and chicken inasal (Filipino-style chicken barbecue) for guests to enjoy.

The Philippine Embassy in Seoul remains steadfast in its commitment to advance ASEAN interests and in promoting ASEAN identity in the Republic of Korea. END

BAYANIHAN THE NATIONAL FOLK DANCE COMPANY OF THE PHILIPPINES FEATURED AT THE CHEONAN WORLD DANCE FESTIVAL 2023

(PHOTOS – Top: Cheonan City Mayor Park Sang-Don (1^st from right) officially opens the Cheonan World Dance Festival 2023 with representatives from the 15 participating countries. Bottom left: Mayor Park with representatives from the Diplomatic Corps. Bottom right: Ms. Marielle Benitez Javellana, Trustee and Executive Director of the Bayanihan Folk Arts Foundation with Publisher & Chairman Lee Kyung-sik of the Korea Post (1^st from right), Chief Monk Park Seung-Uk (1^st from left) and Embassy Cultural Officer Anthony Z. Cornista.)

24 October 2023, Cheonan City – The annual Cheonan World Dance Festival 2023 was held recently at the Cheonan Sports Complex in Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do from 05 to 09 October 2023 featuring the world-renowned Bayanihan dance company. Led by Trustee and Executive Director Marielle B. Javellana, the Bayanihan rendered several performances showcasing the Philippines dances and costumes before an international audience numbering about 1,500.

Mayor Park Sang-don officially opened the dance festival together with local representatives from Chungcheongnam province, officials from the Federation of International Dance Festivals (FIDAF), and members of the Diplomatic Corps based in Seoul.

Ensembles from Brazil, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Malaysia, Poland, Slovakia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, and the Philippines participated in this years’ festival.

The annual cultural and tourism festival is organized by the Cheonan Cultural Foundation in cooperation with the Korea Post.

The Bayanihan also participated in the 32^nd Korea Dance Festival held in Changwon-si from 10 to 15 October 2023 where they rendered four performances at the Gyeongsangnam-do provincial government Hall, Changwon Samjung middle school, Seongsan Art Hall and at the Jinhaeru Park. The festival was organized through the Korea Dance Association. END

(PHOTOS – The Bayanihan with dance troupes from other participating countries.)

(PHOTOS – Participating foreign and local dance groups with the international audience at the festival.)

FILIPINO ENTRY WINS SPECIAL AWARD IN MINISTRY OF GENDER EQUALITY AND FAMILY (MOGEF) EQUAL PARENTING PHOTO EXHIBITION

My Home, Our Family. Top left: Mr. Bernard Recirdo II’s photograph of the same title was selected as one of the 17 prize winners at the Parenting—an equal opportunity photo exhibition organized by the ROK Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. Bottom left: Third Secretary Reisha Olavario views Mr. Recirdo’s award-winning photo on display during the awarding ceremony. The photo and video contest was organized by MOGEF in cooperation with Embassies of the Philippines, Sweden, European Union, Spain, France, and Norway (Bottom right).

19 October 2023, Seoul – As part of the diplomatic community’s effort to support and promote equal opportunity parenting in the Republic of Korea, the Philippine Embassy in Seoul joined the Embassies of Sweden, European Union, France, Denmark, Norway, Spain, and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family (MOGEF) in organizing the photo and video contest highlighting the realities, challenges, and joys of co-parenting. The awarding ceremony was held at the HW Convention Azalea Hall in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 19 October 2023.

Out of the 1,740 photos and videos that were submitted, the photo entry of Filipino participant Mr. Bernard Recirdo II entitled “My Home, Our Family” was awarded as one of the 17 winners selected through expert review and public voting.

Third Secretary and Vice Consul Reisha Olavario, who also serves as the Philippine Embassy’s Gender and Development focal person, represented the Embassy at the awarding ceremony. During the brief discussion between organizers and winning contestants, Third Secretary Olavario highlighted the importance of co-parenting in child-rearing as well as initiatives such as the photo and video contest that highlights the experience of multicultural families in the Republic of Korea. MOGEF and the seven (7) participating Embassies all conveyed their hope for better legislation and support services for families in the Republic of Korea.

The winning entries can be found on the website, www.parentingtogether.kr. The chosen photos and videos will also be displayed at the 1^st floor entrance of the Eastern Plaza in COEX, Seoul from 23-30 October 2023, and at the Citizens' Hall Gallery in Seoul City Hall from 4-9 November 2023.

END