The Official Website of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul, Korea

PHILIPPINES EMPHASIZES IMPORTANCE OF SEAFARER TRAINING AND SHIPBUILDING INVESTMENTS FOR GREEN MARITIME SECTOR AT THE 2023 KOREA MARITIME WEEK

Philippine Department of Transportation Undersecretary Elmer Francisco Sarmiento (left, on screen) was the Philippine’s representative to the Ministerial Conference of the 2023 Korea Maritime Week that was held at the Dynasty Hall of the Shilla Hotel Seoul on 14 June 2023. The Philippine delegation (upper and bottom right) also had a productive bilateral meeting with the ROK Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries on 15 June 2023 with (from L to R) MOF International Cooperation Policy Bureau Director General Heo Man-wook, MOF Maritime Industry and Technology Division Director Lee Chang-yong, MOF Vice Minister Song Sang-keun , DOTr Undersecretary Elmer Francisco Sarmiento, Philippine Ambassador Ma. Theresa B. Dizon- De Vega, MARINA Administrator Sonia Malaluan, and Third Secretary and Vice Consul Reisha Olavario.

15 June 2023, Seoul - The Philippines participated in the Korea Maritime Week and Ministerial Conference, an annual international event that brings together major stakeholders of the international maritime sector to discuss major current issues and future response strategies.

DoTR Undersecretary Elmer Sarmiento, as head of the Philippine Delegation, participated in the Korea Maritime Week Ministerial Conference where he emphasized the importance of human resource capacity building to address the decarbonization challenges of the international maritime sector.

Highlighting that the Philippines is a major player in the maritime shipping market as one of the world’s biggest crew providers, Undersecretary Sarmiento underscored that human resources should be included in the maritime sector’s decarbonization plans through the upskilling and capacity building of seafarers in operating new technology and green ships. He likewise informed the meeting that the Philippines will need the assistance of the international community in helping the Philippines expand its green fleet and contribute to the overall decarbonization goals of the international shipping sector.

At the PH-ROK bilateral meeting with ROK Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries Vice Minister Song Sang Keun, the Philippines reiterated the importance of a whole-of-community approach in helping developing countries transition to green shipping through various means including government subsidies and green financing for eco-friendly vessels, as well as training for workers in the maritime sector. The Philippines also expressed hope that more shipbuilding companies will bring their business to the Philippines, as the country remains an investment-friendly destination with highly-skilled workers.

Philippine Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega likewise expressed her appreciation for the continued support of the ROK Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries in the Post’s flagship programs, including the annual PH-ROK Maritime Cooperation Dialogue. “Maritime cooperation is now one of the most active areas of engagement between countries, and this was most recently manifested in the swift assistance and donation of the ROK Government of the oil spill cleaning technology to help address the March 2023 Mindoro oil spill,” the Ambassador said.

An international maritime sector expert, MOF Vice Minister Song lauded the active and very substantive participation of the Philippines in the IMO. The delegation also had a productive exchange with IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim at the sidelines of the conference.

MARINA Deputy Administrator Sonia Malaluan, and Third Secretary and Vice Consul Reisha Olavario were likewise part of the Philippine delegation to the conference. END

Korea Maritime Week in photos. Lower left: PH Undersecretary Sarmiento with Amb Theresa Dizon De Vega and IMO Secretary General Kitack-Lim. This year’s KMW Ministerial Conference composed of Heads of Participating delegations including ROK Oceans and Fisheries Minister Cho Seung-hwan, IMO Secretary-General Gi-taek Lim, UK Member of Parliament Chris Grailing, Norwegian Deputy Minister for Trade, Industry and Fisheries Vidar Ulriksen, Asiama Ghana Transport Minister Kakku Ofori, Philippine Department of Transportation Undersecretary Elmer Francisco Sarmiento, and Deputy Ambassador of the British Embassy in ROK Gareth Weir.

PHILIPPINES CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN MULTILATERAL COOPERATION WITH ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (ADB)

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Incheon, ROK. The Philippines took part in the 56^th Asian Development Bank Board of Governors Meeting held in Incheon, Korea from 2 to 5 May 2023. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Felipe M. Medalla, as the Alternate Governor for the Philippines to the ADB, headed the Philippine delegation. DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman DOF Undersecretary Mark Dennis Joven, and other officials from BSP, DOF, and DBM likewise formed part of the Philippine delegation.

The Philippine Embassy in Seoul led by Ambassador Theresa Dizon-de Vega assisted the Philippine delegation in various sessions and side meetings, including a delegation meeting with ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa.

The Philippines is a special partner of the ADB, as it continues to host the ADB headquarters in Mandaluyong City, Philippines and has a broad range of cooperation engagements and projects with the international financial and development institution. END

PHILIPPINE EMBASSY WITH REP. MARISSA “DEL MAR” MAGSINO HOLDS TOWN HALL AND DIALOGUES ON OVERSEAS FILIPINO CONCERNS

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11-12 June 2023, Seoul. From June 11 to 12, 2023, the Philippine Embassy with OFW Party-list Representative Hon. Marissa “Del Mar” Magsino held a town hall meeting with the Filipino Community and dialogues with various Korean government offices on Overseas Filipino concerns.

Members of the Filipino community in South Korea attended a Town Hall on OFW concerns with Rep. Magsino on June 11 at the Hyehwadong Catholic Center Conference Room. In her opening remarks, Ambassador Ma. Theresa Dizon-De Vega emphasized the ongoing efforts of the Embassy with the DMW through the MWO in Seoul in assisting the Philippines legislature in responding to the concerns of the overseas Filipino Community. For her part, Rep. Magsino committed to do a follow-through on her office’s ongoing initiatives, including dialogues with PhilHealth on OFW contributions, increased access to SSS services, addressing financial scams, and the seasonal workers program, among others.

On June 12, Ambassador Dizon-De Vega, Rep. Magsino and Labor Attaché Ma. Celeste M. Valderrama met with Rep. Cho Jung Hun of the Korean National Assembly regarding the possible deployment of foreign household workers in South Korea. Rep. Magsino emphasized the need for equal treatment and observance of labor standards and international commitments that will safeguard the welfare and interests of foreign workers in ROK.

On the same day, Rep. Magsino together with Consul General Romulo Victor M. Israel, Jr., and Vice Consul Jill De Dumo-Cornista visited the Seoul Foreign Residents’ Center to conduct benchmarking studies on welfare and legal assistance services available to foreign residents in Korea. The Center reported receiving requests for assistance from Overseas Filipinos mostly on labor-related issues, such as transferring employers and claiming benefits. Concluding the series of meetings was Rep. Magsino’s visit to the MWO (formerly POLO) and OWWA facilities, where supplementary discussions on OFW concerns were held. END

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Philippines Donates Books and Audio-Visual Materials to Seoul Metropolitan Library for Heritage and Independence Months

L-R Ambassador Theresa Dizon-de Vega turns over the book and resource materials donation of Director Seon Myeonghwa of the Information Service Division, Seoul Metropolian Library

16 June 2023, Seoul, Korea. The Philippine Embassy in Korea in cooperation with the Philippines’ National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) donated 17 books and journals on Philippine history, culture, architecture, and arts as well as several volumes of audio-visual materials from the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan or GAMABA series to the Seoul Metropolitan Library on 30 May 2023 at the facility’s offices in Seoul.

The book donation was made in commemoration of Philippine Heritage Month in May and as a prelude to Philippine Independence Day held every 12 June 2023. Philippine Ambassador Theresa Dizon-de Vega turned over the resource materials to Seoul Metropolitan Library representatives Director Seon Myeonghwa of the Information Service Division and Assistant Director Oh Soogyeong of the World Archive Section.

The donated materials curated by the NCCA will be housed at the Global Collections Section of the Seoul Metropolitan Library, one of the largest in Korea and which attracts not only Korean readers but also a growing number of international researchers, academics, students, and members. The Seoul Library said that a growing number of visitors read materials found in the Philippines section and expressed optimism that the numbers would increase with more materials on hand.

Ambassador Dizon-de Vega conveyed that, “The Philippine Embassy hopes to continue its partnership with the Seoul Metropolitan Library and provide more books and other resource materials on the Philippines in the future. We believe this will redound to a greater understanding of the Philippines among Korean and international readers.” END