The Official Website of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul, Korea

PHILIPPINES PARTICIPATES IN SEOUL FOOD 2023 AND 2023 ASEAN TRADE FAIR

Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega on stage during the ribbon cutting ceremony to officially open the Seoul Food 2023. She also joined ASEAN Ambassadors in Seoul in the opening of 2023 ASEAN Trade Fair which was held in conjunction with the Seoul Food 2023. Philippine fresh produce and food products displayed at the exhibition.

10 June 2023, Goyang City, ROK. Philippine Ambassador to Korea, Theresa Dizon-De Vega attended the opening ceremony of Seoul Food 2023, the largest food exhibition in Korea and Asia’s premium food market show. She also joined ASEAN Ambassadors in Seoul at the opening ceremony of the 2023 ASEAN Trade Fair which was held in conjunction with Seoul Food 2023. The four-day event organized by Korea Trade Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) ran from 30 May to 05 June 2023 at KINTEX, Goyang City, ROK.

PH participation in the trade fairs was spearheaded by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) in cooperation with Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC-Seoul) and Philippine Agriculture Office in Seoul (PAO-Seoul).

DTI-EMB and PTIC-Seoul organized the participation of two delegations in the Seoul Food 2023, with coconut products in the Philippine coconut pavilion and plant-based snacks and beverages at the ASEAN Korea Trade Fair 2023. The Philippine Coconut Pavilion is DTI’s initiative anchored on the Research, Marketing, and Marketing Promotion Sub-program component of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP). The delegation was composed of sixteen companies, namely, Benevelle Corporation, Cattleya & Rose Gourmet Foods Trading, Fortune of Wishes Seafood Products, Fruits of Life Inc., Greenlife Coconut Products Philippines, Inc., Hijo Superfoods, Kalipunan ng Maliliit na Magniniyog ng Pilipinas Agriculture Cooperative, Kimes Food International Inc., Marigold Manufacturing Corporation, Miguelitos International Corporation, Profood International Corporation, Pinagdanlayan Multi-purpose Cooperative, Sol’s Italian Food, Theo & Philo Chocolate Factory, Eng Seng Food products, Tongsan Industrial Corporation, and Eng Seng Food Products.

At the ASEAN Trade Fair organized and sponsored by the ASEAN Korea Centre (AKC), the Philippine booth featured healthy and trendy food items such as vegan snacks, Zigmund Enterprise concentrated calamansi with ginger, Jack's Produce Jackfruit based products, and OSH baked fruit chips.

The Food Philippines pavilion of the DA and PAO-Seoul enabled the Philippines to generate greater exposure for our high-value agricultural products in ROK to meet the growing demand of the discerning Korean market for healthy food. A total of fourteen agri-food exporting companies exhibited their products in the Food Philippines pavilion. They were assisted by a DA agribusiness delegation led by Director Junibert de Sagun of DA Agribusiness – AMAS.

Onsite exhibitors that participated in the Food Philippines pavilion of DA and PAO Seoul include, Southern Philippines Fresh Fruits Corp (fresh mangoes, pineapple and cacao tablea), Sangkutsa Food Products Inc (Mango Salsa, Pickled Mango and other picked fruits and vegetables), Mardak Global Export Inc (frozen calamansi, frozen saba, ube, cassava and vegetables), Eng Seng Food Products (fresh young coconut, Fresh/Frozen durian, banana chips, freeze dried fruits), Planters Products Inc (Freeze-Dried Chips, Coffee, Coco Sugar, Coco Skimmed Milk, VCO, Banana Chips, Cacao Tableya), Prime Fruits International Inc (banana chips), Peter Paul Corporation (chili sauce and coconut-based products). In addition, there are a number of Philippine companies that provided their products for display like JelFarm Fresh Produce Enterprise (fresh okra), Hilas Marketing Corporation (fresh okra), Quirino Young Entrepreneurs Association (powdered ube), Avante Agri-Products Phils, Inc. (fresh Cavendish and Cardava banana, pineapple, papaya and mangoes), Carmen Sunrise Exporters Inc (fresh mangoes, papayas, saba), COP Pili Sweets and Pastries (Wrapsody and Y-Nut Pili Nuts products), and Yamang Bukid (turmeric tea).

PAO Seoul also collaborated with the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) and leading Korean fruit importers, such as DOLE, Del Monte and Sumifru, to showcase and intensify promotion of Philippine bananas, pineapples, and other fresh tropical fruits to the Korean consumers during the fair. DA agribusiness delegation generated a total estimated booked or negotiated sales amounting to USD10 Million.

The Philippines looks forward to bigger participation in Seoul Food next year as the Philippines and Korea celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations. END

Philippine delegation from the DA and DTI poses at Food Philippines and Philippine Coconut pavilion with Ambassador Dizon-De Vega.

AMBASSADOR THERESA DIZON-DE VEGA JOINS THE ELDERS – GGGI HIGH-LEVEL CLIMATE PANEL: GETTING ASIA TO NET ZERO

[In photo] H.E. Theresa Dizon-De Vega with the panel of climate experts H.E. Jenny Hyoeun Kim, Deputy Minister and Ambassador for Climate Change of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, Hon Gro Harlem Brundtland, representative of The Elders and Former Prime Minister of Norway, and Dr. Achala Abeysinghe, Director and Head of Programs for Asia of GGGI. H.E. Ban Ki-Moon, President of the Assembly and Chair to the Council of the GGGI welcomed the participants and Director General Frank Rijsberman of the GGGI moderated the discussion.

10 June 2023, Seoul. Philippine Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Theresa Dizon-De Vega was one of the panelists in the High-Level Climate Panel: Getting Asia to Net Zero jointly organized by The Elders and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI). The event was held on 29 May 2023 at the GGGI Headquarters in Seoul, Korea.

H.E. Ban Ki-Moon, former UN Secretary-General and President and Chair of the GGGI who also serves as the Deputy Chair of The Elders, a small group of independent global leaders working for peace, justice, human rights and sustainable planet founded in 2007 by Nelson Mandela delivered keynote remarks.

In his message, GGGI President Ban said that climate crisis requires a real sense of urgency and collaboration in good faith between global leaders. The challenges are immense but The Elders are resolved to help the world step back from the precipice by demanding ambitious reduction targets and responsible policies and GGGI will continue to help developing countries adapt to climate change and transition to green growth.

During the discussion, Ambassador Dizon-De Vega shared that the Philippines is working on a whole-of-government approach in achieving climate goals. She likewise underscored the importance of private sector cooperation in this goal. “The Philippines’ private sector has been stepping up in the last few years. We have established companies and start-ups that are now working on green initiatives like producing power from biomass, utilizing extensive use of solar power, and BESS facilities. E-transport is likewise moving faster now that the country has a development and regulatory framework for this sector”.

Emphasizing the positive policy environment of the Philippines and its growing recognition of the importance of responding to climate issues, Ambassador Dizon-De Vega likewise noted that, “There is also a growing consciousness (in the Philippines), and this is very important, that countries which do not invest in green technologies and move towards net zero run the risk of losing economic opportunities with international partners.” She likewise shared the positive developments such as greater emphasis on renewable energy under the latest National Renewable Energy Plan, moratorium on new coal-fired plants, and a mandate to increase use of biodiesel, bioethanol, and e-transport.

The Philippine Embassy in Korea continues to work with inter-governmental international development organizations such as GGGI in pursuing the Philippines’ green growth objectives. END

Department of Agriculture and Korea Agricultural Machinery Industry Cooperative (KAMICO) ink Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperative Partnership for Agricultural Machinery

[In photos] President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., KAMICO Chairman Shin Gil Kim, DA Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile and Agriculture Attaché Ma. Alilia G. Maghirang of PAO-Seoul during the MOU signing ceremony at the Malacañang Palace.

06 June 2023, Manila. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. witnessed the ceremonial signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Cooperative Partnership for Agricultural Machinery between the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Korea Agricultural Machinery Industry Cooperative (KAMICO) on Tuesday, June 6, 2023 as the Philippines gears up for improved farm productivity and food security.

Speaking during the signing ceremony in Malacañang, the President highlighted the importance of mechanization to agricultural production, noting it has been the thrust of his government to boost food production particularly rice, the country’s major staple.

“We all recognized very clearly the importance of mechanization for our country because we are trying to move the production, we are trying to make sure that at least the local supply for rice is sufficient and, of course, hopefully, also the other crops,” Marcos said.

“The key to all of this is mechanization and all of the things that we’re trying to do. We have some programs to mechanize. We have…our set program, which is the production, from the tariffs on rice importations and then applied also to mechanization,” he added.

Establishing local machinery production is the first step towards agricultural development, Marcos said, expecting it to result in better yield and lower production cost to make Filipino farmers more competitive.

Among the salient features of the MOU include the establishment in the Philippines of a local agricultural machinery manufacturing cluster including assembly production line, research and development of agricultural machinery technology, workforce training on agricultural machinery technology, and a grant of Official Development Assistance (ODA) to further explore potential projects.

President Marcos welcomes KAMICO's proposal for the establishment of a local agricultural machinery manufacturing cluster in the Philippines to be implemented in three phases. KAMICO announced an initial investment of US$30 million would be made in phase 1 of the project and triple that amount in the second phase.

The project is expected to result in food production self-sufficiency; the Philippines becoming a food-exporting country; increased employment and farmers’ income; establishment of infrastructure on agricultural mechanization and industrialization; and, technology transfer and production of specialized machinery.

Through the coordination of the Philippine Embassy and Philippine Agriculture Office in Seoul, KAMICO has been collaborating with DA and the Philippine Center for Post-harvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) since 2017 for technical cooperation in the development of localized farm machinery in the Philippines.

Among the DA-PHILMECH technical cooperation projects with KAMICO-member companies are adaptability testing of a self-propelled Mechanical Elevating Work Platform for mango, durian, and other fruit production operations, and technology performance verification and adaptation of a mechanized onion production system; and pilot adoption and pre-commercialization of corn milling machine.

Philippine Ambassador to Korea, Ambassador Maria Theresa B. Dizon De Vega lauds the active engagement of the KAMICO in accelerating agriculture mechanization in the Philippines.

Currently, DA implements various agrimechanization project under Korean ODA including Technology advice and solutions from South Korea (TASK), Agricultural Mechanization Design and Prototyping Center project; and Smart Agriculture projects.

Established in 1962 and recognized by the Korean government, KAMICO has more than 650 members and is a major partner in the mechanization of Korea’s agriculture sector.

KAMICO actively works in the global agricultural machinery industry by providing aid to developing countries, dispatching investment research groups to emerging markets overseas, and conducting training for international customers. END

AMBASSADOR DIZON-DE VEGA DISCUSSES PHILIPPINE PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AT KOREA UNIVERSITY

Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega delivered a lecture on Philippine Public Diplomacy to students of the Graduate School of International Studies at Korea University. During her brief visit, Ambassador Dizon-De Vega also had a productive meeting with Associate Dean Dr. Cuz Potter and Division Chair of GKS Prof. Lim Sijeong, as well as Filipino students enrolled in the university. She was joined by Public Diplomacy supervising officer Third Secretary and Vice Consul Reisha Olavario during the visit.

09 June 2023, Seoul. Philippine Ambassador to Korea, H.E. Theresa Dizon-De Vega delivered a special lecture on Public Diplomacy in the Philippines. The lecture was delivered to the students of the Graduate School of International Studies at Korea University. Korea University is one of the most prestigious higher education institutions in South Korea and is home to many international students, including scholars from the Philippines.

Ambassador Dizon-De Vega emphasized the importance of effectively communicating foreign policy objectives to the public through strengthened public diplomacy efforts. She added that knowing and listening to one’s audience as well as monitoring trends are critical components of effectively communicating public diplomacy initiatives.

Ambassador Dizon-De Vega likewise explained the importance of striking a balance in managing traditional mediums of public diplomacy and optimizing the reach of social media platforms to make foreign policy more accessible to a wider audience.

“We have instituted quite a few dialogue platforms to communicate with varying audiences to help widen messaging and we use our official channels to communicate what we do on a daily basis”, Ambassador Dizon-De Vega said.

The Ambassador also shared the Philippines’ policy advocacy, cultural, and exchange diplomacy strategies to interested students studying international relations during the Q&A portion of the lecture.

During her brief visit to the university, Ambassador Dizon-De Vega likewise had a productive exchange with Associate Dean Dr. Cuz Potter and Division Chair of GKS Prof. Lim Sijeong, as well as Filipino students enrolled in the university. END