GOVPH

“KAIN TAYO!”, PH EMBASSY INTRODUCES PHILIPPINE CUISINE, FRESH FRUITS, TROPICAL DRINKS TO KOREAN SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS

11 May 2023, Seoul – Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega warmly welcomed Korean vloggers and digital influencers to a special spring cocktail reception celebrating the rich and unique taste of Philippine cuisine. In celebration of Filipino Food Month in April, the event featured a mix of both popular Filipino dishes and those not too familiar to Koreans. The various offerings were made using Filipino food products and fresh Philippine fruits and vegetables available in major food outlets in Korea.

Guests enjoyed the Philippines’ famous dishes such as pork sisig in a wonton cup, pork liempo, crispy adobo flakes, vegetable lumpia, chicken inasal, and Filipino-style roast pork belly prepared by Gimpo-based Filipino Chef Belgium Villanueva. Philippine liquor and drinks including San Miguel Beer, Lakan (coconut-based liquor), and tropical fruit juices were also available for guests. For dessert, Korean guests were introduced to halo-halo, with turon and homemade ube ice cream, as well as fresh Philippine mangoes, pineapples, and bananas.

As the Philippines is the only country exporting fresh okra to South Korea, the food event also featured okra kimchi especially developed by the Philippine Department of Agriculture Office in Seoul in collaboration with Narichan, a Korean specialty kimchi producer from the kimchi capital of Korea, Jeonju. END

PHILIPPINES PARTICIPATES AT THE 10TH INTERNATIONAL ELECTRIC VEHICLE EXPO IN JEJU ISLAND, ROK

08 May 2023, Jeju, ROK – Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega together with Philippine Trade and Investment Center-Seoul headed by Commercial Counselor Jose Ma. Dinsay and delegates from the Philippines’ Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Energy (DOE) participated in the 10^th International Electric Vehicle Expo held in Jeju Island, ROK from 2 to 5 May 2023. Philippine participation in the IEVE is focused on promoting business opportunities for mineral processing, battery manufacturing, and production of other allied parts for the EV sector to Korean investors.

Ambassador Dizon-De Vega delivered congratulatory remarks at the 6^th ASEAN-Korea EV Forum organized by the ASEAN Korea Centre and the IEVE. In her speech, Ambassador Dizon-De Vega highlighted the developments in the Philippines EV industry stating that “the Philippines is now in the midst of rolling out the implementation of the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act or the EVIDA law as well as the governance, incentives, capacity-building, and resource elements including the critical green metals supply needed for the EV industry.” She added that “the road ahead for the EV sector is fraught with challenges for the ASEAN region but also replete with opportunities for policies and incentives benchmarking, for supply chain and manufacturing technology cooperation, and consumer education and engagement particularly with Korea, one of ASEAN’s closest partners in green growth and technology and with whom countries in our region, both bilaterally and multilaterally, share a common commitment to a more sustainable and resilient future.” The Ambassador also met with IEVE Chairman Kim Daehwan who leads the overall coordination of the IEVE Expo.

The Philippine delegation from DTI headed by DTI-BOI Executive Director Ma. Corazon Halili-Dichosa who was likewise a panelist at the 6^th ASEAN-Korea EV Forum. Executive Director Halili-Dichosa presented recent developments and initiatives in the Philippines’ EV industry in connection with EVIDA and the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act as well as DTI-led government support programs for investors.  Moreover, DOE Director Patrick Aquino delivered a presentation on the Comprehensive Roadmap for the Electric Vehicle Industry (CREVI). Director Eries Cagatan of the DTI-BOI likewise participated in the IEVE.

Mr. Edmund Araga, an advocate of electric vehicles, founding member of the Asian Federation of Electric Vehicles Association, Inc (AFEHVA) and current President of the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP) and the AFEHVA was invited as a keynote speaker in the forum. Mr. Araga presented an overview of the EV industry in ASEAN. END

PH PARTICIPATES IN ASEAN DIGITAL EXPERIENCE ZONE, ALTERNATIVE IDENTITIES EXHIBIT & ASEAN-ROK PARTNERSHIP WORKSHOP IN BUSAN

5 May 2023, Busan, South Korea – The Philippines participated in the new Digital Experience Zone, Special Alternative Identities Exhibition, and the ASEAN-Korea Partnership Workshop in Busan from 26-27 April 2023.

Jointly held by the Korea Foundation-ASEAN Culture House (KF-ACH) and the International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO (UNESCO ICHCAP), the new Digital Experience Zone exhibition featured an Avatar Playground “Experience ASEAN Festivals in a Virtual Space through an Avatar.” The 3D character digital experience zone allowed participants to experience various events by virtually exploring the famous festivals of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and the Philippines. The Philippines giant lantern festival of San Fernando, Pampanga was promoted in the digital zone, showcasing the colorful and intricately-designed lanterns (paroles).

Another feature of the exhibition Alternative Identities: Masks of ASEAN and Korea introduced “other faces” created by the people of Korea and ASEAN under the theme of “Mask”, the cultural heritage of humanity. The MassKara Festival of Bacolod City was featured in the exhibition. All ASEAN countries together with the Republic of Korea were represented in the exhibition.

On 27 April 2023, the KF-ACH also hosted the 2023 ASEAN-Korea Partnership Workshop where participating Embassies and overseas and Korean institutions reported on their public diplomacy thrusts. Presentations from ASEAN Member States and representatives from the academe, Korean institutions and overseas cultural institutions provided various insights and strategies where each country may learn from.

Professor Kim Dong-Yeob, Director of the Korea Institute for ASEAN Studies, Busan University of Foreign Studies gave the keynote speech where he emphasized the advantages of digitization as the way forward in information gathering and sharing on different cultures.

The Philippine Embassy’s Cultural Attaché Anthony Z. Cornista and Ms. Mariel Jasmine A. Nini, Planning Officer II of the Sentro Rizal, International Cultural Affairs Office (SRICAO) of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) participated in the events. END