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PHILIPPINES LAUDED FOR IMPRESSIVE HOSTING OF INTERNATIONAL FORUM ON GASTRONOMY TOURISM

TOP LEFT PHOTO: United Nations (UN) Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili (left) and Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco (right). TOP RIGHT PHOTO: Basque Culinary Center (BCC) Director of Masters and Courses Idoia Calleja. BELOW PHOTO: From left to right: United Nations (UN) Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, and Basque Culinary Center (BCC) Director of Masters and Courses Idoia Calleja during the Press Conference of the UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Asia and the Pacific held on 26 June 2024.

Cebu, Philippines - The Philippine Embassy in Seoul is pleased to share the press release from the Philippine Department of Tourism on the Philippines’ hosting of the United Nations (UN) Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Asia and the Pacific:

The Philippines has emerged as an “impressive” host for the United Nations (UN) Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Asia and the Pacific.

The event has garnered positive remarks from participants and international partners for its remarkable success in promoting Filipino cuisine and culture and showcasing the rich gastronomic heritage of the country.

The event, held in Cebu, Philippines on Wednesday (June 26, 2024) received appreciation from Idoia Calleja, Director of Masters and Courses of the Basque Culinary Center (BCC), “a unique ecosystem where training, innovation, research and entrepreneurship coexist with the aim of developing and promoting gastronomy”.

The BCC creates guidelines on how to develop gastronomy destinations. Located in Donostia - San Sebastian since 2011, it is a pioneering institution made up of the Faculty of Gastronomic Science and BCC Innovation, the Gastronomy Technological Centre.

In a press briefing, Calleja expressed being highly impressed with The Philippines’ hosting of the forum which served as a platform for exchanging ideas, sharing best practices, and promoting gastronomy tourism in the Asia Pacific Region.

“First of all, thank you. I love the performances. This is like a pilot for a two-phase for us. I am very, very impressed. As I was saying, this, mentioned before, is a way to exchange ideas, see best practices, and continue generating strong gastronomy tourism. We have the guidelines that go more concretely to the strategy. And also we are developing another initiative in our use cases to empower gastronomy tourism. So we have the steps and we are developing more and more steps,” said Calleja.

Meanwhile, in the same press conference, Secretary-General of UN Tourism Zurab Pololikashvili shared the challenges faced in organizing worldwide gastronomy forums, of which he also shared the rationale behind the decision to hold the regional forum in the Philippines. He lauded Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco for successfully motivating the UN Tourism Commission to choose the Philippines as the venue for the regional forum.

“We had numerous countries asking to host this Gastronomy Forum. Also, it was very difficult to bring participants from Asia to the Americas. Additionally, we saw a demand for this kind of event and decided to create regional ones. This one is the first. Now, we are organizing across five continents. Why Cebu? Because you have a very active Minister here. It's clear; we have 160 countries. If you ask why we didn't do it in Japan, it's because we did one in Nara two years ago. The Secretary was very patient and knew it was important for her country and the region. She was the perfect candidate. She made an excellent presentation explaining why we should have it here and convinced and motivated us to come. Am I right or not? We had a chance to have dinner in Cambodia, where we enjoyed an excellent Filipino dinner. This is how it works; if other countries want to host the second edition, we are here, and of course, there are criteria. First, there must be a suitable venue and a prepared team. Then, gastronomy must be a priority for the destination country. That's it. This is how we select the locations for these events,” said Pololikashvili.

“I think we all need to promote Filipino cuisine more. What I saw this afternoon, I've never seen Filipino cuisine showcased like this before. I see many opportunities to promote culinary tourism in the Philippines because the best ambassadors are in restaurants and chefs. This is what we've seen, and we've had many good showcases. We can talk about how gastronomy has made countries attractive and how it has made popular destinations and local dishes different. Thank you, Secretary, and all of you who are working hard to promote your beautiful country. I love Cebu and I love the Philippines,” enthused Pololikashvili.

In a separate message during the opening ceremony, Pololikashvili also broached the possibility of establishing an educational center for gastronomy in the country: “I propose to leave a legacy after these nice days is to create something of an educational center or gastronomy center here in Cebu. After all, education is our top priority.”

To this, Tourism Secretary Frasco responded during the press conference: “If I may Secretary General, allow me now in public to confirm the Philippines' acceptance of the Tourism Gastronomy Education Academy or Institute. We are certainly very open to any discussions, whether it be funding, curriculum, and the like. We have the support of the national government and importantly as well we have the support of those that will help us in the flourishing of this academy partnership”.

Cebu as forum host

The highlight of the event was the promotion of Filipino cuisine representing all regions of the country.

Secretary-General Pololikashvili expressed his awe at the diversity and uniqueness of Filipino cuisine, stating that he had never seen it presented in such a way anywhere else in the world. He emphasized the niche that Filipino food possesses, with its wide range of flavors, spices, and diversity.

Meanwhile, Secretary Frasco highlighted the half a millennium of history that Cebu holds. She emphasized that Cebu, as the place where the first vestiges of Filipino hospitality, kindness, and food were experienced by foreigners through explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, is the perfect choice for hosting the forum.

“The efforts of our President, Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos, Jr., have been to put the global spotlight on Filipino food, as we feel that it is high time to honor the work and talent of our chefs, as well as all our partners in the tourism value chain, making Filipino food truly an exciting argument to be made as the next best thing in gastronomy tourism. I’m thrilled that United Nations Tourism, through the gracious and visionary leadership of its Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, has honored our country with this opportunity. And what better place to hold it than in Cebu, where the very first vestiges of Filipino hospitality and kindness were experienced by foreigners through the explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. After a long and arduous journey to circumnavigate the world, Magellan was treated to Filipino food in the form of fish, bananas, and palm wine, and a feast of meats which is well-documented in Pigafetta's book,” said Frasco.

“Cebu has become a gateway for tourism in the Philippines, especially with the Mactan Cebu International Airport previously awarded Asia’s best airport in the under 5 million category and it serves as a MICE destination with a host of convention centers. Most importantly, Cebu is the cradle of Christianity, reflecting our diverse Filipino heritage shaped by generations of Spanish, Chinese, American, and other influences. We view this as a wonderful opportunity to advance our President's vision for highlighting Philippine gastronomy tourism and collaborating with our fellow member nations in UN Tourism to work towards the full development of gastronomy tourism for the Asia Pacific region, ensuring it is inclusive and sustainable,” concluded the tourism chief.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco invited Korean stakeholders to the UN regional forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Asia and the Pacific during her official visit to South Korea from 7-9 May 2024. The Philippine Embassy in Seoul congratulates the Department of Tourism on the successful hosting of this event. END

Love the flavors, Love the Philippines: The Department of Tourism is spearheading efforts in recognizing the pivotal role of food and gastronomy in shaping the Philippine’s tourism landscape.

Under the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) 2023-2028, the PHL tourism roadmap, DOT strives to offer travelers an authentic taste of Filipino hospitality through unique culinary tours and circuits that allow connoisseurs and travelers alike to explore our gastronomic delights at the grassroots level, while visiting top destinations to showcase our rich culinary traditions.

PH SPECIAL ENVOY FOR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION ADVANCES PHILHEALTH DIGITALIZATION WITH THE HEALTH INSURANCE REVIEW & ASSESSMENT SERVICE (HIRA) OF KOREA

Special Envoy Dennis Anthony Uy and HIRA Director General Seolhee Chung discuss Philippines’ goals for transformative IT infrastructure in healthcare management at the Philippine Embassy in Seoul. Director General Chung of HIRA was joined by HIRA Director for International Cooperation Mr. Heesung Jung and Mr. Minchan Park. Special Envoy Dennis Anthony Uy was joined by Third Secretary and Vice Consul Reisha Olavario of the Philippine Embassy and Ms. Karen Carvajal from the Office of the Special Envoy for Digital Transformation.

25 June 2024, Seoul. Philippine Special Envoy to Korea for Digital Transformation Dennis Anthony Uy met with officials of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) of the Republic of Korea at the Philippine Embassy in Seoul on 25 June 2024 to discuss future-oriented international cooperation towards universal healthcare and the digitalization of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

Special Envoy Uy conveyed his mandate under the instructions of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to assist in the rapid advancement and transformation of critical digital infrastructure in the Philippines, including the country’s health services. He looked forward to learning from and working with the international cooperation team of HIRA led by Director General for International Cooperation Seol-Hee Chung.

The Republic of Korea is globally-recognized for having the best digital infrastructure for its universal healthcare system. Director General Chung welcomed the Philippines’ interest in benchmarking the best practices of HIRA in the development of a platform that will transform and improve the Philippines’ insurance claims management system.

The Philippine Embassy in Seoul, represented by Third Secretary and Vice Consul Reisha Olavario, welcomed HIRA to the chancery and conveyed the Embassy’s sincere appreciation for their participation in the meeting.

Both sides looked forward to further engagement on the critical issue of managing public health services in an age of rapidly advancing technology.

Advancing digital technology for public services in the Philippines through international cooperation is one of the key priorities of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul. END

PHILIPPINES, REPUBLIC OF KOREA DISCUSS TELECOMMUNICATIONS REGULATION AND EMERGING DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES AT HIGH-LEVEL MEETING

A high-level meeting between the Philippines National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) was held on 27 June 2024. Both the NTC and KCC agreed to exchanges views in the advancements of the ICT sector to facilitate future cooperation.

27 June 2024, Gyeonggi-do. National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) Commissioner Atty. Ella Lopez and Philippine Special Envoy to the Republic of Korea for Digital Transformation Dennis Uy, together with Philippine Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Theresa Dizon-De Vega, met with high-level officials of the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) on 27 June 2024 at the KCC headquarters in Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea to exchange best practices on the regulatory practices for telecommunications, including the rapidly advancing field of artificial intelligence-enabled platforms.

KCC Vice Chairman Lee Sang-In welcomed the Philippine delegation to KCC and underscored the importance of harnessing the challenges and opportunities of innovative Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) such as global-based services, Over-the-Top (OTT) services, chatGPT, and artificial intelligence as part of the international community. KCC’s primary mandate is to protect users and viewers from harmful content and practices in telecommunications through the regulation of online broadcasting services, platform players, and anti-trust practices domestically and globally. The Philippines, through the NTC, is working towards similar goals of telecommunications regulation to protect users from harmful and malevolent media content. Both sides had a productive discussion of their respective institutional frameworks and agreed to work together on areas that require stronger international cooperation and information-sharing such as overseas regulation, AI platforms, and online-based streaming and selling services.

NTC Commissioner Lopez conveyed the Philippines’ interest in learning the end-to-end process of KCC’s investigation and sanctions imposed on harmful online content and in cooperation with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and regulatory policies, especially those that involve harmful online presence.

Ambassador Dizon-De Vega looked forward to future engagement with KCC as NTC seeks to strengthen its legal and regulatory framework as well as its IT infrastructure.

Special Envoy for Digital Transformation Dennis Uy expressed his appreciation for KCC’s openness and readiness to share knowledge and experience in ICT policies with the NTC. The Special Envoy looked forward to more opportunities where the Republic of Korea can help enhance Philippine goals for transformative ICT policies.

The three senior officials from the Philippines were joined by NTC Deputy Commissioner Alvin Bernard N. Blanco, NTC Director Imelda R. Walcien (Regulation), NTC Director Andres Castelar Jr. (Legal), Third Secretary and Vice Consul Reisha Olavario (Philippine Embassy in Seoul), Atty. Frank Martin Abalos (Office of the Special Envoy for Digital Transformation), and Mr. McNeil Mendoza (Office of the Special Envoy for Digital Transformation). The ROK side included Director Jong-Hwan Eom (International Cooperation Division), Director Ji-Hyun Cheon (Consumer Policy Coordination Division) and Director Woo-Seok Kim (Digital Illegal and Harmful Information Response Division).

Both the NTC and the KCC looked forward to follow-up engagements in the future to facilitate the exchange of best practices in managing new and emerging technologies in the field of communications aside from AI and possible technological transfer to aid the regulation of Philippine communications. END

Korea Communications Commission Vice Chairman Sang-In Lee welcomed the Philippine Delegation to the KCC headquarters in Gyeonggi-do. Upper left: Special Envoy Dennis Anthony Uy introduces himself and his mandate to assist in Philippine digital transformation to KCC Vice Chairman Lee. Lower photo from L-R: Special Envoy for Digital Transformation Dennis Uy, NTC Commissioner Atty. Ella Lopez, and PH Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Ma. Theresa Dizon-De Vega form part of the PH delegation to KCC.

PH EMBASSY IN SEOUL WELCOMES NATIONAL DEFENSE COLLEGE OF THE PHILIPPINES MNSA CANDIDATES TO KOREA

[upper photo] Ambassador Theresa Dizon-de Vega welcomed the MNSA Regular Class 59 at the Sentro Rizal of the Philippine Embassy. [middle photo] Third Secretary and Vice Consul Reisha Olavario gave a briefing on PH-ROK bilateral relations. [bottom photo] Ambassador Theresa Dizon-de Vega, Third Secretary and Vice Consul Reisha Olavario, Philippine Defense and Armed Forces Attaché Col. Don Templonuevo INF (GSC) PA with Dr. Alan A Lachica and the MNSA Regular Class 59 and NPDC staff at the Sentro Rizal of the Philippine Embassy on 24 June 2024.

24 June 2024, Seoul. The Philippine Embassy in Seoul welcomed students of the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP) under the MA in National Security Administration (MNSA) Programs and Executive Course Program to the chancery on 24 June 2024. The NDCP group visited the Republic of Korea from 23 to 28 June 2024 as part of their foreign travel and their Global Security and Development Study (GSDS) program.

Philippine Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Theresa Dizon-De Vega welcomed the NDCP class to the chancery and highlighted the importance of security and defense cooperation in the long-standing and enduring partnership of the Philippines and the Republic of Korea. Third Secretary and Vice Consul Reisha Olavario also briefed the students on the 75 year partnership of the Philippines and the Republic of Korea, including its current priorities, the security situation in the region, and challenges and opportunities in the defense and security sector. A short Q&A followed where the students’ interest in the maturing defense procurement partnership of PH and ROK was highlighted. The Philippine Embassy sought the MNSA students’ support in strengthening military-to-military relations between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea in every aspect. In order to appreciate the different branches of government in the ROK, the Philippine Embassy also arranged a tour of the plenary chamber of the National Assembly for the delegates.

The GSDS program provided the opportunity for MNSA Regular Class 59 and Executive Class to observe the political, economic, socio-cultural, techno-scientific, environmental, and military dynamics of the Republic of Korea through meetings with various organizations including the ROK Ministry of National Defense (MND), the Korean Coast Guard (KCG), and the Korea National Defense University (KNDU). The MNSA Regular Class 59, is composed of sixty-five (65) students from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Foreign Armed Forces, and supported by 6 staff members of NDCP and 1 observer from the Department of National Defense. There were likewise foreign students and members of the Executive Class of the NDCP composed of senior government officials. The group was led by NPDC’s Vice President & Dean Dr. Alan A Lachica who completed his Ph.D. in International Studies (major in International Relations) from Sogang University in Seoul.

The Philippine Embassy in Seoul is pleased to contribute to the program’s foreign travel component, as the MNSA course under the NDCP is an esteemed and well-known graduate studies program for officials working in the Philippine national security sector. The foreign travel to the Republic of Korea provides the MNSA candidates an enhanced perspective as officers and enlisted personnel of the AFP responsible for shaping the future national security policies of the Philippines. END