The Official Website of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul, Korea

PHILIPPINES SIGNS DEED OF DONATION FOR PHILIPPINE STUDIES PROGRAM AT BUSAN UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN STUDIES

PR MTD 113 2022 PH BUFS signs deed of donation for advanced PH studies program

27 September 2022, Seoul. Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega signed a Deed of Donation from the Philippine Government with the Busan University of Foreign Studies (BUFS) represented by Acting President Dr. Kyoo-Jae Shin on 20 September 2022 in Busan, Republic of Korea.

The grant for the BUFS will go towards enhancing the Philippine Studies program of the university particularly through courses on Philippine history, society, culture, and language. This will likewise support academic research on the Filipinos as well as outreach programs for Koreans, Filipino-Koreans, and other international students.

The program was made possible through the initiative of Philippine Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda who conceptualized and supported the realization of an “Advancing Philippine Studies Program” in various renowned academic institutions in different parts of the world. In her special video message during the signing ceremony, Senate President Pro Tempore Legarda emphasize the critical role of academic exchanges in fostering a deeper understanding of the Philippines and its relationship with other countries.

In her remarks, Ambassador Dizon-De Vega is hopeful that the program will “bring about renewed engagement on Philippine studies for academics, students, and researchers.”

For his part, Acting President Dr. Shin welcome the grant stating that this will surely enhance the close relations between the Philippines and Korea.

Other Busan University of Foreign Studies officials, Dr. Kwang-woo Park, Dr. Dongyeob Kim, and members of the Korean Institute for ASEAN Studies as well as the Embassy’s Cultural Officer Anthony Cornista were present at the signing.

BUFS now joins the ranks of other prestigious universities in Asia and the Pacific, Europe, and the Americas all supporting the Philippine Studies program. END

PHILIPPINES AND REPUBLIC OF KOREA HOLD INAUGURAL MARITIME DIALOGUE

PR MTD 115 2022 PH ROK Maritime Dialogue

The Philippines and the Republic of Korea held the inaugural maritime dialogue on 21 September 2022 in the maritime city of Busan. Philippine Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Theresa Dizon-De Vega emphasized that the dialogue’s session discussions on cooperation on maritime domain awareness, marine environment protection, ocean economy, and maritime security are matters of central significance to the Philippines.

As maritime nations, the inaugural PH-ROK Maritime Dialogue is a timely celebration of our shared priorities, especially as the Philippines celebrates the National Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month (MANAMo) every September.

Co-chaired by Philippine Assistant Secretary for Maritime and Ocean Affairs Maria Angela A. Ponce and ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General for Southeast Asia Cecilia Chung, the annual maritime dialogue has the highest level of commitment from both the Philippine and ROK governments as both PH Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo and ROK Foreign Minister Park Jin looked forward to the convening of this dialogue and expressed hope for a substantive and productive meeting. The maritime dialogue is an important demonstration of our intention to elevate PH-ROK ties to a strategic partnership.

The 1st Philippines - Republic of Korea Maritime Dialogue was attended by Philippine delegation representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of National Defense, National Security Council, Department of Agriculture, and technical experts from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

After the inaugural dialogue, Ambassador Dizon-De Vega and Assistant Secretary Ponce also had the opportunity to meet with Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries Deputy Minister for Oceans and Fisheries Song Myeong-Dal to discuss the way forward of PH-ROK cooperation on ocean economy.

The Embassy of the Philippines in the Republic of Korea looks forward to convening the Philippines-Republic of Korea Maritime Dialogue annually and watching it organically grow into a dynamic, integrated platform for discussions of all maritime-related issues. END

PHILIPPINE OFFICIALS MEET WITH KOREA NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM

PR National Maritime Museum

The Philippine delegation to the PH-ROK Maritime Dialogue, led by Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega and Assistant Secretary for Maritime and Ocean Affairs Maria Angela A. Ponce, visited the National Maritime Museum of Korea (NMMK) for a meeting with Museum Director General Kim Tae Man and the museum’s Public Relations, Curatorial, and International Affairs team to discuss future cooperation in preservation and research of maritime and underwater cultural heritage, especially in underwater archeology and undersea investigations.

The Korea National Maritime Museum in Busan is a world-class comprehensive maritime museum and the only museum in the Republic of Korea that covers the fields of maritime history, maritime science, marine life, and maritime industry based on 5,000 years of maritime culture.

The Philippines is home to several ancient shipwreck sites, some dating back to 1600 A.D. that can be used as site areas for further cooperation and technical exchanges on maritime archaeological documentation, studies on ancient maritime trade, underwater conservation, and exhibition of artificats collected from the sites.

After the meeting, the Philippine delegation was given a brief tour of the National Maritime Museum of Korea’s special exhibition on the maritime civilization of East Asia and their marine conservation efforts, including the rescue and care of injured marine creatures. END

PH HIGHLIGHTS PRIORITIES, INITIATIVES, AND IMPORTANCE OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN ADDRESSING MARINE LITTER AT THE 7TH INTERNATIONAL MARINE DEBRIS CONFERENCE

PR MTD 114 2022 7th IMDC Busan

The Philippine Embassy in Korea, led by Ambassador Ma. Theresa B. Dizon-De Vega, participated at the 7th International Marine Debris Conference (7th IMDC) held in Busan, Republic of Korea from 18-23 September 2022.

The 7th IMDC is the largest and longest-running conference series dedicated to the issue of plastic pollution and marine litter.

Assistant Secretary for Maritime and Ocean Affairs Maria Angela A. Ponce served as a main panelist in the opening plenary’s multi-stakeholder panel discussion organized by the 7th IMDC in cooperation with the ROK Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the United Nations Environment Program, and the Korea Oceans and Environment Management Corporation. The multi-stakeholder panel aims to bring together representatives from diverse organizations to discuss their contribution to addressing the issue of plastic pollution, protecting the marine environment and the future role of each actor in this context. During the panel discussion, Assistant Secretary Ponce highlighted the Philippines’ National Plan of Action for the Prevention, Reduction, and Management of Marine Litter (NPOA-ML) and emphasized that capacity-building and financing, empowerment of stakeholders, and complimentary legislative action are needed for its effective implementation. She also expressed the importance of science and evidence-based data and research in combatting the complex and multidimensional problem of marine litter.

The Philippine delegation likewise meet several Filipino participants during the conference, including environment advocate and TV personality Antoinette Taus who is also the founder of Communities Organized for Resource Allocation (CORA), a non-profit organization dedicated to creating sustainable programs to help solve global issues including marine debris and climate change. END