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ROK GOVERNMENT’S TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF WAIVER OF RE-ENTRY PERMITS FOR LONG-TERM VISA HOLDERS

PHILIPPINE EMBASSY IN SEOUL DISTRIBUTES RELIEF PACKS TO FILIPINOS MOST AFFECTED BY COVID-19

Philippine Embassy officials prepare relief packs for distribution to Filipinos in hard-hit areas of Korea.

Seoul, 18 May 2020 - The Philippine Embassy in Seoul and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), in line with their mandate to assist Overseas Filipinos, distributed relief packs on 16 April and 14 May 2020 to kababayans severely affected by COVID-19. This project is one of the efforts of the Embassy and the DFA in alleviating the economic hardships being experienced by kababayans due to COVID-19.

More than 250 Filipinos received relief packages containing food items, face masks, and hand sanitizers from the Philippine Embassy and the DFA. These were distributed to our kababayans through the kind assistance of Filipino Community leaders, the Daegu Filipino Catholic Community and the Filipino Community Center in Busan.

For this particular project, the Embassy prioritized Filipinos living in the hard-hit areas who have lost their employment due to the effects of COVID-19 and are unable to access assistance from other sources. The Filipino Community leaders provided invaluable assistance in helping identify recipients and verifying their economic and work conditions.

Further, the Philippine Embassy, through POLO-OWWA Korea, distributed hygiene kits and care packages to OFWs and OWWA members economically affected by COVID-19 all over South Korea.

These efforts are the continuation of the work of the Philippine Embassy and the DFA, together with POLO-OWWA, in helping vulnerable Filipinos in South Korea. In March and April 2020, the Embassy shipped face masks and hand sanitizers to Busan, Daegu, and South Gyeongsan Province to Filipinos who were not eligible to receive free face masks from local sources and to those who could not purchase face masks due to government measures.

Kababayans who received the relief packs expressed their gratitude to the Embassy and the DFA, saying that these would be of great help to them. END

Filipino community leaders distribute relief packs from the Philippine Embassy to kababayans in their local areas.

Filipino community leaders distribute relief packs from the Philippine Embassy to kababayans in their local areas.

PHILIPPINE EMBASSY ASSISTED STRANDED FILIPINO NATIONALS AT INCHEON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KOREAN AIRLINES FLIGHT KE 623)

Filipino passengers waving Philippine flags as they board their flight to the Philippines on 14 May 2020, after being stranded for almost two weeks in the transit area of Incheon International Airport.

Seoul, 17 May 2020 - The Embassy of the Philippines in Seoul wishes to inform the public that 45 of our stranded kababayans were safely repatriated to Manila on 14 May 2020 via Korean Airlines Flight KE 623.

The Embassy, as soon as it received confirmation from Korean Air that there were Filipino nationals among the stranded passengers at Incheon International Airport, coordinated with the Department of Foreign Affairs and sent a team to the airport on 4 May 2020 to meet with the stranded Filipino passengers, check on their condition and offer assistance.

Embassy officials went to the airport several times from 4 May to 14 May to provide our kababayans with assistance, including financial aid from POLO-OWWA Korea and the Philippine Embassy amounting to KRW 130,000 cash for each passenger, face masks, sanitizers, vitamins, blankets, toiletries, and meals.

Before their departure, our kababayans conveyed their gratitude to the DFA, POLO-OWWA Korea and the Philippine Embassy for their assistance. END