GOVPH

PH AMBASSADOR HIGHLIGHTS SKILLS OF FILIPINO CAREGIVERS

25 August 2024, Seoul – The Philippine Embassy joined the ongoing workers education program for the newly-arrived Filipino caregivers in South Korea under the Employment Permit System (EPS)’ Pilot Project between the Philippines’ Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and Korea’s Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL).

The Embassy, together with the Migrant Workers Office-OWWA of Seoul, conducted a post-arrival orientation for the EPS caregivers as part of the 3-day workers training, and supplemental information sessions during the 3-week specialized Caregivers Training conducted by MOEL, HRDK and other designated agencies. The workers education included, among others, Korean labor standards, immigration laws, human rights, and occupational safety; Korean language and culture; EPS pilot project principles and scope of work; Embassy and MWO-OWWA program and services; daily living practices; and specialized training in child care and child safety in the context of Korean family values and practices.

During her meeting with the caregivers, Ambassador Ma. Theresa B. Dizon – De Vega emphasized the skills and specialized preparation of the Filipino EPS caregivers under the pilot project, having undergone strict screening standards and qualifications under the Philippines’ National Competency II Certificate Program on Caregiving and the prescribed pre-departure and specialized post-arrival workers education under the cooperation agreement.

According to the Ambassador, the skills, innate caring ways and productivity of Filipino caregivers are well known in many countries. Filipino caregivers contribute not only to the early child and elderly care system but also in boosting female workforce participation and work and family life balance.

Joining the Ambassador were Consul General Romulo Victor Israel, Jr., Labor Attache Ma. Celeste Valderrama, as well as Fr. John Yoo and Fr. Arvin Mosqueda, MSP, from the Archdiocese of Seoul’s Migrants Ministry, who led a thanksgiving mass for the newly arrived Filipino workers.

Under the agreed principles of the pilot project, the MOEL-certified agencies will serve as employers of the caregivers and the client Korean-households shall be dual-income families with child or children up to 12 years old, single parent families or families with pregnant women. For this purpose, the primary tasks of the EPS caregivers are childcare and household management as reasonably required for the personal needs of the child or children. – END-

LOVE THE PHILIPPINES FOOD TRUCK BRINGS FILIPINO FLAVORS TO SEOUL

27 August 2024, Seoul. As part of Philippine gastrotourism initiatives, the Department of Tourism brought flavors of the Philippines to Seoul through the Love the Philippines Food Truck. Making stops in three busy and trendy areas in Seoul, the Love the Philippines food truck served Filipino food for free to entice more Koreans to visit the Philippines.

Guests were able to enjoy bowls of Filipino favorites such as adobo, lechon, and sisig. The food truck also gave away Halo-halo cups to beat the summer heatwave in Korea.

The food truck’s first stop was at Hongik University on 21 August 2024, a bustling area for locals and tourists in Seoul. On 23 August 2024, Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega was joined by Secretary General Kim Jae Shin of the ASEAN Korea-Centre in trying out samplers of flavorful Filipino dishes sisig, lechon, adobo and the famous Filipino summer cooler halo-halo at the food truck event stationed at the vicinity of the Korea Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. The Political and Economic Section of the Embassy also participated in the event on 25 August 2024 at Seongsu-dong, Yeonmujanggil, a rising trendy area in the city.

The food truck event is a DOT pilot project to intensify Philippine tourism promotion initiatives in South Korea. It also aims to capture the taste of the Korean market by bringing the Philippines’ diverse gastronomy experience to Seoul. END

Above photo: Visitors gather to taste Filipino dishes at the Love the Philippines Food Truck event at the vicinity of the Korea Press Center. Below photo (R): The Political and Economic Section of the Embassy joins Assistant Secretary Quisumbing and Tourism Director Jorda-Apo during the food truck event in Seongsu-dong, Yeonmujanggil.

SECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PUSH FOR STRONGER POLICY AND PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE ENGAGEMENTS BETWEEN PH AND ROK

Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo had a full schedule of meetings and engagements with various organizations during his official visit to the Republic of Korea from 6 to 9 August 2024. Central to these meetings is the Philippines’ priority of creating stronger policy engagements and fostering close people-to-people ties with the Republic of Korea.

SFA Manalo engaged premiere ROK policy experts, ASEAN diplomats, and heads of international organizations during a roundtable co-organized by the Philippine Embassy in Seoul and the Seoul National University Asia Center where the Secretary emphasized a strong convergence between the four strategic considerations identified by President Marcos, Jr. and the premise of President Yoon’s vision for a “Global Pivotal State” on foreign policy and upholding the rules-based international order. The Secretary’s full remarks may be accessed through the link: https://dfa.gov.ph/statement-remarks-apc/35294-remarks-of-the-secretary-for-foreign-affairs-enrique-a-manalo-roundtable-at-seoul-national-university-snu-asia-center-07-august-2024-seoul-republic-of-korea.

While in the Republic of Korea, SFA Manalo also met with representative members of the Filipino community in South Korea across different fields--including international organizations, business, defense, climate change and green growth, government, migrant workers centers, academe, entertainment and the arts, faith-based communities, and the labor sector. The Philippines is proud to contribute to shaping the multicultural narrative of South Korea through the exemplary achievements of many of our Filipino workers, professionals, religious and civic leaders, marriage migrants, academics, international civil servants, and students in the country.

Members of the Philippine Embassy also had a brief opportunity to meet the Secretary. The Philippine Embassy in Seoul is a recipient of the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Best Organization Award 2024, a recognition bestowed by the Secretary himself.

SFA Manalo also sat down for several interviews with the Korean press, where he discussed the opportunities for elevated ties and closer cooperation between the Philippines and South Korea on foreign policy, trade and investment, people-to-people relations and our 75-year partnership. END