The Official Website of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul, Korea

PH AND ROK AFFIRM FURTHER COOPERATION ON OCEANS AND FISHERIES

PR MTD 119 2022 Meeting with MOF DepMinSong

25 SEPTEMBER 2022, BUSAN - Philippine Ambassador to Korea Theresa Dizon-De Vega and DFA Assistant Secretary for Maritime and Oceans Affairs Maria Angela A. Ponce met with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries Deputy Minister Song Myeong-Dal on 21 September 2022. Ambassador Dizon-De Vega expressed appreciation for the support and participation of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries in the inaugural PH-ROK Maritime Dialogue.

Deputy Minister Song conveyed that the Philippines can look forward to the Republic of Korea’s expanded programs on marine debris and marine environment conservation with KOICA, especially on plastic pollution monitoring and management. Deputy Minister Song also looked forward to working with the Philippines under the ambit of international governmental organizations where both the ROK and PH are members, including Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA).

As a response, Assistant Secretary Ponce expressed that both the ROK and the Philippines have aligned priorities regarding maritime cooperation, as the Philippines just released the National Plan of Action on Marine Litter in November 2021. She also expressed the importance of capacity-building on fisheries, ocean economy, and new technology in this field. Ambassador Dizon-De Vega reiterated some points from the PH-ROK maritime dialogue including the need for working group level focal points for cooperation work of implementors on the ground, especially for Fisheries Monitoring. At the end of the meeting, both sides agreed to work closely together for the 2nd PH-ROK Joint Fisheries Committee (JFC) Meeting which will be held in January 2023. It is the next important ocean economy engagement with the Republic of Korea, after the 1st PH-ROK Maritime Dialogue.

The JFC is a useful forum to discuss very specific technical cooperation projects such as capacity building, especially training courses which are very important in the ocean economy. END

PH AMBASSADOR THERESA B. DIZON-DE VEGA DELIVERS KEYNOTE SPEECH AT THE KOREA MARITIME WEEK 2022 INTERNATIONAL MARITIME HIGH-LEVEL DIALOGUE

1PRKorea Maritime Week

Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega delivered the keynote address at the opening ceremony of the Korea Maritime Week on 21 September 2022.

Under the theme, “Challenges and tasks in the international maritime sector in the new normal era”, the Korea Maritime Week 2022 brought together government officials, international experts, and the academe to discuss major issues in the international maritime sector.

In her remarks, Ambassador De Vega emphasized how international cooperation on shared priorities such as green shipping, protection of the marine environment through digitalization and de-carbonization, and economic cooperation form part of the comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to address the broad challenges of the maritime sector. She also noted that the impact of marine litter and plastic pollution on water and food supplies, public health, and industries such as fishing, shipping, and tourism is a shared problem that requires shared solutions. The Ambassador also lauded the ROK for taking steps to recognize the value of a green ship and potential strategies to increase energy efficiency and decarbonize global shipping, an area of interest and cooperation for the Philippines.

Ambassador De Vega was joined by ROK Vice Minister for Oceans and Fisheries Song Seung Dal, IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim, ROK National Assembly Representative Ahn Byung-gil, and the Mayor of Busan Park Heong-joon. END

PH EXPLORES MARINE AND FISHERIES COOPERATION WITH THE KOREA MARINE ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT CORPORATION

Meeting with KOEM 1

Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega, DFA Assistant Secretary for Maritime and Oceans Affairs Maria Angela A. Ponce, and the rest of the Philippine delegation had a productive meeting with Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation (KOEM) Vice President and Executive Director Sang Joon Yoo, along with team members of the KOEM Maritime Conservation Division to discuss collaboration opportunities between the PH and ROK marine and fisheries sector with the organizational support of KOEM.

KOEM spearheads ROK’s global efforts in marine environment management. Ambassador Dizon-De Vega expressed interest in furthering international cooperation between the PH and ROK in sharing best practices on the management system for a sustainable marine environment. She likewise informed KOEM that the Philippines is actively taking part in international efforts for the preservation of the marine environment by enhancing PH's capability to respond to international issues. To date, KOEM is involved with KOICA in the marine-litter collecting vessel and Enhancement of Marine Litter Management in Manila Bay projects of the ROK in the Philippines. These form part of the ROK USD7.7 million Official Development Assistance to the Philippines for the establishment of a marine litter monitoring system and training for officials of the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). KOEM also supports ROK’s bilateral partnership with the Philippines in achieving clean and sustainable oceans by combatting marine plastic pollution.

Assistant Secretary Ponce briefed KOEM officials on the Philippine National Plan of Action on Marine Litter. Both sides agreed to see where KOEM and the Philippines can cooperate in various areas under the action plan, including the reduction of plastic consumption and enhancement of waste and material management infrastructure and systems.

KOEM also introduced marine conservation awareness programs it undertakes such as the KOEM bus, an informational caravan on maritime awareness and marine environmental management, which travels around major maritime cities in Korea. The Philippine delegation was able to visit the KOEM bus during Korea Maritime Week on separate occasions. END

PHILIPPINE EMBASSY HOLDS 4TH KNOW YOUR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES SEMINAR ON INHERITANCE LAW AND ASSISTANCE-TO-NATIONALS CONCERNS

PR MTD 112 2022

4 September 2022, Seoul. The Philippine Embassy hosted the fourth installment of its Know Your Rights and Responsibilities (KYRR) Seminar Series on 04 September 2022 via Zoom on the topics of inheritance law and assistance-to-nationals (ATN) concerns.

In her opening remarks, Ambassador Ma. Theresa B. Dizon-De Vega noted that the KYRR series was started as a response to the growing need of Filipino communities in South Korea to better understand how relevant laws and regulations affect their daily lives. Past KYRR seminars focused on family law, pension system, and property law - offshoots of an online survey conducted by the Philippine Embassy - as well as the first online legal aid clinic.

Consul General Romulo Victor Israel, Jr., discussed the most common ATN concerns faced by Filipinos in South Korea, including the need to correct their passport records, concerns with their immigration status, voice phishing, investment scams and online libel. He gave some practical advice on what Filipinos should do when faced with these concerns

Vice Consul Jill De Dumo-Cornista also gave a lecture on inheritance law, addressing inquiries related to property inheritances and asset sharing of dual citizens, married individuals and co-owners or family members. She also emphasized that planning is the key in order to avoid future disputes related to estates and inheritances.

The Philippine Embassy is expected to hold the fifth KYRR Seminar Series in November on the topic of combatting violence against women and children. END