GOVPH

PH EMBASSY IN SEOUL PROMOTES PH CUISINE AT THE 2017 NAMYANGYU SLOW LIFE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL

Namyangju, 25 September – As part of its efforts to promote Philippine culture, particularly Philippine cuisine, in South Korea, the Philippine Embassy in Seoul participated in the Namyangju Slow Life International Festival, an annual food festival that features special food table culture from over the world.

Under this year’s theme “Food, City, and Health,” this year’s festival brought together participants from around 40 countries, including the special participation of wives of ambassadors who introduced dishes and food culture of their respective country at the Dining Share with Global Citizens Food Show, one of the main events of the festival.

 Mme. Maria Ana A. Hernandez, spouse of Philippine Ambassador to South Korea Raul S. Hernandez, demonstrated to the audience of the Food Show how to cook the popular Filipino dish kare-kare, or braised ox tail in peanut sauce, and ginataang mais, or sticky rice and sweet corn with coconut milk.

“As most Koreans are already familiar with the Philippine adobo, I would like to introduce our kare-kare to the Korean audience this time,” Mme. Hernandez explained when asked why she chose to prepare kare-kare.

After the cooking demonstration, some members of the audience were invited to taste the kare-kare and ginataang mais. The festival organizers also served calamansi juice and fresh lumpia to the audience. The Embassy’s participation is timely as for many of the audience, it was their first time to taste Philippine food.

Apart from Mme. Hernandez, the Mesdames of the Embassies of Algeria, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Slovakia, Spain, and Vietnam also participated in the said Food Show which was held at the festival’s Gastronomy Tourism Experience Pavilion.

Organized by the Namyangju Slow Life International Festival Organizing Committee and hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and the Rural Affairs, this year’s festival, which ran for 5 days starting 22 September 2017, promoted healthy eating and an eco-friendly lifestyle.

 - END - 

PHL EMBASSY IN SEOUL CONDUCTS CONSULAR OUTREACH AND FILCOM FORUM IN JEJU

JEJU CITY, 23 September 2017 – The Philippine Embassy in South Korea conducted a two-day consular outreach mission in Jeju City, the capital of Jeju province and the largest city on the island of Jeju, on 22 and 23 September 2017.

The 4-member mobile consular team, led by Third Secretary and Vice Consul Ella Karina Mitra, was assisted by the officers and staff of the Nagkakaisang Pilipino sa Jeju (NAPIL), headed by its president, Ms. Maritess Gaddi. The consular outreach to Jeju was also done with the cooperation of the Jeju Immigrant Office where the outreach mission was held.

The team was able to serve over 150 Filipinos for various consular services such as new passport application, passport renewal, report of birth, NBI clearance application, and citizenship reacquisition.

In addition to the consular outreach program, the Embassy, with the assistance of NAPIL, also organized a FilCom Forum. Vice Consul Mitra presented updates on consular matters and later fielded various questions and concerns of the audience. Said Forum was attended by over 30 members of the Jeju Filipino Community.

Jeju province is one of the nine provinces of South Korea. Situated on and co-terminous with the nation’s largest island of Jeju, the province is home to 604 Filipinos (as of 31 March 2017).

-END-

IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee Approves Designation of Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area

20 September 2017 - The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) approved on 07 July 2017 during its 71st session for the Philippine application for the designation of the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (TRNP-PSSA) with the adoption of the MEPC Resolution on the TRNP in the Sulu Sea PSSA.

In adopting the resolution, MEPC 71 took note "of the ecological criteria, in particular the criteria relating to uniqueness or rarity, naturalness, diversity and fragility criteria, and the socio-economic and scientific criteria of the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park as well as its vulnerability to damage by international shipping activities and the steps taken by the Philippines to address that vulnerability."

Earlier, MEPC 71 adopted the recommendation of the IMO Maritime Safety Committee approving the TRNP area as an Area To Be Avoided (ATBA) by all types of ships of 150 gross tonnage and upwards. The ATBA is aimed at minimizing the risk of damage from ship groundings and pollution damage by international shipping activities and to protect the area's unique and threatened species as well as to preserve as far as practicable its critical habitat and diversity. The MEPC resolution stated that mariners should exercise extreme care when navigating in the area bounded by the geographical coordinates of the PSSA and adhere to the ATBA, which is defined by the following coordinates:

(1) 09º 17'.75 N, 119º 47'.79 E

(2) 09º 04'.73 N, 120º 12'.76 E

(3) 08º 49'.63 N, 120º 13'.99 E

(4) 08º 29'.63 N, 119º 53'.16 E

(5) 08º 36'.15 N, 119º 35'.46 E

(6) 09º 11'.06 N, 119º 36'.67 E

thence back to point (1).

The ATBA for the PSSA will take effect on 1 January 2018 at 0000 hours UTC based on an IMO Safety of Navigation Circular.

In the resolution designating the region surrounding the TRNP as a PSSA, the MEPC invites IMO Member Governments to recognize the ecological, socio-economic and scientific criteria of the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park area as well as its vulnerability to damage by international shipping activities. The MEPC also invites Member Governments to note the ATBA to address the area's vulnerability.