GOVPH

PHL EMBASSY AND PIKO SUCCESSFULLY HOLD 2024 SIYENTIPIKO RESEARCH COLLOQUIUM, STRENGTHENING PHILIPPINES-KOREA RELATIONS THROUGH RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

21 September 2024, Seoul. The Philippine Embassy in Seoul co-hosted with the Pinoy Iskolar sa Korea (PIKo) and with the support of the Association of Filipino Educators in Korea (AFEK), Seoul National University - Asia Center, University of Southeastern Philippines - College of Applied Economics (USEP), and Batangas State University - ARASOF, the 2024 SiyentiPIKO Research Colloquium on 21 September 2024 at the SNU Asia Center.

Held both online and offline, the event attracted the participation of over 180 attendees, including 70 online participants and 110 offline participants. Themed "Paghahabi ng Kaalaman at Karunungan: Weaving the Fabric of Philippines-Korea Relations through Research, Development, and Innovation," this year’s Colloquium highlighted the strong relationship between the Philippines and South Korea, especially in the fields of research, development, and innovation.

In her welcome remarks, Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega emphasized the vital role of research in shaping policies and strengthening the Philippines-South Korea partnership. She noted that research drives innovation and informs strategic decision-making on key issues such as technology, education, sustainability, S and T, trade, infrastructure, AI, agriculture, the creative industries, and labor migration. The Ambassador encouraged PIKo and its participants to share their findings with the Philippine Embassy, as these insights could be valuable for government initiatives. Looking ahead, the Ambassador expressed the Embassy’s commitment to continue supporting Filipino students, academics, and researchers in South Korea and leveraging their work in fostering international cooperation and promoting knowledge exchange.

The Colloquium accepted research proposals and published works by Filipino students in South Korea under three thematic areas: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS); and Business, Entrepreneurship, and Mathematics (BEAM). 

A panel of judges, composed of professors from AFEK, selected the best research from each thematic area. The selected studies were Ms. Catherine Joy Escuadra, Ph.D. in Education, Ewha Womans University, and her study entitled “Outcomes Insights: A Learning Analytics Dashboard for Entry-Level Physical Therapy Learning Outcomes in a University in the Philippines” under HASS; Mr. Joseph Rei Mark Co, Masters in Economic Development Policy (Major in Sustainable and Inclusive Growth), KDI School of Public Policy and Management, and his study entitled “Public-Private Partnership for Highway Infrastructure Development in the Philippines” under BEAM; and Mr. Robie Vasquez, MS-PhD Animal Biotechnology, Dankook University, and his study entitled “Oral Immunization with non-GMO surface displayed SARS-CoV-2 spike epitopes on bacteria-like particles provokes robust humoral and cellular immune responses, and modulated the gut microbiome in mice” under STEM.

The event also featured two distinguished plenary speakers, Dr. Cynthia P. Pantinople of Daegu University who spoke on “Engineering the Future Towards Global Excellence through Educational Partnerships between the Philippines and South Korea;” and Dr. Joeffrey Calimag of Kyungsung University, who presented his study on “Population and Economy: The Case of South Korea and the Philippines.”

The Philippine Embassy expresses its appreciation to PIKo, the co-organizers, and participants for making the 2024 SiyentiPIKO Research Colloquium a success. The Embassy looks forward to future collaborations with PIKo and eagerly anticipates next year’s colloquium, fostering further innovation and strengthening Philippines-South Korea academic engagement. END

PHILIPPINES PRESENTS FIRST STANDALONE PH PAVILION AT THE 2024 GWANGJU BIENNALE

7 September 2024, Gwangju – The 2024 Gwangju Biennale theme of “Pansori - A Soundscape for the 21st Century” explored the interplay of space, images, and sound which inform social, political, ecological, gender, and power dynamics. Under the Artistic Direction of Nicolas Bourriaud, the latest edition is the largest in the history of the biennale with 31 country pavilions and a main pavilion featuring artists using different artistic media.

The Philippine Pavilion entitled “Locations of Freedom” features the works of renowned Filipino artists Adjani Arumpac, Sari Dalena, Toym Leon Imao, Dennis “Sio” Montreal, Paul Eric Roca, Veejay Villafranca with Karl Castro as designer. Avie Felix, one of the participating artists, likewise served as the pavilion curator. 

The Philippine Pavilion is supported by the vMeme Contemporary Art Gallery, Fundacion Sanso, Imao Studios, the University of the Philippines Film Institute, the Philippine Embassy in Korea, and the Gwangju Biennale Foundation. 

The Philippine pavilion was among those viewed by Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol a day before the opening of the Biennale on 5 September 2024. The other country pavilions visited by the ROK President included Vietnam and Singapore.

Philippine Ambassador to Korea Theresa Dizon-De Vega, Artist-Curator Avie Felix, and Artist Veejay Villafranca were present to help guide President Yoon through the country pavilion at the Asia Culture Center of Gwangju.  

President Yoon was particularly struck by the photo art of Mr. Villafranca, the works of Felix, and the sculptural pieces by Toym Leon Imao which he said were a “moving homage to those who sacrificed their lives for the attainment of freedom” which strikes a familiar chord in Korean history. The Gwangju Biennale will run from 6 September 2024 to 01 December 2024 at the National Asia Culture Center, Gwangju. 

The Philippine Pavilion is part of the ASEAN cluster of pavilions on display at the sprawling National Asia Culture Center a mixed exhibition, art, and library, and multi-use space in Gwangju under the management of the ROK Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. 

Ambassador Dizon-de Vega and Philippine Embassy Cultural Officer Anthony Cornista and all the participating artists likewise took part in the opening ceremony for the ASEAN-Korea Centre Pavilion and the individual country pavilions of six ASEAN member countries. END

PHILIPPINE ARTISTS PARTICIPATE IN THE MMCA CONNECTING BODIES – ASIAN WOMEN ARTISTS EXHIBITION

02 September 2024, Seoul – The Korea National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) is featuring the artworks of sixty-five (65) prominent artists from eleven (11) Asian counties in its Connecting Bodies: Asian Women Artists exhibition. This showcase celebrates the creativity and perspectives of Asian women artists from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines through more than one hundred thirty 130 diverse artworks. The exhibition will run from 2 September 2024 to 3 March 2025.

The exhibition “Connecting Bodies: Asian Women Artists is attempts a new examination of the contemporary meaning of post-1960s art by Asian women from the perspective of “Corporeality” where “the body is a place where various ideologies and situations intersect, and it is also a locus that reveals differences and diversity.”

The exhibition consists of six sections: “Choreograph Life,” “Flexible Territories of Sexuality,” “Bodies: God(dess)s∙Cosmology,” “Street Performances,” “Repeating Gestures-Bodies∙Objects∙Language,” and “Bodies as Becoming-Connecting Bodies”.

Art luminaries from the Philippines in attendance included Imelda Cajipe Endaya and Agnes Arellano.

Artist Cajipe-Endaya, featured her artworks Kapatiran ng mga Lakambining Maybuhay Redux (Sisterhood of Nurturing Chieftains Redux) 2022 and Taghoy Piglas (Lament, set Free) 1984 highlighting the revolutionary sisterhoods in Philippine history and society. The remarkable artworks were well received by the guests.

Artist Agnes Arellano featured her Carcass-Cornucopia to the amazement and curiosity of the art goers. The female figure of Carcass-Cornucopia is a cast of the artists body, done in 1987. The cast was hooved, hung upside down with slaughterhouse hooks, and through the gaping hole of her slashed abdomen, the Serpent and bounty of the Universe split forth. 

The exhibition also featured the artworks of the late Pacita Abad, namely, “Arjuna” 1983 acrylic paint, lace cloth on cotton on stitched and padded canvas and “Bakunawa”, mythical figures found in the indigenous cultures of the Philippines and Indonesia in the pre-colonial era.

Works from the late Professor Brenda Fajardo’s tarot series and video art by Eisa Jocson were also on exhibit.

The exhibition in collaboration with the MMCA Foundation was also supported by the Philippine Embassy in commemoration of 75^th anniversary of Philippines – Korea diplomatic relations.

Present during the opening reception were members from the Diplomatic Corps in Korea, officials from government and private museums, cultural organizations, Filipino Community members, and leading members from the Korean mass media. Also in attendance were Philippine Ambassador Theressa Dizon-de Vega along with Officers and staff from the Philippine Embassy. END