GOVPH

PHILIPPINE EMBASSY IN KOREA RECEIVES 2024 BEST ORGANIZATION AWARD

Seoul, 15 July 2024 - The Philippine Embassy in Korea is honored to receive the 2024 Best Organization Award conferred by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The award was received by Philippine Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Theresa Dizon-De Vega during the Commemoration of the 126th Anniversary of the Founding of the Department of Foreign Affairs on 05 July 2024 in Manila. Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo congratulated the Philippine Embassy in Korea for this accomplishment during a milestone year commemorating the 75^th anniversary of Philippines-Korea diplomatic relations.

The Philippine Embassy in Korea was recognized for its steadfast dedication and remarkable achievements in advancing Philippine - Korean relations, fostering various facets of bilateral cooperation, and skillfully managing the affairs of the embassy, embodying excellence in diplomacy and collaboration.

The Best Organization Award celebrates the significant and exceptional contributions of organizations under the Department of Foreign Affairs in furthering Philippine foreign policy objectives and strengthening relationships on the global stage.

The Philippine Embassy in Korea shares this award with all our stakeholders and partners and the Filipino community in South Korea as their support and meaningful collaboration have made this recognition possible. END

FROM SOIL TO SEOUL: CHOCOLATE QUEEN OF CEBU SWEETENS SOUTH KOREA WITH THE FILIPINO CHOCOLATE EXPERIENCE

11 July 2024 Seoul, South Korea -- In celebration of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea and World Chocolate Day, the Philippine Embassy in Seoul invited the Chocolate Queen of Cebu Raquel T. Choa, and the members of the Chocolate Chamber of Cebu Inc. (TCC) to share the rich heritage and tradition of the Filipino Chocolate Experience in South Korean from 7 - 9 July 2024. 

The Philippine Embassy in Seoul held these events in recognition of the essential role of food and gastronomy in shaping the Philippines’ sustainable tourism landscape. “We are proud to bring the Philippine Cacao Tradition to the South Korean Community, introduced by the Chocolate Queen herself. Our shared values in food and culture strengthens the close connection between both our nations,” Philippine Ambassador to South Korea Theresa Dizon-De Vega said.

The advocacy of Chocolate Queen Raquel T. Choa is special as the TCC promotes sustainable tourism and farming practices while upholding the Filipino identity in gastronomy. The Chamber continues to expand by partnering with cacao farmers in the region to grow the best quality cacao beans for their products and trains Filipino MSMEs as well as cacao farming communities in other Southeast Asian countries to develop beans into delectable chocolate in different forms, making the chocolate journey an immersive experience from soil to soul.

On 7 July, the Chocolate Chamber served over 150 members of the Filipino and Korean communities three kinds of chocolate drinks through a Filipino Tsokolate pop-up celebrating World Chocolate Day at the new Philippine Experience Center in the Philippine Embassy in Seoul. The Chocolate Queen of Cebu also shared the heritage story of Filipino cacao and the rich chocolate-making tradition of Filipino sikwate with members of the Korean media and culture and travel influencers at Rakkojae, a traditional Hanok complex in Bukchon Village, Seoul. 

South Korean chocolatiers, members of the Food and Beverage Industry, and prospective buyers and partners from tourism, agriculture, and trade councils were invited by the Philippine Embassy to a separate Chocolate Appreciation session where the Chocolate Chamber highlighted the various flavors and uses of Filipino chocolate, as well as cacao growing practices on 8 July 2024. A Filipino food course provided by Spatula by Haevichi experimental kitchen complemented the in-depth masterclass on growing and enjoying Filipino chocolate.

On 9 July 2024, Ambassador Dizon-de Vega invited heads of missions of cacao growing countries, ASEAN Ambassadors and Korean cultural institutions and partners to a Cacao to Beverage 101 session, highlighting the old-fashioned way of making Filipino tablea (small traditionally home-made tablets of pure ground roasted cacao beans) while weaving the story of the Philippines’ deeply connected history in chocolate making through the Manila-Acapulco Galleon trade. 

The children of the chocolate queen Angelie, AJ, and JP Choa, formed part of the TCC team in Seoul, as the chamber encourages cultural preservation of Filipino chocolate making by involving the younger generation. Ms. Angelie Choa, the CCC Batidores (chocolate version of a coffee barista) made over 350 cups of Filipino tsokolate for the community to enjoy. Mr. JP Choa, a young and upcoming artist who paints Filipino landscapes using cacao, also held a live painting demonstration showcasing the sustainable use of cacao in art during the events.

This project was realized under the Philippine Embassy in Seoul’s flagship Philippine Food and Culture Promotions Program in South Korea (FOCUS Philippines). A joint initiative of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul, in collaboration with the Philippine Department of Tourism in Korea, the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Seoul, the Philippine Agriculture Office in Seoul, and the Migrant Workers’ Office. FOCUS Philippines promotes Filipino food, food products, and agricultural products in South Korea, emphasizing gastrodiplomacy as an essential component of the Philippine government’s thrust towards highlighting Filipino heritage and sustainable development. 

As of July 2024, South Korea remains the top source of the Philippines’ tourist market with a total of 824,798 South Korean visitors (25.99% of overall international tourist arrivals) entering the Philippines. The Philippine Embassy is proud of this accomplishment and will continue to work on actively promoting Filipino tourism, culture, and heritage to the South Korean community. END 

PHILIPPINES LAUDED FOR IMPRESSIVE HOSTING OF INTERNATIONAL FORUM ON GASTRONOMY TOURISM

Cebu, Philippines - The Philippine Embassy in Seoul is pleased to share the press release from the Philippine Department of Tourism on the Philippines’ hosting of the United Nations (UN) Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Asia and the Pacific:

The Philippines has emerged as an “impressive” host for the United Nations (UN) Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Asia and the Pacific. 

The event has garnered positive remarks from participants and international partners for its remarkable success in promoting Filipino cuisine and culture and showcasing the rich gastronomic heritage of the country.

The event, held in Cebu, Philippines on Wednesday (June 26, 2024) received appreciation from Idoia Calleja, Director of Masters and Courses of the Basque Culinary Center (BCC), “a unique ecosystem where training, innovation, research and entrepreneurship coexist with the aim of developing and promoting gastronomy”. 

The BCC creates guidelines on how to develop gastronomy destinations.  Located in Donostia - San Sebastian since 2011, it is a pioneering institution made up of the Faculty of Gastronomic Science and BCC Innovation, the Gastronomy Technological Centre.

In a press briefing, Calleja expressed being highly impressed with The Philippines’ hosting of the forum which served as a platform for exchanging ideas, sharing best practices, and promoting gastronomy tourism in the Asia Pacific Region.

“First of all, thank you. I love the performances.  This is like a pilot for a two-phase for us. I am very, very impressed. As I was saying, this, mentioned before, is a way to exchange ideas, see best practices, and continue generating strong gastronomy tourism. We have the guidelines that go more concretely to the strategy. And also we are developing another initiative in our use cases to empower gastronomy tourism. So we have the steps and we are developing more and more steps,” said Calleja. 

Meanwhile, in the same press conference, Secretary-General of UN Tourism Zurab Pololikashvili shared the challenges faced in organizing worldwide gastronomy forums, of which he also shared the rationale behind the decision to hold the regional forum in the Philippines. He lauded Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco for successfully motivating the UN Tourism Commission to choose the Philippines as the venue for the regional forum.

“We had numerous countries asking to host this Gastronomy Forum. Also, it was very difficult to bring participants from Asia to the Americas. Additionally, we saw a demand for this kind of event and decided to create regional ones. This one is the first. Now, we are organizing across five continents. Why Cebu? Because you have a very active Minister here. It's clear; we have 160 countries. If you ask why we didn't do it in Japan, it's because we did one in Nara two years ago. The Secretary was very patient and knew it was important for her country and the region. She was the perfect candidate. She made an excellent presentation explaining why we should have it here and convinced and motivated us to come. Am I right or not? We had a chance to have dinner in Cambodia, where we enjoyed an excellent Filipino dinner. This is how it works; if other countries want to host the second edition, we are here, and of course, there are criteria. First, there must be a suitable venue and a prepared team. Then, gastronomy must be a priority for the destination country. That's it. This is how we select the locations for these events,” said Pololikashvili.

“I think we all need to promote Filipino cuisine more. What I saw this afternoon, I've never seen Filipino cuisine showcased like this before. I see many opportunities to promote culinary tourism in the Philippines because the best ambassadors are in restaurants and chefs. This is what we've seen, and we've had many good showcases. We can talk about how gastronomy has made countries attractive and how it has made popular destinations and local dishes different. Thank you, Secretary, and all of you who are working hard to promote your beautiful country. I love Cebu and I love the Philippines,” enthused Pololikashvili.

In a separate message during the opening ceremony, Pololikashvili also broached the possibility of establishing an educational center for gastronomy in the country: “I propose to leave a legacy after these nice days is to create something of an educational center or gastronomy center here in Cebu. After all, education is our top priority.”

To this, Tourism Secretary Frasco responded during the press conference: “If I may Secretary General, allow me now in public to confirm the Philippines' acceptance of the Tourism Gastronomy Education Academy or Institute.  We are certainly very open to any discussions, whether it be funding, curriculum, and the like. We have the support of the national government and importantly as well we have the support of those that will help us in the flourishing of this academy partnership”.

Cebu as forum host

The highlight of the event was the promotion of Filipino cuisine representing all regions of the country.

Secretary-General Pololikashvili expressed his awe at the diversity and uniqueness of Filipino cuisine, stating that he had never seen it presented in such a way anywhere else in the world. He emphasized the niche that Filipino food possesses, with its wide range of flavors, spices, and diversity.

Meanwhile, Secretary Frasco highlighted the half a millennium of history that Cebu holds. She emphasized that Cebu, as the place where the first vestiges of Filipino hospitality, kindness, and food were experienced by foreigners through explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, is the perfect choice for hosting the forum.

“The efforts of our President, Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos, Jr., have been to put the global spotlight on Filipino food, as we feel that it is high time to honor the work and talent of our chefs, as well as all our partners in the tourism value chain, making Filipino food truly an exciting argument to be made as the next best thing in gastronomy tourism. I’m thrilled that United Nations Tourism, through the gracious and visionary leadership of its Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, has honored our country with this opportunity. And what better place to hold it than in Cebu, where the very first vestiges of Filipino hospitality and kindness were experienced by foreigners through the explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. After a long and arduous journey to circumnavigate the world, Magellan was treated to Filipino food in the form of fish, bananas, and palm wine, and a feast of meats which is well-documented in Pigafetta's book,” said Frasco.

“Cebu has become a gateway for tourism in the Philippines, especially with the Mactan Cebu International Airport previously awarded Asia’s best airport in the under 5 million category and it serves as a MICE destination with a host of convention centers. Most importantly, Cebu is the cradle of Christianity, reflecting our diverse Filipino heritage shaped by generations of Spanish, Chinese, American, and other influences. We view this as a wonderful opportunity to advance our President's vision for highlighting Philippine gastronomy tourism and collaborating with our fellow member nations in UN Tourism to work towards the full development of gastronomy tourism for the Asia Pacific region, ensuring it is inclusive and sustainable,” concluded the tourism chief.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco invited Korean stakeholders to the UN regional forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Asia and the Pacific during her official visit to South Korea from 7-9 May 2024. The Philippine Embassy in Seoul congratulates the Department of Tourism on the successful hosting of this event. END