The Official Website of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul, Korea

PHL EMBASSY HOLDS FIRST FILIPINO COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP CAMP

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21 April 2024, Gangwon - The Philippine Embassy in Seoul, in coordination with the MWO-OWWA-Seoul and ODAFA-Seoul, held its first Filipino Community Leadership Camp from 20 to 21 April 2024 in Hoengseong National Forest Center in Gangwon-do, South Korea.

Attended by at least 50 Filipino community leaders from across South Korea, the groundbreaking event was aimed to equip the participants with essential skills and knowledge to excel as Filipino community leaders and foster a more cohesive and empowered Filipino community as a whole. Through a combination of seminars, outdoor activities, and immersive training sessions, participants gained tools and strategies needed to thrive as leaders within their respective organizations.

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In her welcome remarks, Ambassador Ma. Theresa B. Dizon-De Vega said that the camp is designed to empower Overseas Filipino Community Leaders with the tools and strategies they need to make a positive impact in their organizations and the broader Filipino community in the ROK. She emphasized that the growing Overseas Filipino community in South Korea calls for leaders who are both resilient and well-informed to be able to effectively address the evolving needs and challenges faced by the community.

Ambassador Dizon-De Vega also gave a presentation on the Bagong Pilipinas initiatives by the Philippine Government, and key initiatives of the Embassy in commemoration of the 75 years of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Korea this 2024.

Management experts Mr. Bernard “Nad” Pating and Mr. Carl Dy, as well as Vice Consul Jill De Dumo-Cornista joined the camp and shared their knowledge on key and effective leadership traits, management strategies, financial acumen and organizational regulations that would enable the participants to effectively lead their organizations.

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The Camp also featured an emergency preparedness seminar in which participants learned about the basic Emergency Management Framework (Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Recovery) and the importance of preparedness within the community context.

Consul General Romulo Victor M. Israel, Jr., who leads the Embassy’s working group on the matter, said that the seminar aimed to enhance participants' awareness and readiness in handling various emergency situations that may arise within the community, and underscored the significance of collaboration and coordination among community leaders in times of crisis.

Speakers from the Embassy included Consul General Israel, Jr., Second Secretary Ernest Diga, Defense Attache LtCol. Don Templonuevo on the PHL Government’s crisis alert levels; and Labor Attache Maya Valderrama on the development of a volunteer area coordinator system among the Filipino community organizations; Vice Consul Jill De Dumo-Cornista on legal considerations during emergencies; and Welfare Officer Cornelia DG. Chanco on community engagement and resilience. Mr. Jayson Amboy also delivered a brief demonstration of basic medical responses, including CPR and the Heimlich maneuver.

Model go-bags or emergency kits were distributed to the participants, in the hopes of encouraging them to replicate the initiative within their own communities.

The camp was capped off by a fellowship night wherein participants showcased their unique talents. Certificates of Registration were also turned over to two (2) new Filipino community organizations, the We Are One Jeju (WAO-Jeju) and the Confederation of Ilocano Association, Inc. (CIASI); while existing organizations were given a renewal Certificate in the spirit of continuing collaboration and partnership with the Embassy. END

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PHILIPPINES WELCOMES PARTNERSHIP OF KOREA’S HD KSOE AND US FIRM CERBERUS IN SUBIC

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos with executives of HD Korea Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering and Cerberus Capital Management during the announcement of their joint investment initiative on 14 May 2024. President Marcos attended the event with Kim Sung-joon, HD's CEO, and Alexander Benard, senior managing director of Cerberus, senior officials from both companies, and respective Ambassadors of the ROK and the US to the Philippines.

16 May 2024, Manila – The Philippine Government welcomed the new partnership between South Korean company HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) with US firm Cerberus Capital Management to lease a portion of the Subic shipyard in the Philippines, along with its facilities, to propel business in the production of offshore wind turbine substructures and provide ship repair services.

The Philippine government expects this partnership to provide a much-needed boost to the local economy in Subic as the company aims to develop the area into a maritime complex capable of manufacturing the substructures as well as ship blocks while also providing maintenance, repair and overhaul services through close cooperation with the Philippine government.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. welcomed HD Hyundai’s investment, saying that it “will not only open new doors for our offshore wind industry, but will also bring maritime manufacturing back to Subic, and eventually restore the glory days of shipbuilding to the Philippine shores.” He added that the investment will not only generate thousands of jobs, but also enable the transfer of critical skills, and improve the Philippines’ position in the global market.

HD KSOE CEO Kim Sung-joon, shared that they eventually aim to create a “state-of-the-art maritime complex” for various services while Cerberus Senior Managing Director Alexander Benard noted that this would “create substantial employment and bring back economic vitality to the Subic Bay area.”

HD KSOE, a South Korea-based shipbuilder and solution provider in heavy industry and energy sectors, will initially focus on the construction of offshore wind platforms. It is projecting to invest approximately US$550 million over 10 years and generate around 10,000 jobs within three to five years. END

PHILIPPINE EMBASSY CONDUCTS CONSULAR OUTREACH SERVICE AND OVERSEAS VOTER MOBILE REGISTRATION IN BUSAN

PR MTD 55 2024 PHILIPPINE EMBASSY CONDUCTS CONSULAR OUTREACH SERVICE AND

11 May 2024, Busan. The Philippine Embassy conducted its first consular outreach mission for the year from 10 to 11 May 2024 in Busan City, led by Consul General Romulo Victor Israel, Jr. The consular team rendered 203 units of consular and Assistance to Nationals services to members of the Filipino community, including e-passport applications, notarials, civil registration, and Embassy ID, among others.

Representatives from Pag-IBIG, OWWA, and SSS also joined the outreach and rendered a combined 110 services, including renewal of OWWA membership, opening of Pag-IBIG regular and MP2 accounts, and updating of SSS records. The Embassy also conducted an Overseas Voter Mobile Registration and processed the application of 38 Overseas Filipino Voters.

The Embassy intends to conduct similar outreach activities this year in other areas in South Korea, including Jeju, Ansan/Cheonan, and Mokpo, among others. END

PHILIPPINE BOOK DONATION TO SEOUL METROPOLITAN LIBRARY IN CELEBRATION OF NATIONAL LITERATURE AND FILIPINO FOOD MONTHS

(PHOTOS – Left: Director Kim Yonghwan of the Seoul Metropolitan Library receives from Ambassador Dizon-De Vega donations from the Philippine Embassy. Right: On display the books and publications donated to the Seoul Metropolitan Library.)

24 April 2024, Seoul – In commemoration of the 75^th Anniversary of Philippine – Korea Diplomatic Relations and in celebration of National Literature Month, the Philippine Embassy made another donation of books and publications to the Seoul Metropolitan Library (SML). On behalf of the SML and the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG), Director Kim Yonghwan of the Knowledge and Culture Division received from Ambassador Dizon – De Vega the books and publications.

This year’s theme for National Literature Month is “Ang Panitikan at Kapayapaan (Literature and Peace)” that aims to enable a meaningful discussion about the importance and contribution of literature in maintaining and spreading peace in the country and in communities.

(PHOTOS – Top: Ambassador Dizon – De Vega and Director Kim Yonghwan at the Philippines section of the library’s Global Collections Room. Below: Ambassador Dizon – De Vega briefs the library officials about the donations.)

As April also marks “Filipino Food Month (FFM)” or “Buwan ng Kalutong Filipino”, the donation focused on works as well as publications with culinary content. This year’s FFM theme is “Engaging the Youth in Shaping the Future of Philippine Culinary Heritage and Gastronomy”.

Director Kim welcomed the addition of the culinary publication materials to the Philippine Section in the Global Collections Room and expressed his appreciation for the second donation by the Embassy. Also present during the simple donation ceremony was Cultural Officer Anthony Cornista. END