GOVPH

2024 ESKWELAHAN SA EMBAHADA, PALARONG PINOY AT FAMILY DAY

August 18, 2024, Seoul. – The Philippine Embassy in Seoul proudly unveiled the 2024 edition of "Eskwelahan sa Embahada," a cultural and educational initiative that seeks to promote Filipino heritage and foster multicultural understanding among Filipino-Korean families in South Korea. The program, running throughout August, is a flagship activity that coincides with the celebration of Buwan ng Wika and the commemoration of 75 years of Philippines-Korea diplomatic relations. 

In her opening remarks for the 2024 Eskwelahan edition, Philippine Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega emphasized the significance of the program and said that the initiative, which is designed to provide multicultural children with a deeper understanding and appreciation of their Filipino heritage, is crucial in creating an ecosystem of empowerment for Filipino marriage migrants and their children, as well as a supportive environment where they can explore and embrace their cultural identity, while also fostering integration and cultural exchange within the broader South Korean community.

The series of events kicked off on August 4, 2024, with "Pagkaing Pilipino," a cooking demonstration held at Sentro Rizal Hall. Led by the instructor Ms. Cathy Israel, participants learned to prepare iconic Filipino dishes such as Adobong Matua, Pancit Canton, and Halo-Halo. The event brought together at least 18 families in person, while 12 more families from Gwangju participated online, who all received cooking kits and equipment. 

On August 10, 2024, the program continued with “Kulturang Pilipino,” a cultural collaboration with the Philippines National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Gyeonggi Children's Museum. The participants were given by the Museum a special tour of their DMZ Flora and Fauna exhibition, where they learned about the historical ties between the Philippines and South Korea, particularly during the Korean War.

The participants also visited the Philippine cultural exhibit mounted by the Embassy which included interactive displays of the kulintang (a traditional Filipino musical instrument), kadang-kadang (a Filipino traditional game), and traditional clothing such as the Baro't Saya and Barong Tagalog, among others. Later, they participated in a Maskara (Mask) Making activity inspired by the Philippines Masskara Festival of Bacolod at the museum's Eco Atelier, led by culture enthusiast, Filipino graduate student, and influencer, Ms. Rina Marquez, and witnessed the ceremonial turnover of the Embassy’s donation of traditional Filipino children’s clothing to enrich the museum’s cultural exhibits. 

Another key feature of the day was the theatrical performance by Teatrong Mulat ng Pilipinas, which captivated over 200 attendees with presentations of beloved children’s stories, including "Ang Buwan at ang Diyosa ng mga Bituin" (The Moon and the Star Goddess), "The Origin of the Sun and the Moon," and "The Trial Among Animals." This was followed by a puppet-making workshop led by Teatrong Mulat ng Pilipinas on August 11, 2024 at the Sentro Rizal, where children explored their talents in creative puppet design and storytelling.

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The month-long celebration wrapped up with a vibrant Palarong Pinoy and Family Day event on August 18, 2024, held at Wolcheon Park, Gwangju Metropolitan City. Conducted in cooperation with the Gwangju Metropolitan City and Gwangju International Residents’ Center, the lively event featured traditional Filipino games such as Luksong Tinik and Patintero, along with board games like Sungka and Dama. An estimated 500 Overseas Filipinos and their multicultural families participated in the event, making it one of the largest gatherings of Overseas Filipinos in South Korea.

The event was further enlivened by a special appearance from WISHBUS South Korea, which featured performances by the K-POP group DREAMNOTE, as well as local Filipino talents JPS Band, Shela Saveron, and the BAGONG BAYANI OFW Band.

In addition to the cultural activities, the Embassy also offered a two-day consular and assistance-to-nationals (ATN), labor and OWWA outreach service and mobile overseas voter registration, in cooperation with the Gwangju Jeonnam Philippine Community and the Gwangju Filipino Catholic Community, in an effort to reach out to the increasing number of Overseas Filipino in Jeollanamdo Province.

The Philippine Embassy in Seoul expressed its gratitude to all the participants and community partners who contributed to the success of Eskwelahan sa Embahada 2024. This year’s program not only strengthened the bonds within the Filipino community in South Korea but also played a vital role in promoting cultural pride and integration among multicultural families. For more information on future Embassy activities, please visit its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/PHinKorea. END

PHILHEALTH CONDUCTS TOWN HALL MEETING FOR FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN SOUTH KOREA

25 August 2024, Seoul – The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) conducted a town hall meeting on 25 July 2024 with the Overseas Filipino Community in South Korea, led by its Senior Vice President for Fund Management Sector, Mr. Renato L. Limsiaco, Jr., at the Sentro Rizal Hall, Philippine Embassy. The event, which was held both in person and online via Zoom, provided an important forum for the Filipino community to engage directly with PhilHealth representatives and learn more about the services and benefits available to them.

During the town hall, Mr. Limsiaco delivered an informative presentation that covered the range of health insurance benefits offered by PhilHealth, with a focus on reforms delivered under the 2019 Universal Health Care (UHC) Law or Republic Act no. 11223, and accessibility of the new PhilHealth ACR App.

Questions were raised during the interactive Q&A session regarding membership eligibility, requirements for claiming health benefits, and how to continue contributions while residing overseas.

In her message to the Filipino community, Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega reaffirmed the Embassy's commitment to actively engage with government agencies providing frontline services. She emphasized the Embassy's duty to serve as a bridge for addressing the concerns of Overseas Filipinos, ensuring that they receive timely and accurate information, and facilitating their access to essential resources and support.

The Embassy encourages members of the Overseas Filipino community in South Korea to monitor announcements regarding upcoming town halls and other informational activities in which they can participate in person or online. END

PHL EMBASSY JOINS THE HRDK IN CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF EPS

14 August 2024, Seoul - The Philippine Embassy in Seoul, together with the Migrant Workers Office – OWWA joined the EPS Workers Festival organized by the Human Resource Development Service in Korea (HRDK) to commemorate the 20^th anniversary of Korea’s Employment Permit System (EPS) on 11 August 2024 in Kintex, Ilsan.

Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega joined HRDK President Lee Woo Young in the commemorative event, and met with the hardworking Filipino EPS workers who participated in the festival. 

The Ambassador led the HRDK officials and representatives of other sending countries in a tour of the Philippine booth, which showcased the various programs and services of the Embassy and MWO-OWWA for the EPS workers, and which was visited by hundreds of EPS workers for information, fun games, and special treats. Other festival booths featured HRDK’s on-the-spot trade tests and occupational safety and health quizzes, financial services for foreign workers, and help desks on workers compensation, pension and insurances, while the talent portion provided entertainment.

The video and photo gallery of the 20 years of EPS featured milestones which included, among others, the first Memorandum of Understanding on EPS signed with the Philippines, the first entry of 94 Filipino workers in August 2004, and the resumption of large-scale entry of Filipino workers following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021.

The event likewise featured successful EPS worker returnees, including Mr. Jason Espana from the Philippines who was an EPS worker from 2013 to 2018. Through his hard work, he was able to build a house for his family and an accommodation rental for tourists. After returning home, he was employed in the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) and served as President of the Philippine OFW Association in Baler, Quezon providing reintegration services to his fellow OFWs. Joining Mr. Espana was Ms. Josephine Infante of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), which is the Philippine sending entity for EPS. 

Since 2004, the Philippines has deployed over 84,000 Filipino workers to Korea. On the occasion of the 20^th year of EPS, the Embassy joins the HRDK in recognizing the important role of the EPS workers in sustaining the growth of Korea’s small and medium sized manufacturing companies and in the process improving the workers’ lives, through orderly, transparent and fair government-to-government recruitment and employment practices. END