The Official Website of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul, Korea

PHILIPPINE EMBASSY WITH REP. MARISSA “DEL MAR” MAGSINO HOLDS TOWN HALL AND DIALOGUES ON OVERSEAS FILIPINO CONCERNS

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11-12 June 2023, Seoul. From June 11 to 12, 2023, the Philippine Embassy with OFW Party-list Representative Hon. Marissa “Del Mar” Magsino held a town hall meeting with the Filipino Community and dialogues with various Korean government offices on Overseas Filipino concerns.

Members of the Filipino community in South Korea attended a Town Hall on OFW concerns with Rep. Magsino on June 11 at the Hyehwadong Catholic Center Conference Room. In her opening remarks, Ambassador Ma. Theresa Dizon-De Vega emphasized the ongoing efforts of the Embassy with the DMW through the MWO in Seoul in assisting the Philippines legislature in responding to the concerns of the overseas Filipino Community. For her part, Rep. Magsino committed to do a follow-through on her office’s ongoing initiatives, including dialogues with PhilHealth on OFW contributions, increased access to SSS services, addressing financial scams, and the seasonal workers program, among others.

On June 12, Ambassador Dizon-De Vega, Rep. Magsino and Labor Attaché Ma. Celeste M. Valderrama met with Rep. Cho Jung Hun of the Korean National Assembly regarding the possible deployment of foreign household workers in South Korea. Rep. Magsino emphasized the need for equal treatment and observance of labor standards and international commitments that will safeguard the welfare and interests of foreign workers in ROK.

On the same day, Rep. Magsino together with Consul General Romulo Victor M. Israel, Jr., and Vice Consul Jill De Dumo-Cornista visited the Seoul Foreign Residents’ Center to conduct benchmarking studies on welfare and legal assistance services available to foreign residents in Korea. The Center reported receiving requests for assistance from Overseas Filipinos mostly on labor-related issues, such as transferring employers and claiming benefits. Concluding the series of meetings was Rep. Magsino’s visit to the MWO (formerly POLO) and OWWA facilities, where supplementary discussions on OFW concerns were held. END

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Philippines Donates Books and Audio-Visual Materials to Seoul Metropolitan Library for Heritage and Independence Months

L-R Ambassador Theresa Dizon-de Vega turns over the book and resource materials donation of Director Seon Myeonghwa of the Information Service Division, Seoul Metropolian Library

16 June 2023, Seoul, Korea. The Philippine Embassy in Korea in cooperation with the Philippines’ National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) donated 17 books and journals on Philippine history, culture, architecture, and arts as well as several volumes of audio-visual materials from the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan or GAMABA series to the Seoul Metropolitan Library on 30 May 2023 at the facility’s offices in Seoul.

The book donation was made in commemoration of Philippine Heritage Month in May and as a prelude to Philippine Independence Day held every 12 June 2023. Philippine Ambassador Theresa Dizon-de Vega turned over the resource materials to Seoul Metropolitan Library representatives Director Seon Myeonghwa of the Information Service Division and Assistant Director Oh Soogyeong of the World Archive Section.

The donated materials curated by the NCCA will be housed at the Global Collections Section of the Seoul Metropolitan Library, one of the largest in Korea and which attracts not only Korean readers but also a growing number of international researchers, academics, students, and members. The Seoul Library said that a growing number of visitors read materials found in the Philippines section and expressed optimism that the numbers would increase with more materials on hand.

Ambassador Dizon-de Vega conveyed that, “The Philippine Embassy hopes to continue its partnership with the Seoul Metropolitan Library and provide more books and other resource materials on the Philippines in the future. We believe this will redound to a greater understanding of the Philippines among Korean and international readers.” END

Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega joins ROK Foreign Minister Park Jin and the ASEAN Committee in Seoul in a meeting with ASEAN Secretary-General Dr. Kao Kim Hourn

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18 June 2023, Seoul. Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega was honored to join ROK Foreign Minister Park Jin and the ASEAN Committee in Seoul in meeting with Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr. Kao Kim Hourn during his inaugural working visit to the Republic of Korea last 16 June 2023.

The Republic of Korea is one of ASEAN’s most active Dialogue Partners. During the dialogue between the Secretary General and the Heads of ASEAN Diplomatic Missions in Seoul, Ambassador Dizon-De Vega affirmed the Philippines’ support and cooperation for ASEAN initiatives with the Republic of Korea and the importance of working together for the peace, security, stability, and prosperity of the region. END

PHILIPPINES PARTICIPATES IN THE 13TH FEALAC CYBER SECRETARIAT WORKSHOP

[Top right] Mr. Richard L. Recella, Assistant Director for Central and South America Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs - Office of American Affairs represented the Philippines in the 13^th FEALAC Cyber Secretariat Workshop held in Seoul. [Center] FEALAC Cyber Secretariat Workshop participants pose for a photo with Deputy Minister Youngsam Choi of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of MOFA.

18 June 2023, Seoul. The Philippines participated in the 13^th Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC) Cyber Secretariat Workshop held on 15 June 2023 at the Westin Josun Seoul. Under the theme “New Action, New Era: Revitalizing FEALAC Cooperation in Overcoming Shared Global Challenges”, the workshop gathered representatives and experts from East Asia and Latin America to discuss strengthening cooperation between the two regions and share best practices and ideas in revitalizing FEALAC projects.

The Philippines, as one of the active members of FEALAC, looks forward to continuous cooperation within the and will strive to support FEALAC projects in East Asia as well as in the Latin American region including through fresh funding to the FEALAC Trust Fund.

Announced early in the year by Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega in a meeting with Director General Jong Uk Choi of MOFA, the Philippines is seeking to enhance its engagement in inter-regional cooperation between East Asia and Latin America with the additional donation to the fund.

FEALAC was established in 1999 and is the only multilateral consultative body that brings the East Asia and Latin American regions very close. The Republic of Korea launched the FEALAC Cyber Secretariat in 2011 has been implementing diverse projects and activities since.

Deputy Minister Youngsam Choi of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea in his opening remarks stated that the Republic of Korea aims to be a GPS nation, a “Global Pivotal State” and pursues the Indo Pacific Strategy to expand this cooperation beyond the geographical constrains of the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia.

The Philippines, like the Republic of Korea, sees East Asia and Latin America as key partners in realizing this vision and looks forward to strengthening its partnership with each member state of FEALAC through bilateral and multilateral channels in the future. END