GOVPH

PH Legislative Committees on Government Reorganization and Public Works and Highways Conduct Benchmarking Study Visit on Water Development Systems in ROK

(Left photos) PH HOR Members Rep. Ron P. Salo, Rep. Romeo S. Momo, Sr., Rep. Loreto B. Acharon, Rep. Jose C. Alvarez, NIA Administrator Eduardo Eddie Guillen, PH Ambassador to the Republic of Korea H.E. Theresa Dizon-De Vega and Third Secretary and Vice Consul Reisha L. Olavario met with K-Water officials headed by Vice President Mr. Lee Woo Seok. (Right photos) PH delegation’s facility visit at the Daecheong Multi-purpose Dam.

31 May 2023, Seoul, ROK. The Philippines’ House of Representatives (HOR) Committees on Government Reorganization and Committee on Public Works and Highways conducted a benchmarking mission on water development systems and water resource management in the Republic of Korea from 22 to 26 May 2023. The mission is in relation to the proposed creation of a Department of Water Resources (DWR) in the Philippines.

HOR Members Rep. Ron P. Salo, Rep. Romeo S. Momo, Sr., Rep. Loreto B. Acharon and Rep. Jose C. Alvarez were joined by Acting NIA Administrator Eduardo Eddie Guillen, HOR committee secretariat and technical officers and a team from the Philippine Embassy in Korea led by Ambassador Theresa Dizon-de Vega took part in the mission. 

The delegation visited the K Water Headquarters located in Daejeon where they had a productive discussion on best practices in water management with K Water officials led by its Vice President Mr. Lee Woo Seok. After the meeting, the delegation had a site visit to the K Water Integrated Water Resources Control Center and the Daecheong Multi-purpose Dam. 

While in Seoul, the delegation visited the Guui Arisu Water Purification Center, one of the six water purification centers operated by the Seoul Waterworks Authority (SWA). SWA take pride of its tap water brand “Arisu” which undergoes strict water purification process to supply safe drinking tap water to about 10 million residents of Seoul. In 2016, SWA received a certification ISO 22000: 2005 under Food Safety Management System for tap water category, a first for the Republic of Korea.

The delegation also visited the Seoul Sewerage Science Museum (SSSM) located in the Jungnang Sewage Treatment Plant to learn best practices on Seoul metropolitan-wide waste water treatment and sewerage management. 

On the sidelines of the benchmarking study visit, the PH Representatives paid a courtesy call on Rep. Kim Sung-won, member of the ROK National Assembly and President of the Korea-Philippines Parliamentary Friendship Group. END

PH EMBASSY BRIEFS SENATE AND HOUSE LEGISLATIVE OFFICERS TAKING THE DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY OF THE PHILIPPINES - KOREA DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE LEARNING COURSE IN KOREA

Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega welcomed senate and house legislative officers taking the Development of Academy of the Philippines - Korea Development Institute International Learning Course to Korea. The civil servants were technical staff officers of the budget and finance committee of the upper and lower house. Third Secretary and Vice Consul Reisha Olavario briefed the delegation on PH priorities and ROK projects they may wish to focus on during their training and in their future endeavors. 

14 May 2023, Seoul – The Philippine Embassy in Korea continues to support the Philippines’ human resources capacity building initiatives by providing briefings to Filipino civil servants who are in Korea for international training. Last April 24 2023, Philippine Ambassador to Korea Theresa Dizon-De Vega welcomed legislative officers of the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives who were in Korea for a one-week training sponsored by the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) and the Korea Development Institute (KDI) under the DAP’s CBILLS program.

The Philippine Embassy welcomed the DAP delegation and briefed them on the complimentary priorities of the Philippines and the Republic of Korea in governance, innovation, and legislation. DAP Senior Vice President Magdalena L. Mendoza extended her appreciation to the Philippine Embassy for supporting Filipino civil servants’ training efforts and looked forward to working with the Embassy on more training programs and exchanges in the future. END

Filipina Writer and Illustrator Fran Alvarez Wins Nami Is. International Children’s Book Festival

12 May 2023, Nami Island, Korea. The Philippine Embassy congratulates Filipina writer and illustrator Fran Alvarez for winning the “Green Island” Prize in the 2023 Nami Island International Children’s Book Festival for her short story and illustration entitled “Fishing Jin.” The Philippine Embassy’s Third Secretary and Vice Consul Jilliane De Dumo-Cornista and Cultural Officer Anthony Cornista were on hand to witness the awarding ceremony.

Ms. Alvarez’s award-winning work is about a boy named Jin “who absolutely adores fish and loves learning about the different kinds of fish. Whether he’s happy, sad or undergoing some other feeling he can’t describe, the fish are always there to keep him company. One day, he meets someone who is as interested in fish as he is.”

Now in its 11th year, the 2023 Nami Island World Book Festival, which began in 2005, features an arts and culture festival that combines various elements such as literature, art, music, experience and nature under the theme of “picture books.” At least 1,600 entries were submitted from all over the world and screened by a panel of experts.

Ms. Alvarez’s work is part of the Nami Concours Winning Works Exhibition which is currently available for viewing at the Nami Concours Gallery, Nami Island. For more information, please visit www.nambookfestival.com. END