The Official Website of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul, Korea

PHILIPPINE EMBASSY HOSTS A PHILIPPINE APPRECIATION AND NETWORKING NIGHT FOR FDCP AT THE BUSAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (BIFF)

(Photos: Left - Ambassador Theresa Dizon – De Vega delivers her welcome and congratulatory remarks. Right - FDCP Chairman and CEO Tirso Cruz III conveys his appreciation and support to guests from the Korean film and creative industry.)

10 October 2023, Busan - The 28^th Busan International Film Festival was held recently from 04 to 13 October 2023. BIFF is now the most-attended international film festival event in Asia.

The Philippine Embassy in Korea hosted a “Philippine Appreciation and Networking Night” in honor of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) led by Chairperson & CEO Tirso Cruz III with guests from the Philippine and Korean film, creative content, cultural, and academic sectors.

The FDCP, along with other Philippine creatives, participated in the BIFF and the Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM) during the more than week-long festival.

Ambassador Dizon – De Vega congratulated the FDCP Delegation and Filipino creatives for representing Philippine cinema at this years’ BIFF. She likewise updated the audience on the recently signed Philippines-Korea Free Trade Agreement as it stands to benefit the local film industry with provisions on potential cooperation in the film and creative industries.

For his part, Chairperson Cruz expressed his gratitude for the continued support of Philippine Cinema by the Philippine Embassy and the Korean creative and film industry.

Among the special guests at the reception were Korea Film Council Chairperson Mr. Park Ki-young, BIFF & ACFM General Manager for Public Relations Mr. Daniel Kim, Busan Film Commission Director & CEO Mr. Kang Sung Kyu, NEWONE Cinema (producer and distributor) Mr. Sony Won, Film and TV Actor Hoseung Jung, ASEAN Culture House Director General Mr. In-Hyuck Lee, Prof. Jeoffrey Calimag, and Busan University of Foreign Studies Korea Institute for ASEAN Studies Director Dr. Dong-yeob Kim.

(Photo: Ambassador Dizon – De Vega, Chairperson Tirso Cruz III, Special Guests and the FDCP Delegation pose for commemorative photos.)

Philippine participation at this year’s BIFF include: Essential Truths of the Lake (BIFF Film Icon Selection) produced by Ms. Bianca Balbuena and Directed by Lav Diaz; Filipiñana (Asian Project Market Selection), Director Rafael Manuel; Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (Asian Contents Awards nominees– Best Reality & Variety) produced by Lee Joseph M. Castel and Bryan Kristoffer J. Brazil; Moro (BIFF – Jiseok Award Selection), Directed by Brillante Mendoza; Daughters of the Sea (Asian Project Market Selection) Martika Escobar; Xixi by Wu Fan (Asian Cinema Fund Selection) Venice Atienza; and Arjo Atayde (Best Actor nominee Asian Contents Awards).

The film “Filipiñana” directed by Rafael Manuel and produced by Jeremy Chua won 3 awards at the 2023 Asian Project Market (APM).

(Photo: Special guests from the Korean film sector, academe, government and private organizations pose for a commemorative photo.)

The Philippine Embassy’s Cultural Officer Anthony Z. Cornista was also present at the reception. END

PHILIPPINE EMBASSY CONDUCTS CONSULAR OUTREACH SERVICE AND OVERSEAS VOTER MOBILE REGISTRATION IN GANGWON, SEOUL AND DAEGU

PR MTD 141 2023

15 October, 2023, Seoul. The Philippine Embassy conducted a series of consular outreach missions in Gangwon on 30 September 2023, Seoul on 01 October 2023, and Daegu on 7 to 8 October 2023, with the cooperation of and in partnership with JIL-Korea, MCGI-Korea and the Daegu Filipino Community Council. Led by Ambassador Ma. Theresa B. Dizon-De Vega and Consul General Romulo Victor Israel Jr., the consular team rendered a total of 144 units of consular and Assistance to Nationals services to members of the Filipino community.

Representatives from Pag-IBIG and OWWA also joined the outreach and rendered a combined 116 services, including renewal of OWWA membership, and opening of Pag-IBIG regular and MP2 accounts. The Embassy also conducted an Overseas Voter Mobile Registration and processed the application of 157 Overseas Filipino Voters.

The Embassy looks forward to working with more Filipino Community organizations as partners in promoting Overseas Voter Registration among the growing Filipino population in Korea. The next outreach missions are scheduled on 22 and 29 October 2023 in Changwon and Pyeongtaek, respectively. END

PHILIPPINE HASS AVOCADO NOW AVAILABLE IN KOREA

Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega joined DOLE Korea CEO Mr. Jack Kim during the launch event announcing the arrival of Philippine Hass Avocados in the Republic of Korea.

21 October 2023, Seoul. The Philippine Embassy in Seoul is pleased to announce that Philippine Hass Avocados are now available in the Republic of Korea. Philippine Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Theresa Dizon-De Vega welcomed the arrival of the Philippine hass avocados as a symbol of the strong trade relationship between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea in agricultural exports during its launch on 19 October 2023 at the Homeplus, Gangseo branch. Homeplus is one of the largest retail hypermart chain stores in South Korea, with around 140 branches all over the country. The event was organized by DOLE Korea, led by its CEO Mr. Jack Kim, in cooperation with Agriculture Attaché Maria Alilia Maghirang of the Philippine Agriculture Office in Seoul.

The Philippine Hass avocado is a nutrient-rich fruit with a smooth and creamy texture making it a choice ingredient for a variety of recipes, especially salads and sandwiches. Full of essential nutrients and phytochemicals, the inclusion of the Philippine Hass avocado in the daily diet of consumers can effectively promote cardiovascular health, weight control, and balance glucose levels.

Consumers in South Korea can look forward to more shipments of the Philippine Hass avocados in the future. The fresh Hass avocado exports from the Philippines are sourced from the orchards and packing houses of Dole Philippines in Davao, Bukidnon, and South Cotabato.

The arrival of fresh Philippine Hass avocados to the Republic of Korea is a testament of our active bilateral relations, especially in trade and agricultural development. END

Call Hero Foundation Honors Filipino Veterans of the Korean War

PR MTD 139 2023 CallHero

[TOP L-R] Rep. Kim Sung-won, President of the Korea-Philippines Parliamentary Friendship Association delivers a special message. DND Senior Undersecretary Irineo C. Espino recalls the contributions of
the PEFTOK to the Korean war effort. Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega delivers appreciation remarks to the organizers of the event. [BELOW L] CFO Chairperson Romulo V. Arugay delivers a tribute address. [RIGHT MIDDLE] Members of the Call Hero Foundation led by President Hwang Hak-Soo and the Philippine Delegation pay tribute to Filipino veterans of the Korean War. [RIGHT BELOW] Filipino and Korean community members pay tribute to the heroes of the Korean War.

05 October 2023, Seoul. The Call Hero Foundation of Korea, an organization composed of current and former Korean government officials, legislators, businesspeople, artists, retired military officers, and civic leaders, held a Commemoration ceremony for the naming of Filipino heroes during the Korean War on 24 September 2023. The event was held at the War Memorial Monument dedicated to Filipino veterans located in Goyang City, Korea.

The event, attended by nearly 200 people from the Filipino and Korean communities, featured a special naming segment where names of the 116 Filipinos who were killed in action during the Korean War were recited by representatives from the Philippines and Korea.

In his Opening Declaration, Call Hero President and former National Assembly Member Hwang Hak-Soo recalled the tremendous debt of gratitude of the Korean people to the Philippines for helping defend democracy and freedom during the war.

Adding to the voices of appreciation, National Assembly Member and current Chair of the Korea-Philippines Parliamentary Friendship Association Rep. Kim Sung-Won delivered a tribute message and said that Korea would always consider the Philippines a close friend and ally. ROK Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Director General Kang Yunjin delivered a message on behalf of MPVA Minister Park Min Shik

Tributes to the bravery of Filipino and all other soldiers during the Korean War were likewise delivered by DND Senior Undersecretary Irineo C. Espino and Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) Chairperson Sec. Romulo V. Arugay. Philippine Ambassador Theresa Dizon-de Vega, along with Ms. Jovena Damasen, President of the Descendants of PEFTOK veterans gave congratulatory remarks. Minister and Consul General Romulo Victor Israel and Defense Attaché Col. Enriqueto Deocadez were likewise present at the ceremony.

Secretary Arugay provided the Call Hero Foundation with a reproduction of a rare photograph taken during the Korean War from his province mate in the Philippines. Senior Undersecretary Espino and Ambassador Dizon-de Vega recalled the bravery of the Filipino soldiers and the deep kinship forged between Korean and Filipino veterans through the decades since the war.

The written messages of Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada, Chairperson of the Senate National Defense Committee and Representative Raul C. Tupas, Chairperson of the HOR National Defense and Security Committee were likewise provided to all the guests in the official program.

During the ceremony, the Call Hero Foundation announced the awarding of financial assistance grants to descendants of veterans in the Philippines.

The event included a community singing of “Arirang” by Filipino and Korea guests, a tribute poem, and a rendition of famous Filipino pop song “Anak” in Korean. The evening was capped by a fellowship dinner.

The activity served as a reminder of the shared sacrifices between the Philippines and Korea and the enduring bonds which help define the robust relations the two countries enjoy up to the present. END