The Official Website of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul, Korea

PHILIPPINE EMBASSY & FILCOM LEADERS IN SOUTH KOREA CHART PLANS FOR 2023

Rev PHOTOCARD 2022 Year end Leaders Forum

DFA Sec Enrique Manalo, DMW Sec Susan Ople, DFA Usec Eduardo de Vega, OWWA Administrator Arnel Ignacio send holiday greetings; Amb. Theresa Dizon-De Vega holds year-end dialogue with the Filipino Community Leaders; Participants in the Year-End Meeting and Fellowship

05 December 2022.Seoul - The Philippine Embassy in Seoul, together with POLO-OWWA, and other attached agencies held its Year-end Leaders Forum on 04 December 2022 at the Seoul Global Center in a hybrid face-to-face and online gathering of Filipino community leaders representing sixty-five (65) registered organizations in South Korea.

The year-end event took stock of the major activities of the Embassy in 2022, which were highlighted by the resumption of consular outreach missions, introduction of the Know-Your-Rights-and-Responsibilities (KYRR) info-series, conduct of labor education, post-arrival orientation and skills trainings, and holding of PEAK Pinoy seminars and cultural festivities, among others.

The Embassy presented to the community its planned activities for 2023, which include new and continuing programs such as the in-person legal aid consultation, overseas voter registration, emergency preparedness training, Filipino Family Day and Palarong Pinoy, and OWWA’s Hatid Saya sa South Korea. The FilCom leaders actively provided their inputs and suggestions particularly in promoting Philippine culture education for Filcom members, providing cultural experiences for children of multicultural families, and expanding skills training opportunities for OFWs. Moreover, they reaffirmed their willingness to strengthen partnership and collaboration with the Embassy in implementing its planned activities for the community in 2023.

Ambassador Theresa Dizon–De Vega welcomed the suggestions from the FilCom leaders, and conveyed her appreciation to them for their laudable efforts in promoting the welfare of Filipinos in South Korea. “This year, we have increasingly moved to normalcy with the accelerated entry of more Filipino workers, students, and tourists to and from Korea, and with heightened level of cooperation between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea (ROK) in all fields. Next year, we will rally to consolidate and further accelerate these efforts, especially on people-to-people exchange, as we prepare for the milestone 75^th year of PH and ROK relations in 2024,” the Ambassador said. She pledged to match the unwavering spirit of service demonstrated by each of the FilCom leaders with the Embassy’s continuing effort to strengthen its programs, services and facilities with the rallying theme: “Para sa Bayan!”

The Year-end Leaders Forum included special messages for the Filipino community in South Korea from Secretary Enrique A. Manalo of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Secretary Susan “Toots” V. Ople of the Department of Migrant Workers, Undersecretary Eduardo Jose A. De Vega of Migrant Workers Affairs - DFA, and Administrator Arnel Ignacio of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

The activity was capped with a touching “Wish ko lang.. para sa 2023” segment from the various sectors of the community; a musical performance by the Villanueva Chorale of Misamis Oriental fresh from winning 2 gold medals at the 18^th Busan Choral Festival; surprise lucky draws; and community singing. After the program, the holy mass celebrating the Second Sunday of Advent was held, presided by Fr. Jude Genovia and assisted by the Seoul Filipino Catholic Community. -END-

MULTICULTURAL STUDENTS RECOGNIZED AT THE KOREA TIMES’ ANNUAL MULTICULTURAL YOUTH AWARDS

PR MTD 154 2022 The Korea Times Multicultural Youth Awards

[Top photo] Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega with the winners for the high school category Mr. Hong Seok-yeon and Mr. Kim Kyung-min. [Below photo] Distinguished guests and the eleven (11) student awardees of The Korea Times 11^th Multicultural Youth Awards.

06 December 2022. Seoul – Philippine Ambassador to Korea Theresa Dizon-De Vega presented awards to notable students during the Korea Times’ 11^th Multicultural Youth Awards, held at the Korea Press Center in Seoul. The Korea Times holds the youth awards to recognize and encourage students from multicultural backgrounds towards greater achievements.

At the ceremony, Ambassador De Vega presented awards to high-achieving multicultural high school students Mr. Hong Seok-yeon from the Seoul Information Technology High School and Mr. Kim Kyung-min, a Filipino-Korean student from the Korea Polytechnic Dasom High School. Mr. Kim is set to enter university in 2023 and hoping to major in events management.

The Philippine Embassy in Korea continues to champion the importance of inclusivity and representation of multicultural youth in Korean society. Ambassador Dizon-De Vega encourages multicultural students of Filipino ethnicity to continue to do well in their studies and extracurricular activities. END

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF THE PHILIPPINES SIGNS MOU WITH KOREAN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE

IPOPHIL Director General Rowel S. Barba (L) signed an MOU Reinforcing Cooperation on Intellectual Property with KIPO Commissioner Lee Insil (R)

20 November 2022, Seoul – Director General Rowel S. Barba of the International Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHIL) was in Seoul for the MOU signing of the Reinforced Cooperation on Intellectual Property with the Korea Intellectual Property Office (KIPO).

Through the MOU, IPOPhil will continue to benefit from the capacity building programs of Korea through KIPO such as the Knowledge Sharing Program, IP Consulting Program and IP Officers Nurturing Programs.

During his official travel to Seoul, Director General Barba also called on PH Ambassador to Korea Theresa Dizon-De Vega to discuss the MOU signing and Philippine initiatives on Intellectual Property.

Joining Director General Barba at the signing ceremony is Philippine Commercial Counsellor Jose Ma. Dinsay. END

PH Ambassador Speaks on Gender Responsive Governance at KDI Global Governance and Diplomacy Workshop

Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega delivers a presentation on Gender Responsive Governance in the Philippines and answers questions from participants; Ambassador Dizon-De Vega with Filipino students of the KDI

01 December 2022, Seoul. Philippine Ambassador to Korea Theresa Dizon-De Vega was one of the speakers at the Korea Development Institute School of Public Policy and Management (KDIS) at the Global Governance and Diplomacy Workshop held on 28 November 2022 as part of the KDIS’ 25^th anniversary.

Along with Ambassadors from Argentina, Brazil, Italy, and India and representatives from the UK and Indonesia, the Philippines took part in development-themed panels featuring topics on Gender Equality and Mainstreaming, Energy, Food Security, Big Data, Investment, and G-20 related developments. Ambassador Dizon-De Vega spoke on “Lessons on Institutionalizing Gender Responsive Governance in the Philippines”.

In her presentation, Ambassador Dizon-De Vega gave participants an overview of the Philippines’ efforts to institutionalize and promote gender responsive governance, building the legislative foundation for gender equality and mainstreaming, creating more opportunities for women and young girls, and the impact of the pandemic on gender and development issues.

The workshop was attended by KDI students from Korea and different countries, including the Philippines, academics, Korean officials, and members of the diplomatic corps.

The KDI has been Korea’s leading think-tank on policy development and research in the last fifty years and ranked as the best Think-Tank in Asia. Over a quarter century ago it established a School of Public Policy and Management which attracts students, mainly from the public sector, to take up Public Policy, Development and Strategic Studies in an institute-style research environment. END