The Official Website of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul, Korea

PHILIPPINE EMBASSY ASSISTS FILIPINOS IN KOREA WITH A SPECIAL FLIGHT TO MANILA

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Welfare Officer Aniceta Deuna and Embassy staff briefing the passengers on the arrival and quarantine procedures upon their arrival in NAIA

Seoul, 07 June 2020 – The Philippine Embassy in Seoul today assisted 148 passengers who boarded the special Korean Air flight KE 623 which departed from Incheon International Airport at 6:45pm and safely landed in Manila at around 09:22pm.

The special flight was arranged by the Philippine Embassy in Seoul for Filipino nationals who were stranded in Korea due to intermittent schedule and frequent cancellation of international flights to Manila. The arrangement was made possible with the support of various government agencies in the Philippines such as the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Transportation (DOTr), Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), Manila International Airport Authorities (MIAA), and the Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19, in cooperation with Korean Air.

According to Charge d’affaires, a.i. (CDA) Christian L. de Jesus, the Embassy continues to respond to the various needs of Filipino nationals in Korea whose lives and employment are affected by the pandemic in unprecedented ways. “Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the Embassy has assisted 270 stranded Filipinos in Korea, both residents and transiting passengers at Incheon International Airport. The special flight yesterday was initiated by the Embassy following our survey of Filipinos in Korea who were looking for a special passenger flight. Many have already finished their employment contracts but could not go home because their flight bookings have been cancelled for as many as 3 to 6 times,” CDA de Jesus said.

Under the one-country team approach, CDA de Jesus leads the Embassy and its attached agencies in extending coordinated pandemic-related services to Filipinos in Korea, in cooperation with the different Filipino community organizations. To date, the Embassy and POLO OWWA have provided food packages to 470 individuals; hygiene and COVID-19 care kits to 1,770 Filipinos; meal assistance (cash) to 75 OFWs stranded at the Incheon International Airport; and $200.00 DOLE AKAP cash aid each to 425 OFWs in Korea who were displaced from work or were unable to work due to quarantine, with a total pay-out of $85,000.00.

Before boarding the special flight, the stranded Filipinos extended their appreciation for the assistance of the Philippine government. “Maraming salamat po sa tulong ng Embassy at POLO OWWA! Sa wakas, makakauwi na kami,” said Noel Paclibar one of the returning EPS workers.

“With social distancing measures in place, we commemorate the Migrant Workers’ Day today in a different but equally meaningful way, by serving our migrant workers most in need and helping bring them home to their families,” CDA de Jesus said. END

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Boarding KE 623 to Manila

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“Maraming salamat po sa Philippine Embassy!”

SIGNING OF RENEGOTIATED PHIL-ROK SOCIAL SECURITY AGREEMENT

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The Embassy wishes to share with the public the Press Release of the Social Security System (SSS) regarding the signing of the renegotiated Philippines – Republic of Korea Social Security Agreement (SSA) on the sidelines of the ROK-ASEAN Commemorative Summit in Busan on 25 November 2019.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Republic of Korea President Moon Jae-in witnessed the signing by Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. and Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha of the renegotiated SSA, which addressed the concerns of the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Korea wherein the social security coverage will remain under Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS) and there will be no transfer of contribution from the NPS to the SSS.

The renegotiated agreement also provides an option for OFWs to refund their NPS contribution at the end of the sojourn in Korea, under the same conditions given to Korean nationals.

To get maximum benefits from social security, SSS also encourages OFWs who will opt for lump-sum refund to continue being active SSS members on voluntary basis to ensure their eligibility for SSS pension benefits in the future.

Members of the Filipino community in Korea are encouraged to participate in an SSS Forum to be held in cooperation with the Embassy to get to know more about the SSA and the programs and services for OFWs under the new SS Law. The Embassy will issue an Advisory once the schedule of the SSS Forum has been determined. END

EMBASSY WELCOMES VISITING CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS FROM THE PHILIPPINES

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(Clockwise) FEU Dance Co., Voices of the South Children's Choir (VSCC), Kasing Sining Teatro Bol-anon Ensemble, and the Filipino Youth Choir poses with Embassy officials.

Seoul, 31 October 2019. In the middle of festive events in celebration of 70 years of Philippines-Korea diplomatic relations, the Philippine Embassy opened its doors to outstanding cultural groups from the Philippines who performed recently in South Korea.

First was the Far Eastern University (FEU) Dance Company that participated in the 2019 Andong Mask Festival and World Mask Play Competition. The dance company, led by its Artistic Director Mr. Eduardo Malagkit, performed the dances of Moriones, Babaylan and Pintados Festivals at the Andong Mask Festival and was awarded 3^rd place in the competition.

Second was the Voices of the South Children’s Choir (VSCC), a 40-member community-based choir from Davao City, which won second place in the Youth and Ethnic Performance Categories of the 2019 Busan International Choral Competition. Mr. Peter Ian Buaya, Conductor of the Voices of the South Children’s Choir, and twelve (12) VSCC choir members called on Ambassador Noe A. Wong and gave a short performance at the Embassy on 22 October 2019.

Third, Kasing Sining Teatro Bol-anon Ensemble paid a courtesy call on Ambassador Wong on 23 October 2019 and performed an excerpt from Dagon sa Hoyohoy (Talisman of the Breeze), a musical on the life of Francisco Dagohoy, a Boholano who led the longest Philippine revolt against the Spanish colonial government. The 25-member Kasing Sining was led by its Artistic Director Mr. Lutgardo Labad, eminent theater director and film composer.

Kasing Sining Teatro Bol-anon Ensemble participated in the Gyeryongsan Mountain International Festival and also performed at the Seoul Institute of Arts and M Onnuri Center, both in Ansan City. The performance of Kasing Sining in Korea is the contribution of the Province of Bohol to the celebrations of the 70^th Anniversary of Philippines-Korea Diplomatic Relations.

Lastly, the Filipino Youth Choir from Cebu City led by Maestro Dennis Gregory Sugarol visited and performed at the Embassy on 30 October 2019. The Filipino Youth Choir is the counterpart of the Korea Youth Choir, and together they are known as the “United Youth Choir.” The United Youth Choir was specially formed by the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) to perform during the celebratory events in Cebu City and in Seoul for the 70^th Anniversary of the Philippines-Korea Diplomatic Relations and the ASEAN-Korea Commemorative Summit. The United Youth Choir enchanted a highly appreciative audience at the Sejong Arts Center in Seoul on 29 October 2019. END