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