EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC
OF THE PHILIPPINES


SEOUL REPUBLIC OF KOREA

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Philippine Book Donation Made to Namsan Library Under the Books as Bridges Program



27 April 2025, Seoul. In commemoration of Philippine National Literature Month, the Philippine Embassy in Seoul donated a set of books to the Namsan Public Library on 25 April 2025. 

The donation, under the Embassy’s  “Books as Bridges” program consists of Korean-language versions of works by National Artist Nick Joaquin such as “The Women with Two Navels” and “Tales of the Tropical Gothic” and popular young Filipino author Mica de Leon’s best-selling contemporary romance “Love on the Second Read” all published by the HanseaYes24 Foundation. Other donated books include the Philippine Embassy in Seoul’s 75th anniversary of Philippines-Korea relations commemorative publication “dáyo 이민자: Stories of Migration” and dual language children’s books in Filipino and English. 

Namsan Library Director Mr. Go Young-gap and the Namsan Library team accepted the book donations from Philippine Ambassador Theresa Dizon-de Vega and Third Secretary and Vice Consul Reisha Olavario in a simple ceremony at the library. 

After the turnover, Director Go led the Philippine Embassy team through a tour of the library’s main facilities including its multicultural readings section and its digital publications center. Namsan Library is one of the largest public libraries in the Yongsan-gu area and is a popular reading center for both Koreans and international residents being located in a scenic spot near the iconic Namsan Trail and Tower. 

The Philippine Embassy is scheduled to hold other book donation ceremonies under its “Books as Bridges” program with other Korean institutions for Philippine Independence Month in June. END 

Other News


September 08, 2025
PHILIPPINE EMBASSY WELCOMES KDIS-DAP INTERNATIONAL SHUTTLE COURSE ON DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION DELEGATES

04 September 2025, Seoul – The Philippine Embassy in Seoul, led by Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. Edwin Gil Q. Mendoza, welcomed Former Senator Francis Tolentino, local chief executives and national government officials participating in the International Shuttle Course (ISC) on Digital Transformation in the Public Sector program of the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) and Korea Development Institute School of Public Policy and Management (KDIS) on 02 September 2025. During their visit, the delegation were given a brief overview by Embassy officials of the relations between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea.  In his remarks, CDA a.i. Mendoza acknowledged the important role of local government units in strengthening engagement with other countries. “Diplomacy begins where our people live, in our towns, cities and provinces. It begins with our local government officials who build the trust and confidence of citizens every single day. In several cases, domestic policy informs foreign policy,” he said. Third Secretary and Vice Consul Reisha Olavario presented an overview of PH-ROK relations covering key aspects of bilateral relations and shared ROK’s best practices in digital transformation that may be applied by local government units in the Philippines. Former Senator Tolentino, Mission Leader of DAP-ISC, reaffirmed the outstanding relations between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea. During his term as the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Senator Tolentino provided instrumental support for the bilateral free trade agreement and defense procurement projects between both nations. As the proponent of the DAP Adaptive Governance and Innovation for Local Executives (AGILE) Program, the former Senator encouraged the delegates to continue working for a better and connected Philippines. Professor Hai-young Yun, Assistant Dean of External Relations of KDIS expressed appreciation for the support extended by the Embassy to its programs, stressing the important role the latter plays in helping delegates gain a deeper understanding of the multi-faceted relations between the Philippines and the ROK. The Philippine Embassy in Seoul continues to emphasize the importance of sub-national diplomacy by supporting capacity-building and knowledge-exchange activities such as DAP-ISC.  By focusing on digital transformation and innovation in governance, the DAP-ISC program harnesses ROK leadership in technology for public service delivery and helps local government units translate these lessons into context with strategies that will empower communities and make cities more efficient, responsive and future-ready. END

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September 08, 2025
PHILIPPINES ADVANCES REGIONAL COOPERATION AT APEC ENERGY MINISTERIAL IN BUSAN

Busan, Korea – The Philippine Embassy in Seoul joined the Department of Energy delegation led by Undersecretary Rowena Cristina L. Guevara at the 15th APEC Energy Ministerial Meeting (EMM15) from 27-28 August 2025, where she reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to work with APEC partners in advancing clean energy, modernizing infrastructure, and building resilient systems for a sustainable and inclusive Asia-Pacific future. 

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September 05, 2025
PHILIPPINE EMBASSY HOLDS 2025 PALARONG PINOY AND FAMILY DAY IN JEJU, SOUTH KOREA

31 August 2025, Jeju, South Korea — The Philippine Embassy in Seoul successfully held the 2025 Palarong Pinoy and Multicultural Family Day on 31 August 2025 at the Shimin Bokji Citizens Welfare Town Plaza in Jeju-si, South Korea. This vibrant event is part of the Embassy’s ongoing cultural diplomacy and community engagement efforts aimed at fostering unity and cultural pride among overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), Filipino marriage migrants, and multicultural families in South Korea.

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