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PHILIPPINE TOURISM SECTOR DISCUSS STREAMLINING TRAVEL SERVICES FOR KOREAN TOURISTS AND HOP-ON HOP-OFF TRAVEL BY THE HUBS INITIATIVE

23 July 2024, Seoul. The Philippine Embassy in Seoul pushed for streamlining of travel services for the benefit of South Korean tourists bound for the Philippines during a meeting with the Department of Tourism-National Capital Region (DOT-NCR) led by Regional Director Sharlene Zabala-Batin and Philippine government officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Bureau of Immigration (BI), Bureau of Customs (BOC), National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), and private sector representatives from the travel operator and tourism marketing sector.

The group visited the Republic of Korea from 17 to 19 June 2024 to conduct a transit tour benchmarking activity in line with the Department of Tourism's Hop-On Hop-Off (HOHO) Travel by the Hubs Initiative. The DOT project was launched in 2023 with Manila as a pilot hub and is currently being expanded to Makati, Taguig, Quezon City and other cities to highlight the major tourist destinations within Metro Manila, and later on to Cebu and other major transit points in the country.

On 17 June 2024, Minister and Consul General Romulo Victor M. Israel Jr. joined by Tourism Director Ma. Corazon Jorda-Apo, welcomed the delegation for a courtesy visit at the Philippine Embassy in Seoul. During the meeting, the officials briefed the Embassy on the current tourism promotion efforts as well as immigration and customs updates and policies in the Philippines.

The Embassy took the opportunity to raise the need to streamline processes for customs and immigration for tourists to ensure that Korean travelers have a pleasant and seamless experience from their arrival to departure from the Philippines. South Korean inbound tourist arrivals currently dominate the Philippine tourism market share at 25.99% as of June 2024.

The BI and BOC also agreed to collaborate with the Embassy for a town hall with the Filipino community in Korea to better educate OFWs/OFs, including those with Korean families, about travelers' or air passengers' rights and obligations and update them on any new developments and regulations. The town hall will also be an opportunity to raise questions and suggestions based on their travel experiences.

The Philippine Embassy continues to work with the Philippine tourism sector to ensure seamless travel and improved tourism services in the Philippines. END

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September 16, 2025
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Seoul, Republic of Korea - The Philippine Embassy in Korea welcomed its new Ambassador, Her Excellency Bernadette Therese C. Fernandez, Chief of Mission Class I, who arrived in Seoul on 15 September 2025 to formally assume her post as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of the Philippines to the Republic of Korea. She was accompanied by her spouse, the Honorable Francisco Noel R. Fernandez III, Director General of the Foreign Service Institute. 

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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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