EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC
OF THE PHILIPPINES


SEOUL REPUBLIC OF KOREA

news

Remarks by H.E. Luis T. Cruz, AEP to South Korea, during the Dinner Reception of the DOT Travel Mart Presentation, Friday, 8 June 2012, Westin Chosun Hotel, Seoul


It is a great pleasure for me to see both old and familiar faces tonight. The Republic of Korea has been the top source of tourists of the Philippines for six years running. That the Philippines is a choice destination among Koreans comes as no surprise: apart from proximity and the lower cost of quality living in the Philippines, many people are attracted to the myriad choices available at their fingertips when they visit the Philippines.

With its 7,107 islands, the Philippines offers diverse opportunities for both learning and recreation. From nature trips and sports activities to off-the-beaten paths that serve as enticing frontiers of discovery and exploration, the Philippines caters to a wide variety of interests. From excellent English teaching facilities to yearlong festivals that intimate an inherent richness of culture and history, the Philippines easily makes its way to the hearts of even the most seasoned travelers.

Another positive development this year was the signing of the new air services agreement between the Philippines and Korea during the first week of April, which has effectively increased the flights from 19,000 to 28,000 per week on both sides. The new agreement is in line with the Aquino administration’s liberalization of air rights. This is seen as key to the government’s target of increasing tourist arrivals to 10 million by 2016 from more than three million in 2010.

Which makes me confident that by the yearend, South Korea will not only stay on top of the foreign tourist market of the Philippines, but more importantly, will surpass the one million visitor target from Korea.

Of course, none of this will be possible without the relentless support of everyone in this room. Pres. Benigno Aquino has underscored the necessity of public-private partnerships in order to ensure the continuous progress and development of the Philippines. We need not look further than this room to find a steadfast model of excellent cooperation between the government and the private sector. Together, we fuel an industry that creates thousands of jobs, bolsters our economy and, on a greater plane, fosters mutual awareness and understanding between the Filipino and South Korean peoples.

Let me also take this occasion to congratulate the team of our hardworking tourism attaché, Ms. Maricon Ebron. The Department of Tourism in Korea deserves no less than the finest commendation for its dedication, focus and vision. The Department of Tourism is our direct link towards a productive partnership—between the public and private sectors; between the Philippines and South Korea; and between now and our common goal of a prosperous and sustainable future.

Mabuhay!

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

Read More
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. 

Read More
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.

Read More