The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Philippines is celebrating Korean National Day on the 3rd of October this year, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the event will be held online. Utilizing the convenience of technology, the Embassy aims to promote participation from Filipinos nationwide, and vividly showcase various aspects of cooperation between Korea and the Philippines.
To commence the event, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, H.E. Kim Inchul, and Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines, H.E. Teodoro Locsin Jr, will be delivering the opening address and congratulatory remarks respectively.
During the event, three participants of the Embassy-held essay and photo contest will be featured; this contest was organized to showcase Filipino’s amazing stories and unique experiences with Korea and its people. The Embassy received over 400 touching entries that allowed us to hear the Filipino voice and untold stories—proving that the Korea-Philippines cooperation has considerably developed in various fields such as cultural exchange, education, and through the official development assistance (ODA). We were truly astounded and touched to see how the Korean Wave, including K-Pop, K-drama, Korean food, and Korean studies, are well-loved in the Philippines. The Embassy looks forward to building more heartwarming memories in our journey of establishing a long-lasting and robust friendship between our two countries. The stories of the participants can be found in the attached poster.
Rowena Rosal, the "Igting" company supervisor, will be interviewed along with the essay contest winners. The "Igting" company is a social enterprise sewing center established through the partnership between KOICA and Camp Asia. The partnership aims to create jobs for women from relocated urban families in Bulacan. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Korea-Philippine development partnership, and "Igting" is one example of how this partnership impacts the Philippine socio-economy, and improves the livelihood of the individual Filipinos. Notably, TV and radio personality Sam Oh and Comedian Ryan Bang will be wearing the T-shirts made by "Igting," as they host the National Day celebration.
The event continues to feature various showcases including a taekwondo demonstration by the Philippine Taekwondo Association (PTA), and a greeting from one of the organization's members, Filipino Olympian Kurt Bryan Barbosa. A musical performance by Korean Baritone Park Byeong-In and his wife, Filipino Soprano Rachelle Gerodias will conclude the celebration.
To be with us at our event, please follow our official Facebook page: facebook.com/KoreanEmbassyPhilippines.