House adopts resolution expressing ‘strong support, solidarity’ with South Korea

House Speaker Martin Romualdez (left) presents to Kim Jin-Pyo, Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, a copy of the adopted House Resolution (HR) No.93.



A resolution expressing the House of Representatives' "strong support and solidarity" with the Republic of Korea was adopted by the lower chamber during plenary session Monday morning, July 24. No less than House Speaker Martin Romualdez, who presided over the measure, announced the adoption of the measure, House Resolution (HR) No.93. The resolution, earlier designated as HR No.1126, was filed in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Korean Armistice Agreement slated on July 27. It was also based on the celebration of the 10th United Nations (UN) Forces Participation Day. On Monday afternoon, Romualdez personally presented to Speaker Kim Jin-Pyo of the National Assembly of South Korea the adopted resolution. The latter was visiting the House that same day. “I am pleased that with the pandemic behind us, our parliamentary exchanges have once again become active," the Speaker said. "It is my hope that the relationship between our two countries will continue to grow and become even stronger over the coming years. Be assured that the House of Representatives of the 19th Congress will support the elevation of PH-ROK (Philippine-Republic of Korea) relations to a strategic partnership,” Romualdez said. Romualdez said the resolution "recognizes the longstanding friendship between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea that started way before the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement in 1953 and has flourished since then". "We hope the ties that bind both our countries together shall be perpetually strong,” added the Leyte 1st district congressman. As per the resolution, the bilateral relations between the Philippines and South Korea have always been characterized by mutual trust and support, dating back to March 3, 1949 upon the recognition of Republic of Korea as a sovereign state by the Philippines, the first ASEAN country to establish relations with the new nation, and the first Asian country to respond to the call of the United Nations (UN) to help South Korea when it was invaded by communist forces. “The Philippines and South Korea have historically been and continue to [have] close diplomatic and military allies, and significant economic partners in terms of trade, immigration, and tourism,” it further stated. For her part, Tingog Party-list Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez expressed her appreciation for the active parliamentary exchanges between the two countries. She welcomed the steady growth of ties between both countries and hoped for an even stronger relationship. She also expressed her support to the two nations' strategic partnership in economic, defense and infrastructure development cooperation. "We welcome the growing partnership between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea and we appreciate ROK for its continuing effort to improve the terms and conditions of work of Filipino workers in South Korea," she said. Monday is the first day of the second regular session. It is also the day of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s second State of the Nation Address (SONA).