Philippine ambassador to give RAS Korea lecture on 75 years of bilateral relations
Philippine Ambassador to Korea Maria Theresa B. Dizon-De Vega poses in front of a bookshelf at the Philippine Embassy in Seoul, Jan. 8. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
Philippine Ambassador to Korea Maria Theresa Dizon-De Vega has been appearing in the news a lot lately. From celebrating 75 years of bilateral ties with Korea to urging for fair pay for care workers from the Philippines — as well as making appearances at the Korea Times Forum held earlier this month and last year's Royal Asiatic Society (RAS) Korea Garden Party — she really seems to be everywhere.
This Tuesday, the ambassador will make her next public appearance to give an RAS Korea talk, titled "The Philippines and Korea at 75: A Past Remembered, A Future Forged," giving a chance for anyone to hear her speak and meet her in person.
"The close ties of the Philippines and Korea were forged in the arena of war when the Philippines stood shoulder-to-shoulder with South Korea and other like-minded countries in defense of democracy on the Korean Peninsula at a time when the Philippines was undergoing a difficult post-WWII reconstruction period," she said in an online invitation. "In times of peace and development, the Philippines and Korea have likewise forged a forward-looking relationship building on robust engagement across a broad range of mutual concerns. The way forward necessitates a shared vision of innovation and resilience, informed by the valuable lessons of the past."
The Philippines was the first ASEAN country and the fifth country globally to recognize South Korea as an independent state, commencing diplomatic relations on March 3, 1949.
When the Korean War began in 1950, the Philippines was the first Asian nation to respond to the U.N.'s call to send troops. The Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea, first arriving in Korea in August 1950, consisted of 1,468 troops, which the ambassador said was the fourth-largest contingent of fighting troops brought in to defend the South.
Today, approximately 67,000 Filipinos are in Korea, and over 80,000 Koreans live in the Philippines.
At the end of July, Korea plans to bring in 100 workers from the Philippines for a pilot program to assess the feasibility of importing foreign caregivers into Korea.
The lecture starts at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday in the fifth-floor lounge of the FastFive building in Da-dong near Seoul City Hall. Entry costs 10,000 won or 5,000 won for students and is free for RAS Korea members. Visit raskb.com for more information.