PGMA on twin missions to Seoul: To witness signing of strategic RP-ROK Employment Permit System & to attend ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit

By Gloria Jane Baylon

MANILA, May 31 (PNA Feature) —- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo left yesterday for Seoul on a four-day joint mission of witnessing the signing of bilateral agreements for expanded labor and trade and honoring Philippine commitments for regional peace and cooperation with South Korea through its dialogue partners in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Her official visit on May 30 and 31 to the “Land of the Morning Mist” will be highlighted with her witnessing the signing of five government-to-government Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) in the Korean Blue House (presidential building) by Labor Secretary Marianito Roque, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo and Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap.

Of the agreements to be signed, that of the Employment Permit System (EPS) is of utmost concern to Filipino workers in South Korea because it grants them protection equal to those of South Koreans.

President Arroyo has aggressively campaigned for the opening of overseas labor markets for Filipino workers with all the rights, protection and privileges granted them under international law.

The President last went to South Korea in June 2003 for a state visit when the recently-deceased President Roh Moo-hyun was the leader of the nation.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) noted that in addition, an agreement for a USD50-million commercial investment between Alternergy Holdings Corporation, associated with former Energy Secretary Vince Perez, and Korea East-West Power (KEWP) will also be signed at the Blue House.

Five government-to-private sector deals will also be signed in separate business calls to be witnessed by the Filipino community in South Korea, which is estimated at 50,000.

This year marks the 60th year of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Manila and Seoul, with the Philippines being the fifth country to recognize the post-war establishment of the Republic of Korea (ROK) in March 1949 when the pro-American Syngman Rhee was the leader. Eighteen months later, in September 1950, with ROK invaded by communist forces in what is now North Korea, the Philippines showed solidarity by joining the US-led forces in South Korea’s defense.

The bilateral relationship has since progressed “deeply and broadly” with ROK becoming Manila’s seventh largest trading partner as of year 2008. A large bulk of the Philippines' 2006 foreign direct investment of P54.32 billion is due to the USD3.6 billion invested by South Korea’s Hanjin for shipbuilding facilities in Subic in Central Luzon and Misamis Oriental in Mindanao.

Among others, South Korea’s Official Development Assistance to the Philippines has been used to finance the Laguindingan Airport Development Project in Mindanao and the Northrail-Southrail Linkage Project in Metro Manila, both for a total USD58.2 million.

As of the last (3rd) RP-ROK Policy Consultation in July 2006, records show that 16 bilateral agreements, 26 memorandums of agreement/understanding have been forged between the two countries.

In December 2005, when the late Korean President Roh made a state visit to the Philippines, the RP-ROK Social Security Agreement (SSA) was signed between DFA Secretary Alberto Romulo and his counterpart, then Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon.

The SSA was deemed beneficial for both Manila and Seoul since they deploy a substantial number of nationals to each other’s country. According to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), it has dispatched close to 21,000 Filipino workers to the East Asian country.

The renewal signing of the EPS during the current visit of President Arroyo would facilitate the flow of Filipino workers to South Korea, assure them of workers’ rights similar to those of Koreans, including coverage with a renewable Labor Standard Contract.

Korea is one of the original Dialogue Partners of the ASEAN, and this year’s Commemorative Summit from June 1 to 2 on the resort island of Jeju (also called Cheju), southwest of the port city of Busan (formerly Pusan), celebrates the 20th year since dialogues were initiated between the two parties. It is a symbolic venue, replete with geopolitical history and known in Korea as the “Jeju Uprising.”

Themed “Partnership for Real, Friendship for Good,” the summit will be attended by heads of state/government from ASEAN members and President Lee Myung-bak of the ROK.

A major outcome document, the Joint Statement of the ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit calling for “the reinforcing of political and security cooperation, strengthening of economic and development cooperation and the promotion of socio-cultural exchanges," is to be signed on Sunday, according to the website of the ASEAN Secretariat.

An ASEAN-ROK Investment Agreement which aims to create a business-friendly environment for investors in both ASEAN member states and the ROK is also expected to be signed.

The website also indicates possible outcome documents covering “intensified cooperation on regional and global issues such as climate change, environmental degradation, global economic and financial crisis, food security, energy security and communicable and emerging infectious diseases.”

The ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit is an adjunct activity from May 31 to June 1, along with a Green Growth, Green Asia Exhibition on June 2. (PNA Feature)