04 January 2024, Seoul. The Department of Foreign Affairs - Office of Migrant Workers' Affairs (DFA-OUMWA) conducted the first Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) Management Audit Mission in South Korea on 21 to 22 December 2023. Led by Undersecretary Eduardo Jose A. De Vega, the DFA-OUMWA team conducted four key activities, including a management audit on the smooth transition of ATN work between the Embassy's ATN Section and the new Migrant Workers Office-Seoul (MWO, formerly POLO); meeting with the Seoul Women Migrants' Center led by Director Joohee Kwon and Filipino counselor Cecil Park on welfare concerns of Filipino marriage migrants; jail visit and welfare check on six (6) Filipino inmates serving long sentences; and town hall meeting with the Filipino community on critical concerns.

During the townhall meeting, the DFA-OUMWA team presented the distinction between the ATN work of the DFA/Embassy and the Department of Migrant Workers/MWO. Undersecretary De Vega also responded to various inquiries, including on dual citizenship, divorce laws, and family reintegration, among others. He emphasized the important role played by Filipino community leaders, underscoring their engagement in not only bridging the gap between the community and external entities but also serving as communication channels to the community especially in times of crisis.

Meanwhile, Philippine Ambassador to South Korea Ma. Theresa B. Dizon-De Vega stressed the Embassy's enduring commitment to support the Filipino community, and offered insights into Embassy initiatives scheduled for 2024, designed to foster a greater sense of community and ensure that the Filipino diaspora experiences are highlighted and supported.

The DFA-OUMWA team also met with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs-Bureau of Consular Affairs and Safety led by Deputy Minister Hong Seok-In and which oversees the recently created Overseas Korean Agency. The meeting yielded positive outcomes, as the MOFA-BCAS affirmed its support to key initiatives commemorating the 75th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between the Philippines and Korea in 2024, particularly in the area of migration.

The DFA-OUMWA team is composed of Undersecretary De Vega, Special Assistant Charleson C. Hermosura, and ATN Officers Raymund C. Ondiano, Caroline Villanueva Mendoza and Zyra Belle L. Capar. The DFA-OUMWA team was supported by the Philippine Embassy led by Ambassador Dizon-De Vega, Consul General Romulo Victor M. Israel, Jr., Third Secretary and Vice Consul Jilliane Joyce R. De Dumo-Cornista, and ATN Officers Fatima Tabio and Jay-Ar Casabar. END