Seoul, 19 September 2026 – Philippine Ambassador Bernadette Therese C. Fernandez attended the 2026 Global Family Forum held at the Textile Center in Seoul. Organized by the Federation for Korean Families (FKF), a civic coalition of 20 member organizations and 160 partner organizations, the Forum gathered around 500 participants, including academics and experts, civic organizations, policy stakeholders and media to discuss the population and family crisis in Korea and the value of Korean family culture in addressing the challenges of a changing society.

In her congratulatory remarks, Ambassador Fernandez praised FKF under the leadership of Standing Representative Madame Inja Hwang. She lauded settlement centers and many non-governmental institutions who work closely with the local governments in Korea in helping multicultural families settle well and address their family issues. The Ambassador also acknowledged that the family is the most important unit in society and that individuals and communities must work together to address issues of families.

The Forum also commemorated the establishment of 10 regional headquarters of the FKF, and was keynoted by Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon, Global Chairman of the Global Peace Foundation.

Ambassador Fernandez was invited as the lone representative of the diplomatic community in the Republic of Korea, underscoring Korea's value for the Philippines and Filipino families.        

During the Forum, Ambassador Fernandez also met with many Filipino women who have settled well in Korea, notably, members of the Funtastic Pinoy, who are mostly spouses of Korean nationals. END