Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Republic of the Philippines

Korea Strengthens Food Security Cooperation with the Philippines

by Donating 4,000 MT of Rice

Korea and the Philippines held a rice donation ceremony on February 3 in Batangas, Philippines. The event marked Korea’s donation of 4,000 metric tons(MT) of rice to the Philippines through the ASEAN+3 Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) program. This initiative is part of the follow-up measures from the Korea-Philippines summit held during the Korean President’s state visit to the Philippines in October last year.

The ceremony was attended by key figures, including Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., the Philippine Secretary of Agriculture; Diana Rose S. Cajipe, Undersecretary of Social Welfare and Development;  Lyndon M Bruce, Mayor of the Municipality of Laurel, Batangas; the Korean Ambassador to the Philippines; and Choomjet Karnjanakesorn, Secretary-General of APTERR Secretariat. The event held special significance as residents of Batangas, who were affected by last year’s typhoons, participated and received the donated rice directly.

In his speech, Ambassador Lee Sang-hwa stated, “This donation is more than just a gift of rice; it is a symbolic example of the readiness of both nations to cooperate on food security and disaster resilience.” He expressed optimism for deeper cooperation between Korea and the Philippines in the future.

Philippine officials, including the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Social Welfare and Development, expressed gratitude for Korea’s ongoing support and emphasized the positive impact this donation will have on the lives of Filipino citizens.

This rice donation is recognized as a significant milestone in strengthening the Philippines’ food security and further advancing the bilateral cooperation, which was elevated to a strategic partnership last year. Both nations plan to expand this collaboration to achieve sustainable development and mutual prosperity.

*Attachment: Photos from the donation ceremony.

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