By Darryl John Esguerra | Philippine News Agency
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday assured overseas Filipinos that his administration is working to make government services more accessible to them wherever they are in the world.
“My fellow Filipinos, I want to assure you, hindi namin kayo nakakalimutan,” Marcos Jr. told a cheering crowd of overseas Filipinos during a gathering at the Grand Wyndham Busan ahead of his participation at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit.
“We are working hard to make sure that government services reach you, all the way here in Korea or wherever you are.”
The President announced that the Philippines will soon open a Consulate General in Busan, the country’s second in South Korea after the embassy in Seoul, to bring essential consular services closer to Filipinos in the southern part of the peninsula.
“Sa susunod na taon ay magbubukas na ang Philippine Consulate General dito,” he said.
“Soon, you will no longer need to travel all the way to Seoul to renew your passports, to submit civil registry documents, and to legalize your documents for use in the Philippines.”
Marcos Jr. also confirmed the opening of a Social Security System office inside the Philippine Embassy in Seoul to streamline access to benefits and claims.
According to the Philippine Embassy in Seoul, there are more than 70,000 registered Filipinos in South Korea as of June 2025.
The President was joined by First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and members of his Cabinet, including Trade Secretary Maria Cristina Roque, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, and Special Assistant to the President for Investments and Economic Affairs Secretary Frederick Go.
Marcos Jr. also thanked the Filipino community for their continued support and hard work abroad.
“Kahit malayo kayo, ramdam namin sa Pilipinas ang inyong suporta at malasakit,” he said.
He added that the government’s long-term goal is to make overseas work a matter of choice and not a necessity, as the Philippines builds a stronger economy.
The event came on the eve of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Gyeongju, where Marcos is expected to promote economic initiatives that create sustainable jobs and protect migrant workers through global cooperation.
