PH Embassy in Seoul Conducts Webinar on Mental Health

Mental health experts Dr. Alyssa Kae Alegre and Dr. Majella Tumangan-Villaroman engage in a lively discussion with participants from the Filipino community in South Korea in the Philippine Embassy in Seoul’s pioneering online seminar entitled “Building Resilience during COVID-19 and the New Normal.” (Seoul PE photo)

SEOUL 27 July 2020 – The Philippine Embassy in Seoul, through the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) – Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA), held a pioneering online seminar for Filipinos in Korea entitled “Building Resilience during COVID-19 and the New Normal” on 26 July 2020.

Philippine Embassy in Seoul Chargé d’affaires Christian L. de Jesus welcomed more than 80 Filipinos in Korea who were participating in the webinar from their own homes or sites, and underscored the importance of being resilient and mentally healthy during this time of pandemic. “After 6 months of the pandemic, we have come to terms with social distancing measures as a means to prevent the spread of community infection. However, these measures and the continued threat of COVID-19 to our life and our loved ones could also take its toll on our mental health,” said Chargé d’affaires de Jesus.

The seminar kicked off with a discussion on mental health from Dr. Alyssa Kae Alegre, a clinical psychologist and an expert in handling cases that involve people battling with stress, anxiety, and depression. The lively discussion of Dr. Majella Tumangan-Villaroman, a renowned Philippine and international expert on mental health and resilience, rallied the participants and engaged them in various exercises to enhance their psychological well-being. She taught the participants habits that they can practice daily in order to develop their resilience especially during this time of pandemic. As the session closed, the participants happily chanted, “RESILIENCE is to THRIVE not just to SURVIVE!”

The partnership between POLO-OWWA and the United Filipinos in Korea (UFILKOR), together with its chapters headed by its newly elected President Mercy Hachero, made possible the conduct of the mental health seminar.

Chargé d’affaires de Jesus reaffirmed the Embassy’s commitment to provide relevant and meaningful services for Filipinos in Korea, despite social distancing measures. Following Chargé d’affaires’ directive, POLO-OWWA vowed to continue to hold series of information and learning activities that may be held online, in cooperation with the Embassy’s attached agencies and the Filipino community organizations in South Korea. END

For more information, visit https://www.seoulpe.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.philembassy-seoul.com, or https://www.facebook.com/PHinKorea/.