On July 16, Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon held an official meeting with Maria Theresa Dizon-De Vega, Ambassador of the Philippines to Korea, and Strike B. Revilla, Mayor of Bacoor City, to reaffirm the friendship between Busan and the Philippines and explore new avenues for cooperation, particularly in smart city development and disaster response systems.
The meeting took place at Busan City Hall’s international protocol room, where Mayor Park expressed gratitude to Ambassador De Vega for her interest in and contributions to Busan during her diplomatic tenure, which concludes this month.
He highlighted Busan’s ongoing exchange with the Philippines, especially since forming a sister city relationship with Cebu Province in 2011, and noted the upcoming 15th anniversary in 2026.
Mayor Park also introduced Busan’s “Digital-Based Disaster Response System”, part of its broader smart city strategy, designed to ensure safety and convenience for citizens through advanced technologies.
The Bacoor delegation later toured Busan’s Disaster Situation Room, where they learned about predictive risk detection, citizen-participation alert systems, and other smart disaster response initiatives.
Ambassador De Vega expressed appreciation for Busan’s hospitality and said her experiences in the city remain a cherished memory. Mayor Revilla emphasized the shared challenges faced by maritime cities like Bacoor and Busan, particularly regarding natural disasters such as flooding, and welcomed further collaboration on safety and environmental management.
Mayor Park concluded the meeting by expressing hopes for deepening ties with Bacoor City and fostering practical cooperation in smart technology, disaster response, and sustainability.
