Feature: Explaining Philippines-Korea G 2

Editorial: Women Empowerment: Work in Progress 3

Column: Labor Updates 4
Column: Not my Concern? 4
OFW-KOREA-2006-001 Oth er Stories: FEWA Monthly Meeting Held 4
Oth er Stories: A Place to Call their Own 6
Volume 3 Issue 3 2010 www.sulyapinoy.org NOT FOR SALE

by Mikel Lee

J eollabukdo , Korea--Gimje City, "The only place

where Heaven and Earth meets" as the town folks
call the place. The historical place is also called the “ Rice
County : the birthplace of Korean rice farming culture”.

Last February 28, 2010, the group of FEWA/Sulyapinoy

officers headed by Marzy Serdena III- FEWA President
and Aquilino Juanites - Chairman of the Board in Sulyapinoy
and other officers went to Gimje City for its Community partner-
ship visit. As one of the project of FEWA and Sulyapinoy to have
a COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP in all part of Korea which aim to Community Partnersh ip : Mr. Jeong Joo Lee (center left), Multi-Cultural Centre
Administrator and Adviser of DAMAYAN FilCom, and members and officers of DAMAYAN together
unify and build common goals, objectives and visions for the with FEWA and SULYAPINOY led by Labor Attache Delmer R. Cruz (center right) of the Philippine
welfare of all the EPS and Filipino Migrant and Non-Migrant Overseas Labor Office, posed for a souvenir photo as a symbol of their partnership in helping the
Workers. The Filipino Workers Orientation Seminar in Gimje City Filipino Community in South Korea.
was held at Multi-Cultural Center, Gimje City and the pro-
grammed started at 10:00 in the morning.

The group was welcomed by the Damayan officers

headed by Marjorie Casarino – President of Damayan and Cielo by Marvin Babasa

Marie Surio – Assistant Secretary together with other officers

namely Leovic Vasquez – Vice President, Kathlyn Bilino – Secre-
tary, Carolina Cabrera- Treasurer, Michelle Pablo and Lailanie
Delos Angeles – P.R.O, Esmeralda Anaya – Auditor, Evellyn
Caballero and Aiza Dela – Board of Directors. Mr. Jeong Joo
Lee, Multi-Cultural Center Administrator and Adviser of Damayan
also welcomed the officers and participants of the seminar. Kimje
City Association of Filipino Immigrants Korea ( KAFIKO) was
organized last June 2008 for Filipina immigrant women married
to Korean which objectives were to promote and maintain the
general welfare of all members and become productive mem-
bers in Korean society. November 2009, KAFIKO became
DAMAYAN Filipino Community in Gimje City for not only Filipinos
married to Korean but also all the Filipino EPS workers regard-
less of status was formed.
The Filipino Workers Orientation Seminar discussed
about the Revised Labor Act on Foreign Workers and Labor up-
dates which was presented by Aquilino Juanites – Chairman of
the Board in Publication, and Rights of Workers for Undocu-
mented Workers and How to Respond on a Crackdown pre-
sented also by Noel Joseph Alvarez – Board of Publication in
Training & Seminar. After the discussion, there is an open forum
for all the questions about the topics and giving away leaflets and
pamphlets for the migrant workers.
H yewahdong, Seoul -- The officers of the Filipino EPS Work-
ers Association (FEWA) and Damayan Filipino Community
of Kimje City, Jeollabukdo S. Korea held a meeting with Professor
Maragtas S.V. Amante PhD. last February 7, 2010 at Hye-
wahdong in Seoul.
Professor Amante is a Financial and Business professor and also
former Dean of the School of Labor and Industrial Relations of the
University of the Philippines. Now, He is a professor in Hanyang
University in Ansan, South Korea.
In the said meeting, he emphasized that OFW’s while still working
here in Korea shall study how their employers run their respective
companies. So that when they return home in the Philippines, they
can apply the knowledge/ skills gained on setting up their own busi-
nesses. He also mentioned that the Philippines, with its economic
and political instability were left behind by its neighboring countries
in Asia. But we can still move forward, “Hahabol Tayo” , he added
because we have so much resources and manpower. All we must
do is to DREAM and PLAN.
Furthermore, He acknowledges FEWA/SULYAPINOY’s effort on
providing such services and useful information’s to its fellow OFW’s
here in Korea.
www.sulyapinoy.org
 FEATURE
By Professor Maragtas SV. Amante
The writer is a professor of business at Hanyang University, Erica Cam-
pus in Ansan City. He is a member of the Philippine Resource Persons
Group (PhilRPG), an organization of Filipino professors in Korea. This
article appeared in JoongAng Daily News, on December 28, 2009.
W hy did Korea became rich, leaving behind other countries in
similar or better condition in the 1960s, such as the Philip-
pines? What explains the gap in economic and social performance be-
tween these two countries in East Asia? What are the implications to
economic development models?
These questions sound simple, even tedious and useless. Yet these
issues are often topics for dinner conversation, an appetizer in confi-
dence building between Koreans and Filipinos who want to be serious
friends, business partners or even spouses.
Aside from economic indicators such as income, trade, investment, pro-
ductivity or employment, social and cultural factors should be important
explanations. Variations in work ethic, values such as pride in one’s na-
tion and culture, and even climate and geography are likewise significant.
Differences in history and politics should not be ignored as well.
Raw discussions of the gap between Korea and the Philippines often
reveal one’s prejudices and ignorance. Korea and the Philippines have
had 60 years of diplomatic relations, since 1949. Serious scholars need
to explain the gaps between Korea and the Philippines, to promote better
relations in business, economics and culture.
The Philippines, named after a Spanish king no one remembers for doing
anything useful, has 7,100 islands with numerous ethno-linguistic groups.
In contrast, South Korea is a peninsula, with Korean as a common lan-
guage acting as a strong unifying force. The Philippines attracted three
foreign colonizers: Spain for 330 years, the United States for 45 years
and Japan for three years. Koreans are most bitter at Japan’s coloniza-
tion from 1910 to 1945. Korea’s strong national unity is a legacy of the
Joseon Dynasty rulers, while Filipinos had fragmented, ethnic-led, and
failed rebellions against colonizers.
Harmonious relations emphasized by Confucianism and Buddhism make
up the religious culture of Korea. The virtues of cannibalism, suffering,
poverty, and forgiveness of sins in Spanish Catholicism dominate the
Philippines. Korea has favorable weather and few natural disasters, while
the Philippines is vulnerable to numerous devastating typhoons and vol-
canic eruptions all year round.
In the late 1950s, the Philippines had average per capita income of about
$1,100, while Korea had $ 900 per capita. The war with the North devas-
tated Korea’s economy. After the Korean War, international assistance,
mostly from the U.S., and industrialization propelled South Korea’s econ-
omy. South Korea’s per capita gross domestic product grew from $1,226
in 1960 to $1,745 in 1980, an increase of 42 percent. Korea’s GDP per
capita then jumped to $11,347 in 2000 - a giant 550 percent leap!
Korea’s GDP per capita is estimated at $16,450 in 2009.
2 www.sulyapinoy.org
South Korea’s transformation into a developed country during this short
time period is known popularly as the “miracle on the Han River.”
In contrast, the Philippine economy has experienced repeated boom-and-
bust cycles in the five decades since the nation became independent from
the United States in 1946. Philippine per capita GDP was $672 in 1980,
growing to just $ 718 in 1990 (7 percent growth), $987 in 2000 (37 percent
growth), and $ 1,720 in 2009 (74 percent growth). In the 1950s and early
1960s most statistics show that the Philippine economy ranked as the
second-most-progressive in Asia, next to that of Japan. However, the U.S.
continued to wield power and influence through compliant political and
economic elites , the “comprador bourgeoisie” - parasites benefiting from
American trade and business. Attempts at agrarian reform failed as big
landlords continued their feudal practices in agriculture, limiting domestic
market development and capital accumulation.
In Korea, agrarian reform carried out in the wake of the Korean War sup-
ported local capital accumulation. Land redistribution was accomplished
swiftly after the war. Land ownership gave farmers incentives to increase
productivity, incomes and savings which sustained capital accumulation
and domestic markets.
After 1965, when Ferdinand Marcos became president, the Philippines
experienced economic problems and social unrest. Corruption and crony-
ism - social plagues also known as “bureaucrat capitalism” - worsened, as
friends or relatives of the elite were appointed to well-paid posts even
without merit or qualifications. In 1972, with America’s blessings, Marcos
declared a dictatorship under martial law to stifle unrest and achieve a
“new society.” Democratic institutions disappeared, as huge foreign debts
and peso devaluations brought down the economy. The Philippines be-
came the “sick man of Asia.”
The power of the Philippine landlords, however, continued, and their para-
sitic hold over economic and social policies preventing capital accumula-
tion and efficient, competitive markets from taking root. Economic policies
such as industrial and anti-poverty programs failed from one landlord-
dominated presidency to another: Aquino in 1986 to the current Arroyo
administration.
After the Korean War, with U.S. support, the military, as the most organ-
ized social unit, became the leading force in Korea’s society and economy.
After the coup d’etat by General Park Chung Hee in 1961, the military
government intervened systematically and comprehensively in many areas
of economic life. Yet, after his assassination by his intelligence chief, Park
died relatively poor, with no evidence of illegal wealth. Today, the South
Korean economy is dominated by large business groups known as jaebeol
- family-owned business conglomerates. These include companies such
as Samsung, LG, Hyundai, Daewoo, Kia and SK. The jaebeol are govern-
ment-supported multinationals.
Most important, there is a strong national passion throughout Korean soci-
ety to get even with Japan and catch up with the West through technologi-
cal innovation. In contrast, people in the many isolated Philippine islands
have still to build a strong nation, overcome social divisions and structures
and adopt continuous innovation and hard work as patriotic values for
growth and development.
 EDITORIAL

W hile in the past women have been traditionally disempow-

ered in Asia, these days times are changing. We see more
and more women in powerful positions.
Although we have certainly come a long way, I do not think we are
quite there yet. We are in the process of trying and improving, but if
we really take a deeper look, Asian women have not yet reached that
stage of true liberation and empowerment. This can be seen not only
on the societal level but on the individual and emotional level as well.
These days we see more and more international marriages between
Filipinos and Koreans, mostly, between Korean men and Filipino
women.
Sadly, most of them result in situations where women are continu-
ously disempowered. For instance, many Filipinas give their salaries
to their husbands, because of fear of being abandoned should the
wife become too strong or independent. In some cases, the husband
even goes to the woman’s workplace to claim his wife’s salary. It is
his way of retaining control and power in the family.
For instance, most Filipinos believe in martyrdom and sacrifice and extol
them as virtues. While this is true in some caseswe also need to remem-
ber that self-love is also important. And this we often forget, on so many
levels.
Even with the advent of the career woman, and organizations such as
Gabriela, I do not think that women in the Philippines have reached that
stage of being truly empowered on a deep and subconscious level.
Once a Filipino male friend said, quite seriously that ‘ the ratio of men to
women is 1:3. Therefore, the more successful a woman gets, the harder it is
for her to find a husband and get married’.
Here in Korea, the concept of being a ‘gold miss’ is becoming more popu-
lar. This is basically a girl who is past the traditional marrying age and has a
good job, is self-content, and happy with her life. These days many Korean
women don’t want to get married or settle for a husband who is less than
what they think they deserve. ‘Gold miss is better’, as a friend of mine used
to say. We still don’t have that concept in the Philippines...because all we
have is an ‘old miss’.

‘Woman is earth and man is sky’, is an old Confucian adage, a belief
that many traditional Korean men still cling to.
But we are also partly to blame.
We Filipinos, in general, are very traditional by culture. We tend not to
question things, but rather we often just conform, or accept everything
that is told to us. The aspect of women, provides no exception. We
tend not to question societal roles and programming.
The good thing is that these days as Korea is learning to be more open to
other cultures, we can expect that certain unhealthy traditional attitudes
towards women would change as well.
It is not easy for us women to take back th e
power th at was taken from us a long time ago.
Y et it is possible. It is a work in progress.
by Beverly Tamargo

EDITORIAL STAFF BOARD OF PUBLICATION

Editor-in-Chief: Bevi Tamargo Managing Editor: Zack Robles Chairman: Aquilino Juanites Jr.
Opinion Editor: Rebenson B. Recaña News Editor: Noel Joseph Alvarez V-Chairman: Teofilo Camo
Literary Editor: Amie Sison Cartoonist: Reynaldo Ranara Secretary: Eva Del Monte
Photojournalist: Norman Matudan Layout Artist: Edward Castro
Board of Publication in:
Circulation Managers: Rodel Arias, Rudrigo dela Cruz, Alwyin Casino, Ismael Calandria Printing and Distribution: Bong Del Mundo
Community Correspondents: Billy Vela (Ansan); Anthony Carl Dacones (Kasan) Outreach, Recreation and Religious Programs: Ma. Lea Wenceslao
Noel Joseph Alvarez (Cheonan) Website Development and Maintenance: Zack Robles
Contributors in this Issue: Atty. Delmer Cruz, Vice Consul Arnel Talisayon Sponsorship & Promotions Program: Annabelle Lopez
Trainings & Workshop: Noel Joseph Alvarez
Adviser: Cathy Rose Garcia (Staff Writer of the Korea Times) Budget & Finance: Yeng Malonzo
Labor Consultant: Prof. Maragtas SV. Amante
Consultants: Fr. Alvin B. Parantar, MSP; Prof. Emely Dicolen-Abagat, Ph.D.

SULYAPINOY Office Address: 115-9 Songbuk-gu, Songbuk 1 dong, Songbuk Villa, Seoul, Korea 136-020
FEWA Office Address & SULYAPINOY Distribution Center: Inside WOORI BANK, Hyehwa-dong Branch, Jongno-gu, Seoul

D I S C L A I M E R For Comments, Suggestions, Contributions & Advertisements

Different opinions are encourage to stimulate
member input and involvement. SULYAPINOY’s
role is to provide information that permits FEWA
members to develop informed opinions on
subjects that will affect their status as migrant
workers and, in some instances, their personal
lives. FEWA does not hold itself responsible for
statements made by any contributor. Statements
or opinions expressed in SULYAPINOY reflect the
views of the author(s) and not the official policy of
FEWA unless so stated.
Please submit them to our website or to the following emails below:
All Staff: editorialstaff@sulyapinoy.org
or sulyap.editorialstaff@gmail.com
* SULYAPINOY observes the Philippine Press Code of Ethics .
* We reserve the right to refuse any submission we deem does not meet our policies and guidelines.
* SULYAPINOY is still in need of writers and community correspondents. Aspirants may email the
Editorial Staff for more details.
Thank you for your time and interest!

www.sulyapinoy.org 3
 FEATURE
Compiled by Aquilino Juanites Jr.
Source: Easy Korean Labor Labor (2007)
and Korean Labor Education Institute
The National Labor Consultation Center would like to inform foreign workers pertaining to information
related to Change Of Workplace under the revised Act.(Act On Foreign Workers, Employment. Act No.
6967, August 16,2003, Newly Amended By Act NO. 9798, October 9,2009)
In principle, foreign workers shall work for the workplace which employs him after entry. However, they
are allowed to change workplace if there are legal reasons specified in the Foreign Employment Act. Are
the following:
1. The employer terminates during employment period for justifiable reasons or refuses to renew the
labor contract after completion of labor contract.
2. The foreign worker cannot continue to work in his/her workplace due to reasons not attributable to
him/her, such as closure or temporary shutdown of business.
3. In case the employment permit is cancelled pursuant to Article 19(1) or any restriction is imposed on
the employment of foreign workers pursuant to Article 20(1)
4. In case working conditions are completely different from the terms of the labor contract or employment
relations are deemed impossible to be maintained by social norms due to employer's unfair treatment
including violation of working conditions;
5. In case it is deemed inappropriate for a foreign worker to continue his/her work in the business or
workplace due to an accidents, etc but he/she can continue to work in a difficult workplace or business
So, According to old EPS, for the first three year sojourn period, the workers may change workplace up
to three times and after reemployment, for the second three year sojourn period, the workers may
change workplace up to 3 times.
However, According to revised EPS, for the first three year sojourn period, the workers may change
workplace up to three times and after reemployment, for the second sojourn period( less than 1 years
and 10 months), the workers may change workplace up to 2 times.
And Under the revised Act, "In case it is deemed impossible to continue to work in the current workplace
due to business suspension, closure, and other reasons not attributable to the worker", the changing of
workplace is excluded in the counting the number of workplace changes.
Enforcement Date of the Amended Act.
Amended Act will be entered into force on April 10, 2010 ( six months after the promulgation). However,
provisions on the RE- Employment (Art,18-2) and Changing of Workplace ( Art. 25) are enter into force
From ( two months after the promulgation).
Labor Contract Period under Revised Act.
The provision on the restriction on Employment period is to be applied to Labor contracts to be signed or
Renewed after April 10.2010.Example, In case an employer signed a labor contract with foreign worker
who entered Korea on May 1, 2009. For a year from May 1, 2009 to April 30, 2010, the employer can
renew the labor contract within two year period from
May 1, 2010.
Signing of Labor Contract effective April 10,2010.(Art.-3) The employer who obtained employment per-
mit pursuant to Article 8 and the foreign worker may Conclude or renew a Labor contract for a period
decided by mutual agreement within the period pursuant to Article 18 (1).
RE- Employment ,According to the Enforcement Rule of The Foreign Employment Act, An employer is
required to submit a re-employment application 90 days to 30 days prior to the expiration of the employ-
ment period of the worker.
Limitation on Re-employment- re-employment is only allowed once. If Re-employed , workers’ Re-
employment period can be extended for less than two years.( One year and ten months).
Number of Change of Workplace, How many times can foreign workers apply for Change of workplace.
For the first 3 year ( maximum ) employment period , workers are allowed to change workplace for up to
3 times in principles.
In case employment period is extended for RE-employment , workers can change workplace for up 2
times during the re- employment period if Legitimate reasons exist.
Changing of workplace before and after Re- employment is counted separately. In case It is deemed
impossible to continue to work in the workplace due business suspension, closure and other reason
not attributed to the worker ( Art. 25(1)-2 will not be counted.
For more information, please call us at 1350 or 031-345-5000.or www.eps.go.kr,www.molab.go.kr
4 www.sulyapinoy.org
by Welfare Officer Rose Ilo
Before I was posted here in South Korea , I was very much
involved in conducting Human Resource Seminars and Values
Orientation Workshops in different government offices and
even in private companies in the Philippines . There were
some seminars and workshops that I had conducted together
with my husband Francis.
Among the varied groups that we had the privilege to handle
were the groups of Barangay Chairmen and councilors from
the First District in Tondo, Manila .. These seven batches of
Values Enhancement and Team Strengthening Workshops
were sponsored by their congressman in the district.
Among the objectives of the workshop were to give emphasis
on the positive traits of the persons in working with a group, to
awaken the spirit of involvement and a sense of commitment
in the performance of their duties in whatever capacity they
have.
In all the workshops that we had conducted we never forgot to
tell the simple story of a mouse trap in a farm. I delivered the
anecdote in Tagalog and it goes like this:
“May mag asawang magsasaka na nakatira sa isang baryo.
Sa kanilang bakuran ay may alaga silang manok, baboy at
isang baka. Meron ding isang daga na nakatira sa kanilang
bakuran.
Isang araw, habang ang daga ay nanginginain ng mga
nalaglag na mais sa bakuran ay nakita siya ng asawa ng
magsasaka. Nabahala ito na baka dumami ang daga sa
kanilang bakuran kaya siya ay nagbilin sa magsasaka na
bumili ng isang bitag ng daga sa pagpunta niya sa bayan.
Nang madinig ito ng daga ay nag-alala ito at pinuntahan niya
ang kaibigang manok at sinabi ang kanyang narinig. Ang sabi
ng manok ay; “Bitag pala ng daga yan eh, wala akong pakia-
lam dyan. Di naman ako apektado nyan.”
Pinuntahan naman ng daga ang kaibigan nyang baboy at
sinabi nya ang tungkol sa bitag. Nagwika ang baboy ng
ganito; “Ano ang pakialam ko dyan eh para pala sa iyo ang
bitag na yun. Ikaw ang may problema nyan. Hindi ako ma-
kikialam dyan.”
Malungkot na umalis ang daga at nagpunta sa kaibigan nyang
baka at sinabi nya ang kanyang problema tungkol sa bitag ng
daga. Umiling lang ang baka at sinabi ang ganito; “Sa tingin
ko eh ikaw ang may problema dyan, kailangan kang mag-
ingat para hindi ka mahuli ng bitag na iyan. Wala akong
pakialam dyan, dahil sa laki kong ito, hindi ako apektado ni-
yan.
Mula noon ay naging maingat na ang daga sa paglibot sa
bakuran ng mag-asawang magbubukid. Takot siyang mahuli
ng bitag.
Isang araw, may nahuli ang bitag. Akala ng maybahay ng
magbubukid ay ang daga ang nahuli ng bitag, ngunit ito pala
ay isang makamandag na ahas at siya ang natuklaw nito nang
buksan nya ang bitag. Dahil dito sya ay nagkasakti at
masyadong nanghina.
Sa kagustuhan ng lalaki na lumakas ang kanyang asawa ay
pinatay at iniluto niya ang manok at ipinakain dito, subali’t
hindi pa rin ito gumaling.
 LITERARY
Pagkaraan ng ilang araw ay tuluyan na ring namatay ang kanyang may-
bahay. Dahil wala siyang pera ay kinatay nya ang kanyang alagang
baka saka ibinenta ang karne nito upang may magastos sya sa pagpa-
LIGAYA
palibing sa namatay na asawa.” By Joseph Tatoy

Sa madaling sabi, nakita natin kung ano ang nangyari sa tatlong kaibi-
gan ng daga na nagsabi na wala silang pakialam sa pagbili
ng magsasaka sa bitag ng daga. Bagamat ito ay hindi diretsong para sa
kanila, sila ang naapektuhan nang mga pangyayari na akala nila ay
walang epekto sa kanila.
buhay sa pinas,ay sadyang maralita
kaya't ako'y nangarap,makapagtrabaho sa ibang bansa
nawalay sa pamilya,napunta sa korea
nagtiis at naghirap,mapasaya lang ang pamilya

Samantalang ang daga na siyang dahilan ng bitag ang nanatiling buhay
dahil sa kanyang pag-iingat at pag alam sa mga nangyayari sa kapaligi-
ran”.
. upang makalimutan,lungkot at pangungulila
Our lives have a parallelism with this anecdote. Not everything that
happens around us may be directly affecting us. However, we must not
be complacent. We must be aware of the things that are going on
around us, especially in our community. We must not say that it will not
concern us because in many instances, an unfortunate turn of events
may directly affect us and sometimes it is already too late for us to react.
Let the day-to-day events in our community and country become chal-
lenges to us. Let us be concerned with the developments that are unfold-
ing in the Philippines and let us do something to prevent any untoward or
negative effects that these may have in our lives and that of our families.
Even while we are here in Korea , we can express our love and con-
cerns for the future of our country. Especially this coming election, let us
all get involved... Let us cast our ballots wisely. Let us participate in
choosing the future leaders of our country. This is the time where small
voices of the people can be heard.
“Ipakita natin na tayo ay may pakialam, lalo na kung para sa ating
sariling bayan”.
hindi naglaon,dumami ang kakilala
paghahanap ng kaligayahan,sa barkada napunta
sugal,alak at babae,lahat ng bisyo'y pinasok na
aking nakilala,pinay na si ligaya
katulad kung nag iisa,puno rin siya ng pagdurusa
kami ay nagkasundo,tuluyan ng magsasama
sa kabila ng katotohanang,kami ay kapwa may asawa
sa pinas mga anak naghihintay,nangungulila sa ama't ina
isang gabing tahimik,panginoon sa aki'y nagpaalala
mahal kong anak,wika niya,ano ang iyong ginagawa
hindi ba't nangibang bansa,upang makatulong sa pamilya
bakit ngayo'y nakalimutan,at sa kasalana'y nalugmok na
salamat po panginoon,tunay ka ngang mapagsinta
makasalang katulad ko,minahal mo at inaruga
susundin ko ang iyong utos,salita mo'y ipapamalita
upang aking madarama,handog mong tunay na ligaya

Pag-Asa ng Bayan
Enchanted Dream by: Rodney Queman
by: Annabelle Lopez
Dalaga, binata o merong asawa
Sa hirap ng buhay, hangad mo'y iisa
In my dreams last night, by enchanted candle light Iahon sa dusa ang abang pamilya
You were a prince under a spell Nag-abroad kahit na magpa alila.
Everywhere there lies, mountain's so high
Naging construction worker at naging caregiver
Difficult challenges and trials. Sa hirap ng buhay, salat na sitwasyon
Nagtiis at nagtiyaga bunga ng kahirapan
Have no fear, I'll be here, wishing on the star that's near. Sapagkat ang buhay ay weather-weather lang yan
Finding a way to rescue you Noon: sila sa itaas, ngayon: ikaw naman.
On my knees I pray, with all my heart
Eh ano kung utusan? Eh ano kung alila?
Asking for courage, wisdom and strength. Tao'y kanya-kanyang diskarte't dilihensya
Ano'ng pipiliin? Maging terorista?
Beyond the sinking sand and enchanted sea Mangidnap-for- ransom?Mang- agaw ng cellphone?
Deep at the heart of a dark cave, I faintly see you mag-rally sa Edsa?
Go ahead dear prince and take my hand
Meron pa bang ibang aasahan
We will feel our spirits risi'n in the air. Liban sa sariling sikap at paraan?
Hawak mo ang susi sa kinabukasan
Ever so free, across the sky, Kaya nga Bayani ang turing sa iyo
We'll soar the universe just you and I ng ating lipunan.
Don't be afraid, I'd give the world for you
At habang abala sa kaban ng bayan,
There's nothing more precious, than to be with you. Press release, interbyu, debate, bangayan
Ang Kongreso, Senado, at ang Malakanyang
“Umaasa kami, sa iyong patuloy
na monthly remittance.”

www.sulyapinoy.org 5
 OTHER STORIES
in high school. Even then, Yang recalls how willing
immigrants were to share with her their stories of
mistreatment and discrimination at their jobs. “They
were really really negative,” she said. Often the for-
by Lea Wenceslao eign workers felt they were, “treated like animals,” she
said. “They actually said that, to me, even [though] I

H yewadong, Seoul -The officers of the Filipino EPS Workers Association (FEWA) and the
Board of Publication of SULYAPINOY Newsletter held its monthly meeting last February
8,2010 at the 2nd floor, Wooribank building, Hyewadong, Seoul South Korea.
was a high schooler.” While Yang still hears accounts
like this, she is optimistic conditions are improving.
“Nowadays, some of them are still treated unfairly, but
most conditions I think [are] getting better.”
The meeting was presided by the president of FEWA, Mr. Marzy Serdena III and was started
While an immigrant’s experience on the worksite
with an opening prayer led by Alwyin Casino, one of the Board Members. depends heavily on his or her boss, Koh and Yang
have heard that small business owners do not always
Mr.Serdena presented Mr. Ed Villarta as the newly appointed PRO of FEWA. afford foreign people fair treatment, “especially [those]
who cannot work properly,” due to illness or injury,
The first agenda was the proposed general assembly of all the members of the FEWA, and the Koh said. “We have the responsibility as the Korean
group decided that the tentative date for the proposed assembly is on April 18, 2010 that may people to provide some condolences for those people
take place at the Saint Benedict Parish Church or at the 2nd floor of Woori bank which is the that are suffering from pain.”
FEWA office .
South Korea has an impressive set of laws on the
The officers discussed some upcoming projects of the association. They are proposing a “Balik books ensuring that foreign workers have the same
Tanaw Project” which aiming to help a rural public school in some schools supplies for the kids legal rights as Koreans. According to the Korean
government’s Employment Permit System, which
and some school materials that the association can come up. The said project is expected to put
regulates foreign workers, the law and employers alike
in action and be done between May and June of the same year. are expected to, “Apply identical labor conditions and
human rights [to the foreign workers] as the native
Mr. Yeng Malonzo and Mr. Ronald Austari gave updates on the breakdown of expenses and the workers.”
cash on hand for the SULYAPINOY Newsletter and FEWA as the treasurer of the said group.
This includes National Health Insurance, which is
Some issues were tackled such as the strengthening of the organization, revising the Constitu- funded by taxes and and should ensure that all resi-
tion and By Laws of the association and discussed how to solve some of the minor problems of dents of Korea can receive medical care at the same
the group. low costs regardless of nationality. But, as Raphael
Clinic Director Sophia Kim explains, that is not always
The meeting ended at 4:00 pm with a closing prayer led by Mr. Loreto Agustin, FEWA Adminis- the reality. “Since most companies that hire foreign
trative Adviser. workers are unstable, workers who work in those
companies are not given medical insurance,” she
explained in an e-mail. Even when workers receive
National Health Insurance, the low costs are too much
to pay for some. “Workers who are admitted to Korea
The Filipino community and Seoul’s foreign worker population find legally cannot receive medical insurance because a
payment of about 25,000 won every month for foreign
a rare place made for them in the Raphael Clinic workers is burdensome” Kim pointed out. 25,000 won
by Danielle Harms equates to approximately $22 US dollars.

Making do with what you have

Visit internationalunderground.org to find more
pieces about the Filipino community in Seoul.
This article is part one of two.
If you ask Dr. Young-Cho Koh how many years he
has spent volunteering in charity hospitals, you will
have to wait for for him to do the mental math. “You
know, it’s a very long story.” Koh explains.
Muttering dates to himself leads Koh back to medi-
cal school, where he got his first taste of volunteer-
ing in, “1973,” he concludes, “so it is already 37
years continuing my volunteer [work] as a medical
doctor.” Now, decades later, Koh spends much of
his time at Konkuk University Medical Center in
Seoul, South Korea, where he has progressed from
a fledgling medical student to a Chairman and Pro-
fessor of Neurosurgery and the Neuroscience Cen-
ter. Rather than sitting behind a desk at his office,
today he is seated on a rickety stool behind a plastic
card table at the Raphael Clinic, located in Seoul’s
Hyehwa neighborhood.
Just yards away lies a waiting room filled with peo-
ple from countries spanning the world. Filipinos
speaking in Tagalog sit beside Chinese patients
chatting in Mandarin. Conversations in more
languages, from Vietnamese to Russian, create a
low hum in the line of people winding up the stairs
to the clinic's entry. With a population of over one
million foreign workers in South Korea, every
Sunday a small slice of them find their way
through this line to the Raphael Clinic, run by
approximately 300 Korean volunteers. Ranging
from doctors and lawyers to medical students and
teenagers, once every week this team works
together to offer free medical services to foreign
workers.
A hallway by week, clinic by weekend
This is not the clinic’s first home. Having over-
grown previous spaces, it now resides in a build-
ing owned by a local high school. Inside is a large
auditorium and an assortment of other rooms, but
you won’t find the clinic inside any of them. The
Raphael Clinic calls the labyrinth of the building’s
third floor hallway home.
“They lend us this place for free,” head volunteer
Min Jik Yang explains. A friendly woman in her
twenties, Yang is a longtime veteran of the clinic.
She first donated a Sunday’s worth of time while
As Yang leads us through the clinic’s halls, she points
from one makeshift department to another. “Here is
ENT,” she says, pointing to the Ear, Nose, and Throat
department, consisting mostly of a small desk pushed
against a hallway wall. On it lies a laptop, a diagram of
the human sinus system, a stethoscope, and a box of
cotton swabs. A long list of medical departments un-
folds as we proceed down the hallway, “Internal medi-
cine, family medicine, EKG,” she recites. Labelled by
signs suspended from the ceiling, desks line both
sides of the hallway: dental, neurology, OBGYN, psy-
chology, cardiology, orthopaedic surgery, and more.
“I think this is a big hallway,” Yang says, and she is
right. About as wide as a subway car, it occasionally
broadens and has plenty of corners utilized for stor-
age, a precious commodity for an operation that has
to pack up every week. Over a dozen propane tanks
used to fuel the clinic’s many space heaters fill one
corner. A metal cabinet with a sturdy lock sits open for
the moment, until the clinic’s close, when all the valu-
ables will be stowed away and locked up until next
Sunday. Surrounded by eye charts, exam tables, and
a hodgepodge of other hospital gadgetry, it's still hard
to forget that this is a hallway. (To be continued)

6 www.sulyapinoy.org

Our DEAR ARIES PSYCHIC READING COLUMN is your very own special place
where you can get fun and free psychic readings!
Before we get too excited, SULYAPINOY would like to remind everyone that the
psychic readings are only meant in a fun and lighthearted way. Read this only in
the spirit of entertainment. SULYAPINOY will not be responsible for people’s
reactions before, during and after the readings. Ultimately, you still must make
your own decisions in life and not rely on the mere readings. So, take what you
want and leave the rest. And most importantly, have fun!
Aries De Guzman is a 23 year old Filipina psychic. She has been doing psychic
readings since she was 6 years of age.
If you wish to ask for an online reading, please email your name, date of birth, and
full background of the problem to dg.raisa@yahoo.com
Name: "Solite"
Birthdate: (Kept as personal request)
FULL BACKGROUND ON THE PROBLEM:
I am currently working in Oman right now. I have been married to my wife
for 25 years already. I have a son who is 18 years old. Ever before I mar-
ried my wife, my parents never approved of her. I do not know why, but I
love my wife. So I still married her. Now, just 3 days ago, my wife emailed
SARI-SARI
me telling me that my parents are harassing her, accusing her of infidel-
ity while she had done nothing wrong as a housewife managing our little
sari-sari store. My parents also called me up telling me that someone
told them that they saw my wife and my best friend going out together
and having a good time with my son. My parents also told me that they
have a suspicion that my son is not mine but my bestfriend's. My best-
friend also emailed me telling me that my parents went to their house
and started a riot, and he has no idea as to why. I feel so distressed
because I cannot come home until after 2 months. What do you think I
should do?
ANSWER:
Dear Solite,
First, I would like to suggest that you express your feelings away from
the people involved. This way, you have given yourself the freedom to
just be you for a moment before you allow your mind and heart to actu-
ally act upon the matter. Next, I suggest that until you have full hard
evidence on your hands, do not make any harsh decisions or judgment.
Make your own decision based on what is actually there and not what is
supposed to be there. I feel that the Divine has given you this to assess
your current choices with regards to your family and friendship. I also
feel that the reason that the Divine has made this known to you 2
months before you go home is so that you can actually think about it
thoroughly. Your plan, your action... and your thoughts.
Hoping for the best.
Aries
link
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