Philippine Embassy to Conduct Essay Writing Contest

In commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War this year, the Philippine Embassy in South Korea , in partnership with the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the Seoul Global Center and the Philippine Resource Persons Group, will conduct an essay writing contest beginning February 26, 2010.

The contest will have two categories: Category A for South Korean students who will be asked to write about the theme “The Philippines in the Korean War” and Category B for Filipinos currently residing in South Korea who will discuss “Finding Jose Rizal in South Korea : A Migrant’s Perspective.” The length of the essays should be 1,000 to 1,500 words.

The contest will run for four weeks. The deadline for the submission of entries is 5pm on March 26. Winners will be announced on March 29

BACKGROUND

The contest aims to promote awareness on the significant role that the Philippines played in defending democracy during the Korean War and to further enhance nationalism among Filipinos residing in South Korea . In particular, 2010 will coincide with the 114th anniversary of the martyrdom of Filipino national hero Dr. Jose Rizal. Dr. Rizal himself was a staunch defender of democracy, a lifelong trait he enhanced while studying in Europe and Asia as a migrant.

CONTEST MECHANICS

1. Themes

The contest will have two categories: Category A will be for South Korean students who will be asked to write about the theme “The Philippines in the Korean War” while Category B will be for Filipinos currently residing in South Korea who will discuss “Finding Jose Rizal in South Korea: A Migrant’s Perspective.” The length of the essays should be 1,000 to 1,500 words.

2. Language and Eligibility

Category A

The contestant should be a Korean national, born in 1994 or earlier, and currently enrolled. The essay sh...

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The National Assembly of Korea approved on 16 September 2009 the FIVE (5) years sojourn period of EPS workers, amending for the purpose the Act on Foreign Workers Employment. The new law is expected to be published in the Official Gazette around third week of October 2009 and will take effect two months thereafter or around third week of December 2009.

Under the old rule, EPS workers are granted three years sojourn period. If he is re-employed by his last employer, he has to leave Korea first and come back after about one month. He is given another three years on his second sojourn period.

According to the Foreign Workforce Policy Division of the Korea Ministry of Labor (MOL), the new law, upon its entry into force, would grant a period of stay according to the status of the worker, as follows:

1. Newly hired workers - Three years. If the worker is re-employed by his employer, plus 1 YEAR AND 10 MONTHS without need to leave Korea.

2. Workers in Korea who are in their first (three year) sojourn period – If the worker is re-employed by his employer, plus less (1 year and 10 months) without need to exit Korea. However, if the employer files the application for re-employment not later than 09 December 2009 and within the prescribed period (30 to 90 days before the end of sojourn), plus three years, but must leave and re-enter Korea.

3. (Re-employed) workers in Korea who are in their second sojourn period – the remaining portion of their three year sojourn period.

We shall furnish you a copy of the official English translation of the new law as soon as the same becomes available.

Wish you a pleasant weekend.


DELMER R. CRUZ
Labor Attache

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SULYAPINOY and FEWA would like to thank our Honorable Labor Attache Atty.Delmer Cruz, Our Embassy Welfare Officer Madam Rosario Ilo and Mr. Francis Ilo for a very nice exchange of opinions, ideas, and explanations regarding the current issues surrounding the EPS community and other Migrant Issues last Sunday, January 10, 2010.


From L to R : Marzy Serdena (FEWA Pres), LAbAtt Delmer Cruz, Bevi Tamargo (EIC- SULYAPINOY), Mr. Rebenson Recana (FEWA/SULYAPINOY Founding Chairman), Christian "Zack" Robles (Website-Root Administrator), Welfare Officer Madam Rosario Ilo (POLO), Mr. Francis Ilo (Former Radio Announcer), Teofilo Camo (Vice-Pres FEWA), Eva Del Monte (secretary), not in picture, Aquilino Juanites Jr.(SULYAPINOY-Board of Publication Chairman), Lhea Wenceslao(secretary)







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TO: DOLE SECRETARY, MARIANITO D. ROQUE

SUBJECT: PETITION FOR THE EXTENSION OF LABOR ATTACHE’ ATTY. DELMER R. CRUZ’S TOUR OF DUTY


We, the undersigned Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in South Korea respectfully request the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Marianito D. Roque to grant an extension of tenure to Labor Attache’ Atty. Delmer R. Cruz’s term until June 30, 2010. During this period, there are urgent labor issues in South Korea affecting OFWs that could be better addressed by an incumbent Labor Attache’ in view of his familiarity with the developments here.

Atty. Delmer R. Cruz is currently based in Seoul, South Korea and his term will end on January 28, 2010. He assumed the office in July of 2007. Since then, he has served the Filipino workers for a total of 18 months.

For the past several years, the Filipino overseas workers in South Korea have truly suffered from the inconsistencies of the provisions and implementation of labor laws, and the ineffective handling of migrant issues and problems. Consequently, the gap between the overseas workers and Philippine Embassy officials increased. Filipino communities, organizations, and churches have lost confidence in the Philippine Embassy.

There had been a need for somebody who could truly understand the reality of the overseas Filipino workers, who are forced by economic circumstances to seek work far away from home to save their families from poverty and starvation; somebody who could bridge the gap between the Korean employers and the overseas Filipino workers, as well as negotiate with the Korean government offices; and somebody who could contribute to the development of new policies and regulations benefiting both the overseas workers and the government.

We, the OFWs in Korea, started to see some hope, when the Philippine government sent a new Labor Attache’ to South Korea in the person of Atty....

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[center]TO OUR VALUED READERS, WE'RE PROUD TO PRESENT YOU
OUR LATEST SULYAPINOY ISSUE, VOL.2 Issue 10

Sulyap Vol 2 Issue 10


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PREPARATIONS UNDERWAY FOR THE 6th KOREAN LANGUAGE TEST IN EARLY 2010

In cooperation with the Human Resources Development Service (HRD Korea), the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) is calling on workers wishing to work in South Korea to prepare early for the processing of application under the Korean Employment Permit System (EPS).

Passing a Korean Language Test (KLT) is an important step before applicants can qualify to be included in the List of Jobseekers from which Korean employers can electronically select workers to be offered jobs in the manufacturing and construction sectors under the foreign labor quota for 2010.

Applicants are advised to deal only with the POEA and to follow the prescribed procedures to be announced. This includes ensuring that they are registered with the electronic manpower registry of the POEA (www.poea.gov.ph) on or before the deadline of 15 January 2009. Previously registered applicants should keep their account active and updated which means that they should have visited their account for the last three (3) months or less.

In order to qualify, the applicant should also comply with the following requirements:

1. 18 to 38 years old
2. At least high school graduate
3. Passport is valid for at least 6 months
4. Has no criminal/imprisonment record
5. Not restricted to travel to Korea due to past immigration violation
6. Payment pf KLT fee of Php850 or US$17 payable to HRD Korea
7. Submission of 2x2 ID pictures with name tag (2 pieces).

The application period for the EPS-KLT is on January 25 to 29 while selected registration venues in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will be announced later. The exmination is targeted either on the last Sunday of February or first Sunday of March 2010.

The EPS-KLT will cover 50 items divided into reading (40 minutes) and listenin...

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