No sign of panic among Pinoy students in SKorea

Some Filipino students in South Korea do not seem to mind the tension in the Korean peninsula caused by last week’s artillery attack by North Korea on a small South Korean island, Sen. Edgardo Angara, who is in Seoul, said on Monday.

“I was surprised that when I arrived here there was no sign of panic, contrary to what is being reported in the Philippines," said Angara in a statement.

Angara, chairman of the Senate education committee, met with 82 Filipino scholars in Seoul last Saturday to assure them that the Philippine government is closely monitoring the situation there.

Angara was in South Korea as a keynote speaker at the Korea-Philippines Multi-Industry Cluster (MIC) Development Cooperation Forum held last Sunday. He and Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri went there on Wednesday, a day after North Korea’s attack.

Four South Koreans, two of them civilians, died after Pyongyang rained artillery on the small Yellow Sea island of Yeonpyeong, which is home to both fishing communities and military bases.

Despite the increasing tension, Angara told the Filipino scholars to continue with their studies. “Learn as much as you can and bring that knowledge home so that you can help raise the living standards of our people," he said.

“Your scholarship is a rare opportunity and a concrete result of our friendship with South Korea. It’s a chance to be part of something that can help improve your home country and build a better society," he added.

Angara said that there are currently more than 400 Filipino students in Korea, mostly majoring in Science and Technology, Wireless and Information Technology, International Relations, Business Administration, and Policy Development at Seoul National University, Korea National University, Catholic University of Korea, EHWA, Hannam, Kyungpook, Korea Aero Space University, Sogang University, MJU, Trinity Graduate School, HUFS, Myongji, KFRI, ITCC, Sungkyungkwan, Kongku, and Dengguk University.

On the other hand, labor officials said there are around 50,000 to 60,000 Filipino workers in Korea. Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said this aside from the 11,000 illegal or undocumented Filipinos there.

The Philippine government has for the meantime suspended the deployment of Filipino workers to Korea while awaiting the assessment of the inter-agency committee studying the situation in the region.

Baldoz clarified that the suspension would only be in effect until December 7. She said they have readied P25 million for overseas Filipino workers based in South Korea in case of any contingency.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Esteban Conejos Jr. said labor records indicate some 1,000 Filipino workers were due to be deployed to Korea up to December. - KBK, GMANews.TV

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