SEOUL, 10 August 2014 – Philippine Ambassador to South Korea Raul S. Hernandez, together with officials of the Embassy in Seoul, held a roundtable discussion with members of a Filipino workers’ organization on various issues, including severance pay, at the Embassy’s Boardroom on Sunday, 10 August 2014.

Ambassador Hernandez, Consul Aian A. Caringal, Labor Attaché Atty. Felicitas Bay, OWWA (Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration) Officer Virsie B. Tamayaoand Social Welfare Attaché Lucita Villanueva met with Chairman Carlo Oliver with 20 officers and members of Katipunan ng mga Samahan ng Migranteng Manggagawa sa Korea (Kasamma Ko). “Filipinos in Korea are welcome to visit any time as the Embassy is your home in Korea,” said Ambassador Hernandez in describing his open-door policy toward the Filipino community, before answering questions and clarifying issues on immigration and consular matters, and the Employment Permit System (EPS). Ambassador Hernandez added that he was happy Filipinos are benefiting from Korea’s sense of gratitude due to the Philippines’ contribution in the Korean War (1950-53), adding that “Korea is a good host to a large number of Filipinos”. The other officials present responded to questions from Kasamma Ko members and faith-based social workers on various issues, including the payment of the departure guarantee insurance that took effect on 29 July 2014, changing of workplaces as well as the issuance of travel documents to undocumented workers due for deportation. “I need your cooperation. I could feel your anguish and your aspirations,” Ambassador Hernandez told Chairman Oliver, Rev. Frank J. Hernando, Rev. Gloria De la Cruz-Hernando, both of Shin Weol Dong Filipino Fellowship and Kasamma Ko members. The group also presented a petition supporting peace talks with the National Democratic Front (NDF). “I know you are here not only for your family but also for your community. I commend you for your active involvement in the welfare of your members,” he said before the gathering closed the dialogue by singing a hymn and lighting candles. As of June 2014, there were 1,698,983 foreign residents in Korea, of which 187,340 were undocumented. Filipinos accounted for 49,224 or almost 3 percent of all foreign residents with 12,804 undocumented. EPS accounts for 258,018 foreign workers, of which 54,000 are undocumented. There are 22,300 Filipinos onthe EPS, 6,207 of whom are undocumented. For the period January-June 2014, 442 undocumented Filipinos voluntarily left Korea while 517 were deported.