A documentary on Filipino people in Korea has received more than 10,000 views on YouTube in less than a month.
The Philippine Embassy launched the 10-minute documentary entitled “History of the Filipino in Korea” during Vice President Jejomar C. Binay’s recent visit for the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit on March 25 and 26.
Binay, who is his country’s czar for overseas workers, praised the film before speaking to an audience of around 120 Filipino community leaders in Seoul, saying it should act as an inspiration to all overseas workers.
Ambassador Cruz said: “Filipinos have been in Korea for decades. They have distinguished themselves as combatants during the Korean War in the early ‘50s. They continue to contribute today to South Korea’s economic development as professionals, engineers, industrial workers, spouses and community development workers.”
The documentary written and narrated by Consul Arnel Talisayon and directed by Carlo Marco Cruz tells of the pivotal roles Filipinos have played in the Korean Peninsula’s history.
Well-regarded Filipino leaders here include the country’s former President Fidel Valdez Ramos who, as a young lieutenant, successfully undertook the mission to retake Hill Eerie near the 38th parallel from Chinese forces during the Korean War.
And Gen. Carlos P. Romulo, while President of the United Nations General Assembly from 1949 to 1950, mobilized U.N. members to send troops and medical missions to South Korea.
The 7,420 members of the Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea stayed here from 1950 to 1955, with 112 Filipino soldiers losing their lives during the Korean War.
The Philippines also assisted South Korea after the war by helping with Seoul’s infrastructure development and with agricultural training.
There are about 50,000 Filipinos in South Korea today.
The two countries agreed this month to increase the frequency of flights by 50 percent, allowing 28,500 passengers per week to fly between the two countries.
South Koreans form the largest volume of foreign tourists to the Philippines, with the number of people visiting from here expected to top 1 million this year.
The new documentary on Korean-Philippine relations can be viewed here: www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=h_y8NbftKYA.
