MALOLOS CITY – Exchange of artillery fire between the two Koreas does not worry Filipinos in South Korea. But a full blown war will send them back home jobless.
Reverend Anselmo Balabo, a graduating student of Master in Theology at the Methodist Theological University in Seoul, told Punto that there is tension in the city but Koreans and Filipinos alike remain calm.
A pastor of the United Methodist Church (UMC) in Bulacan, Anselmo is the younger brother of this writer. He is on a two-year theological study in Seoul.
“Sanay na sa tension ang mga tao dito sa Seoul kaya tensyonado man ay kalmado pa rin ang mga tao, tuloy pa rin ang trabaho,” he said in a telephone interview yesterday morning, almost a day after the two Koreas exchange artillery fire that left at least one person dead.
One of the reasons for the seeming calm in Seoul is the fact that it is within striking distance from North Korea which has shown repeated hostility with South Korea.
The two Koreas are technically at war as their peace treaty was never negotiated after the 1953 Korean war, reports said.
He also said that foreign workers and students like him in Seoul has informed their families back home not to worry, but must pray to avoid the irreversible.
With regards to overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Korea, he said that many of them are concerned about the possibilities of returning home in case of a full blown war.
He said that OFWs wonder how to support their families at home due to lack of job opportunities in the Philippines compared to Korea.
Anselmo also said that Filipino community in Seoul has long been advised by the Philippine embassy to go south in case of war.
Like South Korean residents, he said that Filipinos expect that Seoul will be targeted by the North Koreans as it is home to the South Korean Blue House or presidential palace which is just about two kilometers away from the Methodist Theological Seminary.
He also said that the central business district of Korea in Yoido, the equivalent of Makati in the Philippines, is just about five kilometers from the university.
“In case of war, we will be lucky if Seoul will not be targeted first,” he said.
Based on his thesis presented to the Methodist Theological University, there are at least 46,000 documented Filipinos in South Korea who are mostly working as unskilled workers.
Anselmo also noted the plight of OFWs in South Korea saying they have to contend themselves with the “4-D jobs.”
It means “dirty, dangerous, difficult and delayed salary.”
The 4-D jobs includes working on factories that manufacture tiles, garments socks and other jobs that South Koreans do not want to do, but foreign workers took due to shortage of job opportunities in their home country.
Reverend Anselmo Balabo, a graduating student of Master in Theology at the Methodist Theological University in Seoul, told Punto that there is tension in the city but Koreans and Filipinos alike remain calm.
A pastor of the United Methodist Church (UMC) in Bulacan, Anselmo is the younger brother of this writer. He is on a two-year theological study in Seoul.
“Sanay na sa tension ang mga tao dito sa Seoul kaya tensyonado man ay kalmado pa rin ang mga tao, tuloy pa rin ang trabaho,” he said in a telephone interview yesterday morning, almost a day after the two Koreas exchange artillery fire that left at least one person dead.
One of the reasons for the seeming calm in Seoul is the fact that it is within striking distance from North Korea which has shown repeated hostility with South Korea.
The two Koreas are technically at war as their peace treaty was never negotiated after the 1953 Korean war, reports said.
He also said that foreign workers and students like him in Seoul has informed their families back home not to worry, but must pray to avoid the irreversible.
With regards to overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Korea, he said that many of them are concerned about the possibilities of returning home in case of a full blown war.
He said that OFWs wonder how to support their families at home due to lack of job opportunities in the Philippines compared to Korea.
Anselmo also said that Filipino community in Seoul has long been advised by the Philippine embassy to go south in case of war.
Like South Korean residents, he said that Filipinos expect that Seoul will be targeted by the North Koreans as it is home to the South Korean Blue House or presidential palace which is just about two kilometers away from the Methodist Theological Seminary.
He also said that the central business district of Korea in Yoido, the equivalent of Makati in the Philippines, is just about five kilometers from the university.
“In case of war, we will be lucky if Seoul will not be targeted first,” he said.
Based on his thesis presented to the Methodist Theological University, there are at least 46,000 documented Filipinos in South Korea who are mostly working as unskilled workers.
Anselmo also noted the plight of OFWs in South Korea saying they have to contend themselves with the “4-D jobs.”
It means “dirty, dangerous, difficult and delayed salary.”
The 4-D jobs includes working on factories that manufacture tiles, garments socks and other jobs that South Koreans do not want to do, but foreign workers took due to shortage of job opportunities in their home country.
