As you know, we have plenty of Koreans currently studying in the Philippines to take advantage of our cheaper tuition fees and learn English at the same time. This is an essay written by a Korean student that I want to share with you.


My Short Essay about the Philippines
Jaeyoun Kim

Filipinos always complain about the corruption in the Philippines.Do you really think the corruption is the problem of the Philippines? I do not think so. I strongly believe that the problem is the lack of love for the Philippines.

Let me first talk about my country, Korea. It might help you understand my point. After the Korean War, South Korea was one of the poorest countries in the world. Koreans had to start from scratch because entire country was destroyed completely after the Korean War, and we had no natural resources.

Koreans used to talk about the Philippines, for Filipinos were very rich in Asia. We envy Filipinos. Koreans really wanted to be well off like Filipinos. Many Koreans died of famine. My father's brother also died because of famine.

Korean government was awfully corrupt and is still very corrupt beyond your imagination, but Korea was able to develop dramatically because Koreans really did their best for the common good with their heart burning with patriotism. Koreans did not work just for themselves but also for their neighborhood and country. Education inspired young men with the spirit of patriotism.

40 years ago, President Park took over the government to reform Korea. He tried to borrow money from other countries, but it was not possible to get a loan and attract a foreign investment because the economy situation of South Korea was so bad. Korea had only three factories. So, President Park sent many mine workers and nurses to Germany so that they could send money to Korea to build a factory. They had to go through a horrible experience. In 1964, President Park visited Germany to borrow money. Hundred of Koreans in Germany came to the airport to welcome him and cried there as they saw the President Park. They asked to him, "President, when can we be well off?" That was the only question everyone asked to him. President Park cried with them and promised them that Korea would be well off
if everyone works hard for Korea, and the President of Germany got the strong impression on them and lent money to Korea. So, President Park was able to build many factories in Korea.

He always asked Koreans to love their country from their heart. Many Korean scientists and engineers in the USA came back to Korea to help developing country because they wanted their country to be well off.

Though they received very small salary, they did their best for Korea. They always hoped that their children would live in well off country.

My parents always brought me to the places where poor and physically handicapped people live. They wanted me to understand their life and help them. I also worked for Catholic Church when I was in the army. The only thing I learned from Catholic Church was that we have to love our neighborhood. And I have loved my neighborhood.

Have you cried for the Philippines? I have cried for my country several times. I also cried for the Philippines because of so many poor people.

I have been to the New Bilibid prison. What made me sad in the prison were the prisoners who do not have any love for their country. They go to mass and work for Church. They pray everyday. However, they do not love the Philippines. I talked to two prisoners at the maximum security compound, and both of them said that they would leave the Philippines right after they are released from the prison. They said that they would start a new life in other countries and never come back to the Philippines.

Many Koreans have a great love for Korea so that we were able to share our wealth with our neighborhood. The owners of factory and company were distributed their profit to their employees fairly so that employees could buy what they needed and saved money for the future and their children.

When I was in Korea, I had a very strong faith and wanted to be a priest. However, when I came to the Philippines, I completely lost my faith. I was very confused when I saw many unbelievable situations in the Philippines. Street kids always make me sad, and I see them everyday. The Philippines is the only Catholic country in Asia, but there are too many poor people here. People go to church every Sunday to pray, but nothing has been changed. My parents came to the Philippines last week and saw this situation. They told me that Korea was much poorer than the present Philippines when they were young. They are so sorry that there so many beggars and street kids. When we went to Pasanjan, I forced my parents to take a boat because it would fun. However, they were not happy after taking the boat. They said that they would not take the boat again because they sympathized with the boat men, for the boat men were very poor and had a small frame. Most people just took a boat and enjoyed it. But my parents did not enjoy it because of love for them.

My mother who has been working for the Catholic Church since I was very young told me that if we just go to mass without changing ourselves, we are not Catholic indeed. Faith should come with action. She added that I have to love Filipinos and do good things for them because all of us are same and have received a great love from God.

I want Filipinos to love their neighborhood and country as much as they love God so that the Philippines will be well off. I am sure that love is the keyword which Filipinos should remember. We cannot change the sinful structure at once. It should start from the person. Love must start in everybody in a small scale and has to grow. A lot of things happen if we open up to love. Let's put away our prejudices and look at our worries with our new eyes. I discover that every person is worthy to be loved. Trust in love, because it makes changes possible. Love changes you and me. It changes people, contexts and relationships. It changes the world.

Please love your neighborhood and country. Jesus Christ said that whatever we do to others we do to Him. In the Philippines, there is God for people who are abused and abandoned. There is God who is crying for love. If you have a child, teach them how to love the Philippines. Teach them why they have to love their neighborhood and country.

You already know that God also will be very happy if you love others. That's all I really want to ask you Filipinos.

Is the Philippines worth crying for?

Who will shed tears for the Motherland?
Who will lend a hand to lift her spirit,
to hold the lonely Flag that symbolizes her name?

	1. 30-05-2007 13:53
	i believed what mr. kim said. kon tanan ta nga pilipino will work hard for the sake of the Philippines, our country will be a rich country in asia. pero we have no such heart yowards our country.ti sino bay kaluluoy? ang aton mga henerasyon. Guest Report

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	2. 19-03-2008 09:41
	Mr Kim I´m agree with you You are right Mr.Kim.Ilove my country, because is a place where I was born where I have my family where I grow up imagine, when my youth time I´m very happy I´m always enjoying with my nieghborhod ,our situation we are all the same we share each other what other lack .I dont know the word poverty until when the time came that as I remember.My dream before is to be a doctor ginecologist but we have no lot money we have a small land property.Iexperience since I was 6 years old ,planting rice ,ploughing the land . imaging just to sold fruits, vegetables,eggs and children where the public market is ,is about 8 kilometers away from my barrio.We take a walk whenis raining season imagen what situatio es.But we don´t have lost our faith to God.Our problem in in the philippines( mostly pilipinos ) don´t want to return in the philippines because theirs no future because the government theirs no good ptoject politics and social for the development of the country .Philippines is burried in exterior debt, since Marcos was the president of the philippines and still we are paying that debt, but we hadnt saw any progress. Untruth the comunication of telephone and informatics system is a good proyect,but the first necesaries needs of filipino people is still very filth,there are thousands of filipinos overseas workers sending moneys to their family.This pilipinos overseas workers sacrifiying vaery far to theirs loves ones just to help that they can give a good future to their daugthers,sons,ect. but after they can finished theirs carreers they can´t see jb in the philippines. So my question ;until when we are all pilipinos can benefits our right as a good being human with stable jobs,with medical and insurrance life ang especially the confort with own house and with infraestructure like good roads,suficientwater supplies.All this enducement we can garantee you .due of the effect of a lon lon long corruption in the Philippines.hopefully this will be alleviate in the Philippines and all over the world that suffering this problem. Registered Report

nenengfe

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