SEOUL, 1 July 2014 – A Filipino marriage immigrant living in Busan, South Korea’s second largest city, for 13 years was recognized by the largest foreign exchange bank here in its annual multicultural awards held in central Seoul on Tuesday, 1 July 2014 for doing volunteer work and helping the elderly.

Ms. Dorothy Ricardo, originally from Isabela, Philippines, received 5 million KRW from the Korea Exchange Bank (KEB) Foundation as runner-up for the Hopeful Family Award at the 6th KEB Global Family Awards held at the KEB Headquarters in Jung-gu’s Euljiro district.

“The presence of migrant families and foreigners from all walks of life provides opportunities for Korea to become a truly multicultural society in this era of globalization,” Philippine Ambassador to South Korea Raul S. Hernandez said in a congratulatory message to the winners, which included individuals from six other countries, including South Korea.

“Important events such as this paint a clearer picture of migrant families in Korea as not just recipients of aid, but also valuable contributors to Korean society and economy”, he added.

Rep. Jasmine Lee, Philippine-born Korean National Assembly legislator and a leading advocate of Korea’s multicultural policy, and Ms Lee Bok-sil, Vice Minister and Acting Minister of the Ministry of Gender Equality & Family (MOGEF), also delivered congratulatory messages.

The KEB Global Family Awards aims to highlight the importance of the well-being and adjustment of multi-cultural families in South Korea. It also provides these families the opportunity to be recognized based on their achievements and capabilities.

The Hopeful Family Award is given to those housewives in multicultural families who have committed themselves to participating in volunteer activities that help their neighbors in need and improve the welfare of other multicultural families, or who have succeeded in overcoming environmental obstacles through their strong will and despite limited financial means.

Other awardees were nationals of Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, China and South Korea. Several multicultural family centers were also recognized such as the Ansan Multicultural Family Support Center, Gwangsan-gu Office (Gwangju Metropolitan City) and Daejeon Immigrant Woman Rights Center.

The KEB, which is Korea’s fifth biggest bank in terms of assets and dominates 40 percent of Korea’s foreign exchange market, is the only Korean bank operating in the Philippines.