SEOUL, 12 June 2016 - Over 2,000 Filipinos in Korea ? overseas workers, multicultural families, professionals, and students ? gathered at an outdoor stage put up in front of the famous Some Sevit artificial islands in the Banpo Hangang Park along Han River in Seoul on 12 June 2016 to celebrate the 118th Anniversary of Philippine Independence Day and the 21st Migrant Workers Day.

The annual commemorative event, which has been called "Bayanihan sa Korea" since 2013, showcased the remarkable bayanihan (community) spirit as Filipinos from all over the country came together to celebrate their individual and collective triumphs as Filipinos while living and working in South Korea. Bayanihan sa Korea 2016 was organized by the Philippine Embassy in Seoul with the support of a special Steering Committee, composed of key members of the Filipino community, with the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO), led by Welfare Attache Manuela Nuval-Pena, taking an active role in coordinating and implementing the activities. This year's event, the first commemoration held since the maiden festival hosted by the Incheon Metropolitan Government at the Samsan World Gymnasium in June 2013 following successive cancellations due to the MV Sewol sinking and MERS outbreak, was made possible with the support of Manila-based Stimula Productions, Inc. and the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Stimula, led by DZMM radio host Maresciel Yao, a long-time advocate of migrant workers' welfare, produced and marketed the daylong event, with live performances from Filipino celebrities, radio DJ Cha Cha, singer Daryl Ong, and model/actress Ellen Adarna, who were especially flown in from Manila. Arrangements were made for state-run channel PTV 4 to broadcast it at a later date. The Embassy organized the cultural performances from local groups as well as ensured the continued offering of on-site services, such as labor counseling, medical services, and financial and remittance promotion. Commercial booths offering food, drinks as well as services in the park grounds overlooking the stage were put up and managed by Stimula. The Korean government was represented in the official program by high-ranking officials, in particular by Mr. Kim Chang-beom, Ambassador for International Relations to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, and Mr. Kim Pyung-hee, Vice President of the Human Resources Development Service of Korea (HRD Korea). HRD Korea works with Korea's Ministry of Employment and Labor to manage the Employment Permit System (EPS), which the Korean government established in August 2004 in order to solve problems with the existing industrial trainee system and effectively help SMEs reduce labor shortages. The Philippines is one of the original 15 labor-sending countries under the EPS system, which won the United Nations Public Service Award (UNPSA), the most prestigious international award in public service, in 2011 for its innovation in enhancing transparency and preventing corruption in public service related to the introduction of foreign workers. The event started at 9:30am with a Catholic mass officiated by Archbishop Osvaldo Padilla, the Philippine-born Papal Nuncio accredited by the Holy See to the Republic of Korea. The mass was followed by a short program featuring congratulatory messages from Philippine and Korean government officials. Recalling in the same "spirit and with pride" the declaration of Philippine independence on 12 June 1898, Philippine Ambassador to South Korea Raul S. Hernandez said in his remarks that he "strongly" believed that "remembering the important milestones of the past honors the great men and women who fought and died for our freedom." "Our commemoration today is intended to strengthen our resolve to value and safeguard our hard-earned freedoms. Let us keep in mind, as they do here with the Korean War, that 'Freedom is not free' and let us be proud that we are Filipinos," he added. He also underscored the Philippine government's continuing commitment to promote the welfare and protection of Overseas Filipinos (OFs) in celebrating the 21st Migrant Workers Day, as codified in Republic Act 8042, also known as the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995, as enhanced by R.A. 10022. "The Philippine government, including its various missions abroad, is considered by many not only as our nation's bulwark in promoting welfare and protecting the rights of migrant workers, but also as a model for many labor-sending countries in providing the mantle of protection to migrant workers elsewhere," the Ambassador stressed. Following the formal part of the program was the parade of the different Filipino Community organizations in Korea. Twenty-six (26) groups, in colorful traditional Filipiniana attire and festival costumes, joined the parade, the first held since 2013. This year's host community, the Hyehwa-dong Filipino Catholic Community in Seoul, led by Fr. Alfredo G. Africa Jr. of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center for Filipino Migrants, was awarded Best in Parade and Biggest Delegation. The Daegu Filipino Catholic Community bagged the third award, the Farthest Delegation. The event ? emceed by Maresciel Yao and UP Diliman Prof. Jovy Peregrino, exchange professor at the Busan University of Foreign Studies ? featured collective efforts by local groups, such as the Hyehwa-dong and Ansan Filipino communities performing the Sinulog and Masskara dances from Cebu and Bacolod in central Philippines. Local Filipino artists were also given the opportunity to showcase their talents in an open mic event. Prizes, such as laptop computers, round trip tickets to Manila, and other goods donated by corporate and non-profit sponsors, were also raffled off.