Korean-Ilonggo 3rd Friendship Festival held

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — The city government, while recognizing the Koreans as the number one foreign visitors in this city, had conducted the 3rd annual Korean-Ilonggo Friendship Festival.

The festival, held through the Iloilo City Tourism Office, ran from September 22 to 26 at the SM City Activity Center in Mandurriao district of this city, with various activities.

Titus Jeon, vice president of the Iloilo Korean United Community Association Inc. said that for the 17 years of his residency in our country, 12 years of which in Cebu City, he learned to love the Philippines particularly the Ilonggos.

“Iloilo is very peaceful that’s why we love to live here and even inviting more friends to come over here,” he said.

Jeon, who is a missionary, said there are around 3,000 Koreans, mostly students of the English language, who have been staying in the city particularly in La Paz district.

English education here is much cheaper than in Korea, “that’s why there are many Korean tutorial classes here. We hired Filipino or Ilongga teachers here to teach us basic English language,” Jeon said.

Each Korean student spends between P50,000 and P70, 000 per month for their school, food and apartment while a tourist is spending more or less P100,000 a month,” he said.

Jeon said the number of Koreans doubles during summer, adding that some of them are having investments here, especially with the proposed direct flights to and from Iloilo Airport and Korea. —Montesa Griño Caoyonan (FREEMAN)