PH, SoKor sign agreement to protect Filipino marriage immigrants

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines and South Korea have forged an agreement aimed at protecting and promoting the welfare of the more than 9,000 Filipinos married to nationals of the north Asian country, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Developing Capacities for the Resettlement and Adaptation of Filipino Marriage Immigrants was signed on March 13 in Seoul by Imelda Nicolas, chair of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, and Minister Kim Kum-lae of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.

Consul General Sylvia Marasigan of the Philippine embassy in the South Korean capital and Cherry Joy Veniles, another CFO official, were also present during the signing of the pact.

In a statement, Nicolas noted “there are over 9,000 Filipinos, mostly women, who are married to South Korean nationals.”

“Both countries see the integration of Filipino marriage migrants into South Korean society as a way to ensure the protection of their human rights and to support their empowerment. The less they adapt into Korean life, the less empowered they become as migrants, workers, wives and mothers. This needs to be addressed comprehensively and creatively,” she said.

According to the CFO head, the agreement “demonstrates the strong partnership between our two nations and emphasizes our joint commitment to respond to this challenge.”

For its part, the embassy expects the MOU to “result in greater access to information, especially for newly arrived migrants, further development of programs for their welfare and protection, and more joint research and exchange of learning modules and dialogues on related issues among experts and marriage migrants themselves.”