13 May 2015 - The officers and members of the Filipino Employment Permit System Workers’ Association (FEWA) called on Philippine Ambassador to South Korea Raul S. Hernandez on April 26 at the Philippine Embassy in Seoul.

FEWA President Malou Espinola expressed her appreciation to Ambassador Hernandez and Labor Attaché Fellicitas Q. Bayfor for the Embassy’s tireless efforts to ensure the welfare of almost 24,000 workers under the Employment Permit System (EPS) in Korea.

Ambassador Hernandez shared with the members the highlights of his recent meeting with Korean Minister of Employment and Labor (MOEL) Lee Ki-kweon concerning the enhancement of Filipino workers’ protection and safety.

In their meeting on March 09, Ambassador Hernandez recommended to MOEL Minister Lee that Korean employers attend orientations aimed at fostering better understanding of the culture of their foreign workers and continuous education on EPS regulations, compliance with labor standards and practices, occupational health and safety, and social insurance.

Also attending the courtesy call were FEWA volunteers, including students from the Pinoy Iskolars sa Korea (PIKO) led its president, Judee Grace Nemeno, who is a consultant to the organization’s monthly official publication “Sulyap Pinoy,” and Elena dela Cruz, a consultant from the municipal Seoul Global Center.

FEWA was established in 2006, two years after the establishment of the EPS through the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Philippines and Korea on the hiring of Filipino workers in the country.

The organization aims to assist EPS workers through counseling on labor-related issues, in coordination with the Embassy’s Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO); conducting outreach programs to hospitalized EPS workers; and holding mediations or interventions on migrant-related issues that affect the welfare of the Filipinos. FEWA is also currently conducting “The Baliktanaw Project: 10 won can make a difference,” wherein donations of 10-cent coins by the members throughout 2015 will be used for the purchase of school supplies or computers for donation to public schools in the Philippines. END