In the not-so-distant past, leaders regarded migration of workers in different perspectives. In one hand, leaders of countries where these workers came from thought of migration as both a "brain drain" and the breaker of families. While leaders of recipient countries regarded them as illegal workers and lawbreakers who should immediately be deported for they were grabbing jobs from the local workers and income from the natives.

     However, outlooks have changed because of recent developments. For developing and underdevloped countries, the migrant worker is a modern-day hero who remits a greateer part of his paycheck to support his family who in turn supports local businesses. For developed countries, he is an important component in its labor force in working areas where there is scarcity of local workers.

     In his statement, Bush said, "Out of common sense and fairness, our laws should allow willing workers to enter our country and fill jobs that Americans are not filling." This statement is true and correct and should apply not only to the U.S. but also to other developed countries including Korea. However, if Bush is really serious, he should up the ante by calling for a summit meeting of all developed countries and push for a fairer and better treatment of migrant workers.

     I like to think that my government seems to be ahead of Mr. Bush's plan. Our recently enacted law which aims to legalize migrant workers is a step in the same and right direction. However, due to its novelty, it has spawned a lot of controversy and even animosity among and between our governments and the illegal migrants. Somehow I wish that the U.S. president's call is timely to enlighten both sides.

     In fact, Bush's call should give countries (Korea and the Philippines) just the right timing to grab the opportunity to lead other countries into a new era of borderless world by forging a magna carta or an integral immigration treaty not only for migrant workers but also for entrepreneurs. The uniqueness of the migration and emigration status between the two countries makes my suggestion reasonable because both countries have within their bodies almost equal number of each other's citizens staying as illegals. Thousands of illegal OFWs are in Korea taking in jobs which are not filled by Korean workers - this is beneficial to the Korean factories. While in the Philippines, a proportionate number of Koreans are staying in illegaly to persue their own businesses which help the local and national economy.

     With my suggested magna carta, both countries can work hand-in-hand to better compete against global business rivals, improve their economies and lives of their citizens and thus eradicate illegal immigration.

     The Korean government does not have to fear for Filipinos to stay permanenly in Korea. As experienced in the past, foreigners specially Filipinos do not intend to stay in the land where they are working. The late Philippine Foreign Secreatary remarked. "overseas employment has built more homes than all our housing programs put together." The remark has two meanings and one is - where one builds his home it means that's where his heart is and that's where one intends to live and die.

     I was once a stranger in the Philippines. My income was more than sufficient to permanently live in it. I have cultivated lasting friendships with Filipinos and developed strong business connections. I liked its climate because there are no extreme seasons like our cold winter and our hot summer. At a much lower cost, I enjoyed its artificial facilities provided by its hotels, golf links, and megamalls and its natural menities such as its white and fine sand beaches, clear diving spots and virgin forests.

     However, I never even in my wildest dreams imagined living permanently in the Philippines. Somehow, like a first and only love, Korea always beckoned for me, his son, to come back. Somehow I felt that I kept a special space in my heart that wil only be filled by my return to my motherland. That's why, whenever I left it to accept an assignment abroad, I always promised to her, "I shall return."

     For this reason, both Korea and Philippine governments should be less concerned when they open their borders to migrants for when they leave their country, they said and keep in their hearts the promise to their loved ones and their motherland, "I shall return."