Despite the hardships you continually experience in your job such as loneliness of being away from your family and your loved ones, and toiling under people of different language, CHEER UP! Let the the thought of the countless number of people who benifit from your present hard and lonely experience lift your spirit and bring happiness to your heart!

     I sympathize whit what you are undergiong for I too was a foreign worker in the Philippines. Together with my staff, I met difficulties inn working for and with strangers and experienced the homesickness while I was in your motherland. Yet, thanks to the warmth and hospitality of Filipinos, your country became my second homeland. I have established a long lasting ties with government officials, businessmen and workers and grew fond of your land's beauty spots that I cherish in my heart.

     When I went back toKorea I was surprised to see a lot of OFWs working in my country. However, I have heard and even seen with my own eyes the tendency of some Korean companies not to respect the human and labor rights of OFWs working for them.

     To curb this negative tendency and to lessen if not eradicate its occurence, since OFWs' numbers have been rapidly increasing, the time is ripe for Pinoy workers in Korea to unite and form a large group that will have the resources, leverage and influence to voice out their OFW-members complaints, protect their human and labor rights, and find ways to improve their socio-economic status. I have exerted efforts to sstart this movement towards the unity of OFWs in Korea.

     In appreciation of my efforts, your leaders like Presidenbt Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Jaime Cardinal Sin, some Senators and heads of government agencies have sent congratulatory messages. In my own humble way and with the help of other Koreans who have in the past tasted your country's hospitality, we have helped organize and register with our government the United Pinoy Association in Korea (UPAK) and launched Pinoy Balita (see brief write-ups).

     In one hand, UPAK (a non-government organization [NGO] recognized by both the Korean and Philippine governments) aims to improve the socio-economic status of OFWs and protect their human and labor rights while Pinoy Balita will serve as your newsletter through which, aside from getting the latest news and information, you can communicate with your loved ones, your government leaders and your countrymen. We will extend this to help you by accepting and printing your literary contributions and messages and distributing copies of Pinoy Balita to all congressmen, governors and mayors of your country.

     UPAK, moreover, to fulfill its noble obkectives, will be accepting services of profesionals such as lawyers, doctors, social workers, etc. to help look into the legal, medical, social and other needs of its members. So why not extend your heroism further? Why not join efforts to improve the status of OFWs? Why not join UPAK?

     Thank you and welcome to UPAK!