South Korea is one of the best countries where Filipinos can work. Its textile and electronics factories hire foreigners who can speak basic Korean language for up to three years per contract.
Aside from factory jobs, Filipinos work there as singers, musicians, performers, engineers, architects, farmers, laborers and teachers. The compensation is good with a factory worker able to earn nearly 11,000 won per hour, while a farmer can get a pay of 10,000 won per hour, according to Filipiknow.net.
Like in other countries, some Filipino workers with expired employment contracts and work visa overstay in South Korea and take other jobs without telling immigration authorities to avoid paying costly visa renewal, a plane ticket to fly home and documentary requirements for reemployment.
Elmer is a former overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who recently admitted in the “Bawal Judgmental” segment of noontime TV show”Eat Bulaga” about being an illegal alien or tago nang tago (TNT) in South Korea for 12 years.
Recalling his experience as an OFW, Elmer told the show’s hosts that it was hard to work in South Korea at the beginning due to the language barrier. Upon learning to speak Korean, he was able to rent a home.
Elmer couldn’t go to a hospital when he was sick as his TNT status would be exposed. Instead, he took care of himself when he was not feeling well and cut down on his unhealthy vices to avoid ailments.
Of course, the ex-OFW was also homesick. Elmer left his wife and children for the sacrifice of providing for the family’s needs. The dedicated father and husband planned to go home for good after one more year of work in South Korea.
However, his overstay was accidentally discovered by Korean authorities and he was deported.
It was Elmer’s fault for blowing his cover. He told “Bawal Judgemental” that police caught him driving a motorcycle without a helmet and a license leading to his identification as an illegal alien.
With his Filipino mentality of not wearing a helmet because he was just going to a nearby park, Elmer was unceremoniously kicked out of South Korea.