Filipino Xmas festivities mark cash remitter's expansion in Seoul

Members of the Seoul Filipino Catholic Community sing carols in front of GME Remittance's new Hyehwa Branch in Hyehwa-dong area in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Dec. 23. Photos courtesy of GME Remittance

By Ko Dong-hwan

The joy of Filipinos celebrating Christmas in Korea highlighted the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the sixth branch of a Seoul-based multinational money remittance service.

The celebration marking the expansion of Global Money Express Remittance took place at Hyehwa Rotary in Seoul's Jongno-gu District on Dec. 23. Dozens of Filipino community members, business officials and people from other foreign communities joined in the traditional Filipino Christmas prayers and blessings, entitled “Paskong Kay Saya.”

Father Jude, a Catholic Filipino community priest active in Gyeonggi Province districts, including the city of Cheonan, led the prayers, blessing GME's CEO John Sung, the company's director Mr. Subash and chief finance officer Mr. Choi. The Filipinos told The Korea Times that religion was “the strongest binder of the community.”

Filipino staff from GME Remittance perform a traditional courtship song "Harana" at the opening of the company's Hyehwa Branch on Dec. 23.

The event was also joined by Nash Ang, founding director of Filipino-Korean culture and arts organization Pinoy Artists in Korea (PAK), and the group's executive director Rosie Peralta. Kim Taerin, 10, a performer from the PAK, presented a dance performance.

GME's female Filipino staff performed “Harana,” a traditional way of courting a woman by wooing her with a love song. Crowds at the new Hyehwa branch sang along.

Jayar Manalo, vice president of Filipino EPS (Employment Permit System) Workers' Association, and chairman of FEWA's monthly newsletter “Sulyapinoy,” Jhumar Tablatin, also took part in the ceremony.

GME Remittance staff enjoy traditional Filipino hand food.

Elle Kim, the head of GME's marketing team for the Philippines, orchestrated the event. She said she was showcasing “one of the most unique Christmas cultures of my country.”

“The main reason why I chose to do this is that most of these working Filipinos here in South Korea haven't got the chance to visit home for a long period of time,” Kim told The Korea Times.

“My goal with this event is to give Filipinos a break from the reality of hard work and reconnect their souls once again to their identity as Filipinos. I wish that other Filipinos in Korea will be aware of their own tradition and culture that seem to fade out due to all influences surrounding them.”

GME Remittance CEO John Sung, fourth from left, joins in the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the company's Hyehwa Branch on Dec. 23.

Seoul Filipino Catholic Community members sang Christmas carols outside the new money transfer depot of Korea's first private non-bank remittance company. This was followed by the lighting of the “parol,” a Filipino traditional ornamental, star-shaped lantern.

The festivities ended with a “boodle fight,” a group eating with their hands to symbolize unity, trust, humility and discipline. Filipino soldiers ate like this as they moved from one place to another, according to GME.

“We always try to provide the best service for the Filipino people,” Sung said in a speech, reminding those at the ceremony to “utilize it for the benefit of your community.”

With its first service depot having opened in Seoul's Dongdaemun District in October 2017, GME now operates in Busan and in the Gyeonggi Province cities of Ansan, Pocheon and Hwaseong.