Some foreign students decide to make PHL their home

Sara Toh, 25, has not seen her parents in the last two years. Sara has not been home since she left South Korea in 2009 to study in the Philippines. "I miss them and I want to go home, but I'm actually enjoying my stay here," she said. She said she went to the Philippines to study English because she wanted to supplement the English course that she already took in South Korea. "I knew that Filipinos are better English speakers, so I thought it would benefit me to study the language here," she told GMA News Online. After finishing a year-long course in English proficiency, she decided to stay in Manila and try her luck at finding a job. She is now working as an executive assistant in a multinational business process outsourcing company. Sara is only one of many South Korean nationals who come to the country to learn English. The South Korea Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade estimates that there were over 115,000 Koreans in the Philippines as of 2009. Sara said many South Koreans come to the Philippines to study because an English education is much cheaper in the Philippines than in their own country or in Canada, where some of the better off Koreans go to study English. But Koreans are not the only foreigners who come to the Philippines to study. The Bureau of Immigration (BI) estimates that this year alone, about 42,000 foreign students came here to study, ranging from elementary pupils to college students. Most college students take up medicine, dentistry and business management courses, according to a report on "24 Oras."

Easier exams Indian student Mandeep Kaur, who can speak Filipino fluently, said that the exams given in schools here are easier than in India. "Ang exam sa India, puro essay. Dito, multiple choice (Exams in India are in essay form, while exams here are multiple choice)," she said. While the government generally sees the influx of foreign students in the country as a good development, the BI said it is closely monitoring the foreign students who want to come here to study. According to the same "24 Oras" report, not all foreign students who want to come here are given a student visa. "Our particular concern [is] the West Africans who are [student visa] holders," said lawyer Antonette Mangrobang, BI spokesperson. "What we are trying to avoid is for the visa to be used as a means to stay in the country and engage themselves in illegal activities." Fascinated with PHL culture Meanwhile, other foreigners who come to the Philippines choose to stay, with some even choosing to become Filipino citizens. Russian Sergey Klimenko said his fascination with the Philippine culture started when he read books about the country's history in school. This fascination led him to finish a Philippine Studies degree in St. Petersburg State University in Russia. "Tinuruan kami ng Tagalog at panitikan ng Pilipinas... Nung nabasa ko (ang kasaysayan ng Pilipinas), nakaka-inspire din siya," he said in another report on "24 Oras."
Klimenko is now studying at the University of the Philippines Diliman and is planning to stay in the country and apply to become a naturalized Filipino citizen. Through the Administrative Naturalization Law, foreigners can now file a petition to become naturalized Filipino citizens. Since 2000, over 350 foreigners have already been declared naturalized Filipinos, including radio DJ and TV host Sam YG, who became a naturalized Filipino in 2010. Spanish painter Juvenal Sanso is waiting for the Senate to approve his petition to become a naturalized Filipino citizen. He said his Spanish father came to the Philippines many years ago and decided not to go back to Spain because he liked the Filipino people and culture. Like his father, he said he likes living in the Philippines because Filipinos treat him well and do not discriminate against him. Meanwhile, Sara said she is not planning to apply to become a naturalized Filipino citizen. However, she said she plans to stay in the country and work here for one more year while she is finishing another round of English mastery courses. "The Philippines is a beautiful country and Filipinos are warm and hospitable people," she said. "I understand why many foreigners choose to come here and live here. This country is like a second home." - KBK/HS, GMA News