City forges Korean-Ilonggo friendship ties

ILOILO CITY – The Koreans, considered the biggest foreign group in this city, plan to conduct a weeklong 1st Korean-Ilonggo Friendship Festival as tribute to the fusion of two cultures and to strengthen friendship between the Ilonggos and Koreans.

Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog welcomes the festival slated on September 17-22, 2012, that will showcase the Korean culture and tradition.

Moon Dae Jin, popularly known here as Tiger Moon, the vice president of the Iloilo Korean Untied Community Association Inc. and president of the Korean Westwood School, heads the festival.

The preparation includes the 1st KPop Fashion Concert, featuring Korean artists Step Up Girls and Karin and seven top Korean models, to be held at the Central Philippine University gym.

Other activities include mall exhibits, dance exhibitions, press conference with Korean artists and models, and courtesy call at the Iloilo City Hall, and a food festival at Delgado Street beside Amigo mall featuring best Korean dishes.

City tourism officer Ben Jimena said there are plans to celebrate the festival every third week of September every year.

Tiger Moon said there are about 3,000 Korean students studying in the city schools here and their families visited Iloilo annually to enjoy the local festivals.

The association is also pushing a direct flight to Iloilo from Seoul, Korea, to accommodate the growing Korean market.

Jimena said there is a possibility that Singapore Airlines and SilkAir will soon open direct flights from the Iloilo Airport to Korea and vice versa.

Cebu Pacific Airlines will start its maiden direct flights from Iloilo to Hong Kong on November 8 and to Singapore on November 9, 2012.