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Thursday, March 04, 2004
Koreans sell Cebu products
By Cherry T. Lim
KOREANS living in Cebu are helping the local economy by exporting electronic parts, furniture, mangoes and other items from the island to other Asian countries.
This was revealed by Cebu Korean Association (CKA) chairman Chang Nam Moon in an interview Tuesday at Nasa Dance Club and Music Family KTV.
He said Koreans in Cebu buy furniture and mangoes from Cebu and sell these to Korea, China and Japan.
All kinds of mangoes, whether dried mangoes, mango nectar or fresh mangoes, are “very popular” in Korea, he said, as are the bananas from Dole Philippines.
Still other Koreans export to Korea large quantities of seafood, like “octopus, squid, shrimp, abalone, sea cucumber from Cebu, Palawan and Manila,” Moon told Sun.Star.
“Others (businessmen) buy electronics parts from Mitsumi (in Danao) and sell these to Korea,” he said.
Some Koreans operate restaurants, grocery stores and scuba diving shops, the last of which are scattered in Mactan, Moalboal and Bohol. And still others sell second-hand goods, like spare parts, from Korea to Cebuanos on a wholesale basis.
Moon estimated the number of Koreans living in Cebu at about 2,000, with students making up more than half of this number.
In addition, he said some 1,800 Korean tourists come to Cebu weekly because of the six flights a week to Cebu from Korea.
Students
Most of the students who come to Cebu primarily study English, although some also take up courses in dentistry, hotel and restaurant management, pharmacy, physical therapy, accounting and business in schools like Cebu Doctors College, Southwestern University, University of San Carlos, University of Cebu, University of the Visayas, and Cebu International School, Moon said.
Those who study English do so primarily at four language centers in the province, including the Cebu Philippine International Languages School (located at the former Harborview Hotel) and at the site of a former hotel on top of Seafood City. The students also live there.
Students normally spend at least three months to one year in Cebu, with some staying longer, like two to three years.
The peak time for the arrival of the students is December to February, which is the winter vacation from school in Korea, and from July to August, which is summer vacation, according to Moon.
Department of Tourism 7 statistics show that on some months, Korea is Cebu’s top source of foreign tourists, overtaking Japan, helped by the direct flights from Korea to Cebu by Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific.
“Many Koreans come to Cebu because it’s near. It’s only four hours to Cebu, compared to more than six hours to go to Thailand from Korea,” Moon said.
South Koreans also remember the help the Philippines extended when it sent soldiers to help South Korea during the Korean War in the 1950s.
Moon expressed general satisfaction at the peace and order in Cebu, saying it is better than in Manila and Mindanao, although a far cry from the situation in Korea where there is little crime because people are not allowed to carry guns.
To encourage more tourism, the CKA head asked if something could be done about the policy of granting visa extensions of only 30 days to tourists. The current policy means tourists who want to stay longer have to return every 30 days to the Bureau of Immigration to have their visas extended.
Moon said the association now plans to help the community by donating at least 100 computers to public schools this year.
There are also plans to promote cultural exchanges between Cebu and Korea.
(March 4, 2004 issue)
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