South Korean to Filipinos: You go to church every Sunday but nothing has changed - The Most Popular Lists

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South Korean to Filipinos: You go to church every Sunday but nothing has changed


Filipinos always complain about the corruption in the Philippines. Do you really think the corruption is the problem of the Philippines?

I do not think so. I strongly believe that the problem is the lack of love for the Philippines.

Let me first talk about my country, Korea. It might help you understand my point. After the Korean War, South Korea was one of the poorest countries in the world.

Koreans had to start from scratch because entire country was destroyed after the Korean War, and we had no natural resources.


Koreans used to talk about the Philippines, for Filipinos were very rich in Asia. We envy Filipinos. Koreans really wanted to be well off like Filipinos. Many Koreans died of famine. My father & brother also died because of famine. Korean government was very corrupt and is still very corrupt beyond your imagination, but Korea was able to develop dramatically because Koreans really did their best for the common good with their heart burning with patriotism.

Koreans did not work just for themselves but also for their neighborhood and country.

Education inspired young men with the spirit of patriotism.


40 years ago, President Park took over the government to reform Korea. He tried to borrow money from other countries, but it was not possible to get a loan and attract a foreign investment because the economic situation of South Korea was so bad. Korea had only three factories. So, President Park sent many mine workers and nurses to Germany so that they could send money to Korea to build a factory. They had to go through horrible experience.

In 1964, President Park Chung-hee visited Germany to borrow money. Hundred of Koreans in Germany came to the airport to welcome him and cried there as they saw the President Park. They asked to him, “President, when can we be well off? That was the only question everyone asked to him. President Park cried with them and promised them that Korea would be well off if everyone works hard for Korea, and the President of Germany got the strong impression on them and lent money to Korea .


So, President Park was able to build many factories in Korea. He always asked Koreans to love their country from their heart.

Many Korean scientists and engineers in the USA came back to Korea to help developing country because they wanted their country to be well off. Though they received very small salary, they did their best for Korea. They always hoped that their children would live in well off country.

My parents always brought me to the places where poor and physically handicapped people live. They wanted me to understand their life and help them. Have you cried for the Philippines? I have cried for my country several times. I also cried for the Philippines because of so many poor people.


I have been to the New Bilibid prison. What made me sad in the prison were the prisoners who do not have any love for their country. They go to mass and work for church. They pray everyday.

However, they do not love the Philippines. I talked to two prisoners at the maximum-security compound, and both of them said that they would leave the Philippines right after they are released from the prison. They said that they would start a new life in other countries and never come back to the Philippines.

Many Koreans have a great love for Korea so that we were able to share our wealth with our neighborhood. The owners of factory and company distributed their profit to their employees fairly so that employees could buy what they needed and saved money for the future and their children.


When I was in Korea, I had a very strong faith and wanted to serve in a church. However, when I came to the Philippines, I completely lost my faith. I was very confused when I saw many unbelievable situations in the Philippines. Street kids always make me sad, and I see them everyday.

The Philippines is the most “religious” country in Asia, they say. But there are too many poor people here. People go to church every Sunday to pray, but nothing has been changed.

My parents came to the Philippines last week and saw this situation. They told me that Korea was much poorer than the present Philippines when they were young. They are so sorry that there are so many beggars and street kids. When we went to Pagsanjan, I forced my parents to take a boat because it would be fun.


However, they were not happy after taking a boat. They said that they would not take the boat again because they were sympathized the boatmen, for the boatmen were very poor and had a small frame. Most of people just took a boat and enjoyed it. But, my parents did not enjoy it because of love for them.

My mother who has been working for a church since I was very young told me that if we just go to church without changing ourselves, we are not Christians indeed. Faith should come with action. She added that I have to love Filipinos and do good things for them because all of us are same and have received a great love from God. I want Filipinos to love their neighborhood and country as much as they love God so that the Philippines will be well off.


I am sure that love is the keyword, which Filipinos should remember. We cannot change the sinful structure at once. It should start from person. Love must start in everybody, in a small scale and have to grow. A lot of things happen if we open up to love. Let’s put away our prejudices and look at our worries with our new eyes.

If you have a child, teach them how to love the Philippines. Teach them why they have to love their neighborhood and country.

That’s all I really want to ask you Filipinos.

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This article first appeared on Jaeyoun Kim (김재연)

6 comments:

  1. It breaks my heart that a Korean completely understands our situation as a country. It is true, we do not love the Philippines. Many filipinos especially our leaders are greedy and self-centered. Government funds goes to individual pockets instead of spending it for the common good. The membership from any Christian or Catholic church is just to conceal the evil part of our persona, hypocrites as we are, we do not deserve blessings from God. Patriotism and love for fellowmen is not our heart, though we always recite in oath to our flag: makadiyos, makakalikasan, makatao at makabansa...our oath is just an illusion.

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  2. Love of the country could have been augmented well with the teachings of the church as both are not self-contradictory. Biblical work ethic as expounded by Webber elucidated this well.

    They say that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. The RC's shift from imputed to infused grace as a means of eternal salvation -- partly to bridge the Christians to the heathen - wrecks so much havoc to the value-system of the country as they have to break also the Decalogue. In other words, in practice, politicians think they can make up their evil deeds like corruption by simply donating to the church, a practice not possible if the Decalogue is organically whole.

    The other good attempt of the church to shift from deacons to bishops to combat heresy, to the bifurcation of teaching and learning groups ended in the separation of elite and the poor, manifested its ugliest heads perhaps in the Philippines.

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  3. I sigh, cry and pray always for my Country-the Philippines. I never desire to leave the country for I know there is so much thing to be done here. I never lose hope to see that beyond the unimaginable and mountains of corruptions, erosion of values, indescribable forms of selfishness and sense of indifference..the day of renewal and reclaiming of the original faith will rise. YES, there is a loud show of evilness in the society but I know it has never outran the unseen and good number of true and authentic Christians whose hearts are keeping with great sympathy, concern and love for the country and most of all for the Lord whom we believe always hears the cry of the poor. The Kingdom of God has overcome evil and evilness will never overcome the good. God is the King over all the earth. He will do something for us but of course we need also to do our part to collaborate with the grace of God's plan to establish this Kingdom of love and peace, joy, justice...in some occasion/realities that we can't manage to go against the waves..let's us not get discouraged but find another means to actualize it by bending our knees with humble hearts before the Lord and say "Lord.. please heal our land"..

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    Replies
    1. So well explained. Yes, the goodness of the Lord is overflowing wherever we are. It does not really matter where you're destined to do your mission. Serving other countries is not at all an issue. It's our position how we perceive things. Nurturing yourself from your experiences whether you hailed it from your success or failures is a triumphant act to do. Loving your own country or any other country is just the same. Afterall, you are loving your own fellow considered as our own brethren.Love knows no creed, no race or no rules and restrictions. Just do the best for the people of your country or whatever country you are deployed. What matters most really is our deep concern with love in our hearts to better our situation together with the people around us

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  4. As per my thought the Filipinos have nothing to do with their government, they just want free hand to enjoy their life.
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