Nearly 300 dancers braved the heat on July 5 for One Philippines Day, whirling their way from a plaza to a nearby amphitheater at Banpo Park in southern Seoul.Six troupes, each representing a different Philippine festival, joined the stage in succession to a cacophony of drums that rose to the heights of the newly renovated Banpo Bridge, which intermittently sprayed jets of water into the Han River.
The parade was the culmination of an event that marked the 60th anniversary of Korea-Philippines relations, the 14th Filipino Migrant Workers Day and the 111th Philippine Independence Day. An estimated 2,000 people gathered to watch performances that ranged from rock music to dances by children of Philippine-Korean marriages wearing hanbok and traditional costumes from the Philippines.
Dancers make their way to the amphitheater at Banpo Park,
southern Seoul, on July 5 to celebrate the 60th anniversary
of Korea-Philippines bilateral relations as well as the
Filipino Migrant Workers Day and
the Philippine Independence Day. By Chris Carpenter
southern Seoul, on July 5 to celebrate the 60th anniversary
of Korea-Philippines bilateral relations as well as the
Filipino Migrant Workers Day and
the Philippine Independence Day. By Chris Carpenter
The timing of the event couldn t have been better: Korea and the Philippines recently strengthened their ties by signing a memorandum of understanding that extends the Employment Permit System, or EPS, between the countries for another two years.
