Reclusive North Korea has 8 Filipino workers

Who would think that Filipino workers have reached even the reclusive country of North Korea? We met all eight of them at a dinner hosted by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo last week in the capital Pyongyang. Four are working for the United Nations, some of them are under the World Food Program. North Korea has been facing famine for a long time, and UN is among those extending food aid to the country. The other four are employed by a British tobacco company that operates a factory in Pyongyang. They live in the huge Yanggakdo International Hotel where we stayed. They have been in North Korea for several years now. Carlos Miranda, who is on his fifth year in the communist state, admits he experienced culture shock at first as the North Korean life is very much different from the Philippines. But over time, he has learned to appreciate its culture. North Koreans, he says, just want to live a simple and quiet life. A shuttle takes Carlos and his three co-workers to work and brings them back to the hotel, but they are not allowed to make any side trip. As very few Koreans speak English, an interpreter always goes with them. On their days off, they can roam only in the area surrounding the hotel. They sometimes play golf and bowling, or sing in the hotel's karaoke room. They have to secure a permit if they want to see more of the city, but getting one usually takes time. They pass time by watching DVDs of Filipino movies. They get creative, too, sometimes. Bernard Dizon, who has been in North Korea for six years now, showed us the miniature model of a house that he made. He says the television is not a reliable companion there, as only Korean shows are shown on the local channel. Cable channels in the hotel are limited. Although Korean foods are also delicious, Bernard and Carlos still prefer foods back home. They always keep stock of instant ingredients like sinigang mix. Their employer is kind enough to heed their request to go home and see their families every three months. They say they are well-compensated… the pay is good enough for them to endure the loneliness in North Korea… adding their families make the hard work worth it. - GMANews.TV