This is a series introducing associations and clubs that expats can get involved in. This week, Expat Living spoke to Ramon Christian Eusebio, president of Filipino Scholars in Korea. ― Ed.

● Name: Pinoy Iskolars sa Korea, Inc. (PIKO) ― Filipino Scholars in Korea

● Location: Seoul

● Number of members: 313 as of December

●Started: 2006

What is PIKO?

PIKO is an organization committed to the promotion of fellowship and cooperation among Filipino students participating in educational programs in the Republic of Korea. For the past five years, PIKO has been the only organization that caters to the needs of the Filipino scholars. We also aim to promote academic and cultural exchanges between Filipino students and the student populations in various universities across South Korea.

Who is it for?

The organization is open to all Filipino students who are currently enrolled in educational programs hosted in South Korea.

What goes on?

The biannual general assembly is held at the start of each academic semester. This is a gathering of all Filipino students in Korea, and the planned activities are introduced during the assembly. This event also helps new Filipino scholars adjust to life as a student in Korea.

The PIKO Christmas Song Festival is a solo singing competition exclusive for Filipino organizations that aims to create a venue of interaction and to establish a good relationship with other Filipino communities.

We also conduct regular activities to strengthen ties between members and to promote fellowship among Filipino scholars. One of these is the “PIKO Campus Tour” that encourages social and intellectual exchange between students, including those of other nationalities.

PIKO also participates in various festivals promoting Filipino culture ― its music, dance, instruments, clothes and cuisine, among other things.

Plans for the future?

The PIKO Lecture Series will be an event showcasing academic papers and activities by Filipino and other Asian scholars and professors in the sciences, arts and humanities with the theme “Rising Asia: Breakthroughs and Innovations in the East.” Lectures will be conducted every quarter of the year depending on the discipline.

PIKO outreach program is a means of giving back to community as PIKO has been blessed throughout the years. It aims to teach children from multicultural families as well as Korean elementary students about Filipino games and culture.

To mark the 61st Anniversary of the Philippines sending troops to the Korean War, students will go on a tour of the Demilitarized Zone.

PIKO Sportsfest is a tournament open for all Filipino students in Korea, which includes basketball, volleyball, badminton, and traditional Filipino games.

For the celebration of the PIKO’s sixth anniversary, we will organize a Christmas Song Festival targeting the Asian communities, to be held within the first week of December.

How to join?

Eligible members can register by providing proof of enrollment in an educational program in Korea, and completing the membership form. Online registration is also provided in our website (http://pinoyiskolars.org/).

For further assistance, please contact PIKO president Ramon Christian Eusebio via rceusebio@gmail.com or 010-4343-8412

Are there any membership fees?

All members are required to pay a one-time membership fee of 10,000 won.

Highlight of the year:

The Pinoy Iskolars sa Korea, Incorporated held the Himig Pasko Tinig Pinoy: The PIKO Christmas Song Festival on Dec. 4 at Tongseong High School in Hyehwa-dong, Seoul. Twenty-one contestants representing different Filipino communities from South Korea participated.

The song contest, previously organized by other groups, is one of the major events of the year for Filipino migrants. PIKO members, led by Ramon Christian Eusebio ― President of PIKO ― envisioned an event that shares a sense of community amongst Filipinos in South Korea. PIKO aimed to put on an event that shares the spirit of the Filipino celebration among Filipinos and others.

The judges included opera conductor Yeon-yong Kwak, Filipina-Korean Actress Jasmine Lee and Ambassador of the Philippines in South Korea Luis Cruz.

Overall, the event was a great opportunity to bridge the student-led Pinoy Iskolars sa Korea with other communities in South Korea. With this success, PIKO hopes to continue to organize such events in the future.