Perceived Stressors of Filipinos in South Korea and the Development of an Appreciative Resilience-focused Wellness Program

Monica Walet; Emely Dicolen; Joeffrey Calimag

Monica Walet College of Public Affairs and Development, University of the Philippines Los Baños https://orcid.org/0009-0003-9999-7647
Emely Dicolen National Teacher Training Center for the Health Professions, University of the Philippines Manila https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9910-7160
Joeffrey Calimag School of Global Studies, Kyungsung University

Keywords: Well-being, Filipinos overseas, appreciative resilience, pandemic, perceived stress

Abstract

People are faced with numerous challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. It has affected all the areas of their well-being - physical, psycho-emotional, social, financial, and spiritual. Overseas Filipinos, specifically the Filipinos in South Korea, are not exempted from these. It is in this light that this research analyzed the factors that affect the well-being of Filipinos in South Korea and propose a sustainable program that would provide the needed support to navigate their unique challenges and perceived requirements for personal growth. A total of 353 Filipinos from various sojourns participated in the survey: Employment Permit System workers, marriage migrants, professionals, undocumented workers, and students. The findings revealed common factors affecting Filipinos’ well-being identified as adjustment issues in a foreign country, such as language, food, and culture; homesickness; immigration-related fears; difficult work; financial strain; and lack of health or accident insurance. Based on the results, a basic wellness program was designed patterned after the principles of Appreciative Inquiry and models of Appreciative Resilience. The design was piloted to a group of 39 volunteers in a trainers’ workshop aimed at equipping the volunteers with basic skills to extend psycho-educational support to the Filipinos in South Korea specially during the time of the pandemic.