ILOILO – Freshmen students and professors of Yeungnam University (YU) Department of Saemaul Studies and International Development in South Korea experienced the laid-back farming life of Ilonggos in Barangay Poblacion Southeast, Lemery town during their recently concluded week-long immersion here.

The group led by Project Team Leader and Associate Professor Lee Jeong Ju went to select farming communities in the town where Saemaul Undong, a community-driven development program, is being practiced.

YU’s Saemaul Experiential Learning Visit is one of its development exchanges to promote Saemaul to foster holistic capability building activities among its students and to realize theoretical discussion about the program.

“We intend to expand our student’s intellectual curiosity [through direct] observation and [by] experiencing how the knowledge learned in their class can be applied in the field,” said Professor Ho-woong Yoo.

Aside from Lemery, the group also went to the towns of Oton, Miagao and Badiangan for cultural exchanges and educational tours.

They also attended a development seminar about the ongoing Panay Island Upland-Sustainable Rural Development Program of Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the Department of Agriculture in Alimodian, Iloilo; regional tourism development initiatives of Department of Tourism; and socio-economic development priorities of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) in Western Visayas.

Saemaul Summit

Philippine Saemaul Undong President Mario Nillos hoped that YU’s international development project exchanges will result to strong collaboration between the two governments and enhanced people-to-people ties.

Nillos, also Iloilo’s Provincial Planning and Development Officer, added that they are continuously working with select communities in the province to inculcate to the minds and daily practice of Ilonggos the spirit of diligence, self-help and cooperation of Saemaul Undong.

In fact, the provincial government, in partnership with Philippine Saemaul Undong, will hold the 1st Saemaul Undong Summit in Iloilo City on August 29 until September 2, 2018, he said.

Mr. Bae Eung Bong, director of International Cooperation Bureau of Korea Saemaul Undong Center, and Country Director Shin Myung Seop of KOICA Philippines are expected to keynote the event. It will also feature high calibre speakers from YU’s Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul.

The summit aims to provide opportunity for exchanges of ideas and practice based on previously held researches and to discuss issues and concerns on localizing Saemaul Undong in here in order to find appropriate actions and enabling policies to address the challenges.