THE Provincial Government of Iloilo, in partnership with the Philippine Saemaul Undong (PSMU) and the Embassy of Korea, will host the First Saemaul Undong Summit in Iloilo City on August 30 to August 31.
Saemaul Undong (SMU) or “New Village Movement” is the much celebrated political and social reform initiative introduced by then South Korean President Park Chung-Hee in 1970 to lift his war-torn country out of poverty.
The core spirits or principles of SMU are anchored on the Korean traditional values of diligence, self-help and cooperation.
“Having witnessed for myself the significant role of SMU to South Korea’s growth and development, I am hoping that this summit will provide us with a platform where we can understand and appreciate SMU better, and replicate its framework and success factors in the context of our province,” said Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor.
In October 2014, Defensor participated in the 1st Global Saemaul Leadership Forum in Seoul, South Korea, with his wife Cosette and Mayor Matt Palabrica of the municipality of Bingawan, Iloilo.
Saemaul Undong was first introduced to the Province of Iloilo 20 years ago by missionaries from South Korea, and then by its partners from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (Koica).
“SMU has been touted as the driving force behind the present success of South Korea,” said Mario Nillos, PSMU chair and provincial planning and development coordinator of Iloilo.
“The United Nations has hailed it as the primary strategy that turned around the economy of the once-impoverished South Korea and propelled it into the ranks of super power economies,” Nillos added.
The two-day summit will be keynoted by renowned Korean academics from Yeungnam University who also have first-hand experience of the Saemaul spirit that swept their nation.
It will bring together municipal mayors, including their planning or community organizing officers, as well as the different national and regional agencies that can help ignite and sustain the Saemaul spirits among the people.
Summit registration fee is P4,000 and all participants will be provided with conference kits, materials and certificate of participation. Since slots are limited, a letter of invitation will be issued only to those who will pre-register online at https://goo.gl/forms/RyraHvr5rq3iFZqF2.
The organizers will provide meals during the event but round-trip transportation to and from the venue, accommodations and meals outside of the conference venue are the responsibility of the participants. (PR)