| Introduction. | | | | very unpopular then, but the Korean villages who |
| I would like to share with you my reflection on the | | | | responded positively to the Saemaul program made |
| Saemaul Training of Leaders that I attended in Korea | | | | change so popular that every village became involved. |
| in June 2009. It was a great learning experience and it | | | | Thus, it is very important that we change our mindset, |
| allowed me to see how we Filipinos could rise above | | | | from blaming the government to blaming ourselves. |
| our current situation through the Saemaul Undong | | | | We need to stop from asking and hoping that our |
| lessons and tenets. | | | | village leaders, town leaders, and national leaders |
| It is quite fortunate for having been chosen to undergo | | | | would provide the necessary changes that we desire |
| this kind of training. After having undergone that | | | | for our community. |
| five-day training with Saemaul, I have not stopped | | | | WE MUST DECIDE, we must make the decision that |
| from appreciating and feeling blessed for that rare | | | | today I am responsible for the changes that must |
| opportunity. Surely, there is much to gain from | | | | happen in my life and in my community. I am hoping |
| accepting and practicing the Saemaul values of | | | | that you will come into a similar realization after your |
| diligence, self-reliance and cooperation in our | | | | 3-day training. |
| community. | | | | Who among you here has a student studying in a |
| Perhaps you might wonder why a person like me who | | | | university at the city? Perhaps you would say that you |
| is in the academe or university is involved in Saemaul? | | | | cannot afford to send your children because you are |
| Is it not Saemaul for the rural community only? I am | | | | poor. Let me tell you that at CPU there are students |
| very grateful to Dr. Chung for inviting me to attend the | | | | who are working their way to college. Last weekend, I |
| Saemaul Training in June 2009 because my | | | | met one student who is working on weekends at a |
| participation provided one important link that is needed | | | | supermarket to earn money for allowance. She also |
| in propagating the lessons of Saemaul. | | | | works in the university for her tuition. There are many |
| In CPU, most of her 12,000 students came from the | | | | students who refuse poverty as an excuse in not |
| rural areas and they also live in villages like Brgy. Moto, | | | | getting a college degree. All that they have is the big |
| San Dionisio. The students are our future community | | | | decision that they have to do something to change |
| leaders too. I realized how important the student | | | | their lives instead of wallowing in their poor situation. |
| frontier is in inculcating Saemaul Undong. That is why I | | | | In Korea, there are many changes that the village |
| am very happy that Dr. Melvin Mangana, Director for | | | | people decided to take for progress to come; I cannot |
| Outreach agreed to come with me to be able to see | | | | forget three of them. First, they decided to eliminate |
| and learn about Saemaul Undong. | | | | gambling and drunkenness; Second, they decided to |
| Definitely, we desire to have our students know and | | | | end superstitious beliefs especially those that could |
| actualize Saemaul. Our students spend five days a | | | | hamper development; Third, they decided to control |
| week in school. If we teach them the Saemaul values | | | | their population growth. |
| and facilitate actual community outreach experience, | | | | In our situation, many of us in the villages are into |
| then we would be training potential community leaders. | | | | gambling and drunkenness. There are many |
| This was what happened to me after attending that | | | | superstitions that still exist and prevent progress to fully |
| Saemaul Undong training. My mindset was changed. | | | | come. Look how we suffered the worst during |
| For me, changing the mindset is very primary in any | | | | calamities because of over population. Unless, we |
| movement for progress, be it personal, family or whole | | | | decide to change no progress would happen in our |
| community. | | | | lives. |
| It begins with me. | | | | Conclusion. |
| How many of you here blame the government for the | | | | We are glad that Saemaul Undong has come to our |
| worse situation that we are suffering right now? I | | | | community. I believe that it is through diligence, |
| guess most of us blame the government for | | | | self-reliance, and cooperation that our village will |
| everything that had caused hardship in our society. I | | | | develop. All we have to do is act on our will, decide |
| used to express the same sentiment before. During | | | | that today, at this very moment, we are going to |
| the first two days at Saemaul Undong Training Institute, | | | | change for the better. |
| I would always reason out that the Korean | | | | Change does not come overnight. We need to work |
| government has the biggest role in making it possible | | | | hard for it. The spirit of Saemaul Undong and the |
| for Saemaul to succeed in the Korean society. | | | | power of God will carry us through. No one can do it |
| Then on the 3rd day of the training, I finally concluded | | | | for us. Our Korean brethren are here to show us the |
| that it was the Korean people who decided that they | | | | way but eventually, it is ourselves who will pursue the |
| need to change for the better and do something for | | | | progress and development that we desire for our lives |
| their country. At first, change was not easy and it was | | | | and our community. |