The University Community Development Office (UCDO) of the University of Negros Occidental- Recoletos visited Daegu, South Korea for a Benchmarking and Speaking Engagement last July 3- 10, 2017. The UCDO Team was composed of Dr. Richelle H. Verdeprado, RSW, UCDO Director, together with coordinators, Mr. Joey Jolito, (CMO), Ms. Ophelia Caytiles, (Junior High School), Dr. Rizalie Mibato, (CBA ) and Ms. Wilma Maravilla (Senior High School). This aims to promote collaboration and exchanges of best practices in community development initiatives of UNO-R, RESOURCE, Changshin University and Global Workers in Daegu and South Korea in general. Global Workers of Daegu is an organization composed of 11 Social Workers in Daegu, South Korea, working together to promote Social Welfare and Development. The team visited the Chil- Guk Senior Club and was oriented about its empowering social work projects. They had also engaged in Soap Making and Coffee Making as opportunity offered by the Global Workers of Daegu especially for the elderlies to earn and uplift their dignity through the said group. Also, they had a meeting with Dr. Kyungmin Park, the Dean of the College of Nursing of Keimyung University and were brought to the Patriot and Peace Memorial to view and experience the history of Korean War. They were also welcomed in the Bondong Community Welfare Center, a foundation in South Korea which caters the needs of person with disabilities and a combined effort of the Catholic Church through Caritas and the Korean government. Day before they left Daegu, they have attended a Sunday Catholic Mass at Cathedral of Archdiocese Daegu.
Moreover, the purposes of the benchmark are to share experiences and ideas with faculty members and students on the social work education and community development practice in Korea and the Philippines, Cultural Exchanges; Explore further academic and community- based project collaboration and give a talk and share knowledge about social work practices, servant leadership, management and student leadership to social workers and practitioners in Korea. They also learned about Korea’s history, culture and lifestyle through their immersion and tour. (Elmeer Meeynard Calimpos, BSMC IV)