SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and Youngsan University of South Korea (YSU) have signed a memorandum of understanding that will enhance cultural cooperation between the two institutions and break cultural boundaries between Filipinos and Koreans.

SBMA chairman Feliciano Salonga said the MOU was aimed to promote mutual understanding, collaboration and cooperation between SBMA and YSU through exchange programs that will mutually benefit YSU students and SBMA staff.

Salonga and university president Gu Wuck Bu signed the agreement recently after a YSU delegation composed of 27 students and three officials arrived here on June 30 for five days of community immersion under the university’s Global Overseas Volunteers (GOV) program.

The signing was witnessed by Sung Sim School chairperson Ro Chan Young and other officials from both the SBMA and YSU.

“This is another door of opportunity being opened for SBMA employees,” Salonga said, noting that under the MOU, the Korean school shall give scholarship grants to two SBMA nominees for one year, inclusive of tuition and application fees. On the other hand, SBMA will accept two YSU students each year for an internship program.

Salonga said that payments for board and lodging, book allowances, medical insurance and international travel fare shall be separately negotiated and approved by both parties when the exchange program is implemented.

Aside from the cultural exchange, the YSU delegation conducted community outreach projects at the Pastolan Aeta village in the Subic Bay Freeport.

A day before the MOU was signed, Salonga, Bu and Young inaugurated a basketball court in Pastolan, an Aeta village inside the Subic Freeport Zone.