Jun

2017

37th General Assembly by: Evelyn Obuchi

By Admin

As the Filipinos fondly regard May as “Flores de Mayo” and celebrate” Santa Cruzan” with beautiful Reyna Elenas’ parading the barangay streets , the Philippine Nikkei Jin from Davao, neighboring cities and provinces celebrate their annual reunion. PNJK conducts its General Assembly every 2nd Sunday of May. On May 14, 2017 at 9:30 in the morning, about one hundred twenty one (121) Nikkei Jin from Chapters of Tagum, Davao, Toril, Calinan, Digos and Kidapawan gathered at PNJK-IS gym to attend the 37th Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai,
Inc. General Assembly.

This year’s theme is: “Nikkei Jin Padayon sa Pag-uswag” whichmeans continuous progress.

The assembly commenced at 9:30 am with the Masters of Ceremony Mr. Felipe Hiquial opening the program proper followed by a prayer led by Ms. Adelaida Panagution offering moment of silence and prayers for the departed souls of the pillars of the association like the late Uchida Otousan, Rev. Fernandez,Gloria Okazono . The 1st Vice President Rodrigo Suemitsu acknowledged the participants and welcomed by Ms. Ines Mallari the Chairman of the Board of Directors. Ms. Mallari welcomed and thanked the members and supporters of PNJK.

Business Proper followed afterwards with Ms. Carmen Apigoreading the last year’s minutes of the meeting. Among the important agenda last year were the meeting of the 2nd generation Philippine Nikkei Jin with their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan, 9th National Convention of Philippine Nikkei Jin and Shin Nikkei Jin as members of the association.

The President, Ret. Judge Antonina Escovilla reported on the PNJK, Inc. accomplishments. The consolidated report zeroed in on the different activities and accomplishments of the association like the interview of Cat. C Nikkei jin: Marumoto , Arakaki, Yoshimura, Nagata and Takumi families by MOFA headed by Consul Susumu Tsuda on May 23, 2016. The Testimonial/Memorial Service of the late Tatsuo Uchida on July 7, 2016. On August 13, 2016 celebrated Ireisai with Consul Ono. Human Relationship Seminar conducted by a Mr. Kazuaki Ishibashi a lecturer from Japan Creative Education Institute, Osaka on October 10, 2016 and from the 23rd to 27th day of the same month, Ret. Judge Antonina Escovilla, Ms. Ines Mallari, Ms. Carmen Apigo and Ms. Anita Iwamoto attended the 57th Convention of Nikkei Jin and Japanese Abroad. The Rengokai President Ines Mallari reported on the educational program of PNJK-IS. The participants of the convention had the privileged of meeting their Royal Highness Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko. JPIC President Yoshihiro Tokumitsu was also in attendance. On November 11, 2016 the participants of the Rengokai General Assembly were invited by Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhide Ishikawa for a dinner at his official residence in Makati City.
The opening salvo and most memorable event for 2017 was the visit of HE Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Madam Akie of Japan at PNJK Compound on January 13, 2017.

PNJK-IS Calinan Campus is already on its 10th year of operation. The school’s future plan is to construct another building in addition to its already existing 10 buildings.

Padayon sa Pag-uswag

PNJK-IS Main Campus and Mindanao Kokusai Daigaku total number of students was 1,345 students and the total no. of graduates- 83 students. The most important accomplishment was the PAASCU LEVEL II Accreditation.

PNJK Multi- Purpose Cooperative has as total regular members of 1,193 for 2016 as compared to 2015 with only 1,084 members. Services offered by the Coop are Lending; LAMP (Loan Assistance to Members Program); Rice Trading; E-Load and Beauty Salon.

PNJK Polyclinic and Diagnostic Center: new equipment purchased was the Hematology machine. Laboratory services are: CBC, Blood Chem, Hepa test, drug testing, ECG, X-ray and Ultrasound.

Treasurer’s Consolidated Report succeeded the President’s Report. Ms. Anita Iwamoto reported first the PNJK, Inc. Financial Report followed by the PNJK-IS and Mindanao Kokusai Daigaku Consolidated Statement of Financial Position and lastly, the Multi- Purpose Cooperative Financial Report.

The JPIC Coordinator Ms. Eve Obuchi read the JPIC President’s message in behalf of Mr. Yoshihiro Tokumitsu. He congratulated PNJK on its 37th General Assembly and advised the members to remain loyal and supportive to the activities of PNJK as well as to choose the leaders wisely.

Ms. Eve reported on the JPIC up-dates: JPIC has 27 active members; JPIC will hold its election of officers on July 2, 2017; JPIC will continue to support PNLSC, Federation of Nikkei Jin Kai (Rengokai), Phils., PNJK, Nippi, Iloilo/Panay Nikkei jin Kai , Zamboanga Nikkei Jin Kai and JPIC Scholarship Grant.

After all the reports were delivered a Group picture was taken of all the Nisei. No election took place as there were only 11candidates present. The 11 candidates were unanimously declared PNJK officers for 2017- 2019.

The PNJK 2017-2019 PNJK officers are:

Ms. Ines Mallari
Ret. Judge Antonina Escovilla
Mr. Rodrigo Suemitsu
Mr. Juseven Austero
Ms. Carmen Apigo
Ms. Anita Iwamoto
Ms. Elizabeth Tagud
Mr. Felipe Hiquial
Ms. Noellyn Fernandez
Ms. Ellen Ocharon
Mrs. Adelaida Panaguiton

Community Singing of Furusato followed by Sekai Wa Semai and a fellowship lunch ended the 37th General Assembly.

Jun

2017

“Zairyu Senbou Douhou Irei Tou”

By Admin

Prayer offered to
“Zairyu Senbou Douhou Irei Tou”
(Monument of the Deceased Japanese Residents)

At about past ten in the morning of January 13, 2017, the party of Madam Akie Abe with Ms. Honeylet Avancena and Mrs. Medialdea arrived at the Mintal Memorial Garden. Madam Akie offered wreath and prayer before the monument known as Zairyu Senbou Douhou Irei Tou, the monument of those Japanese residents who died in the early days prior to the outbreak of World War II. The area was supposed to be the burial ground exclusively for the Japanese residents but after the war, so many Filipino residents destroyed the gravestones. Others were looking for the so-called “Yamashita treasure” such that the damage done was beyond repair. No treasure or any material of value was uncovered by unscrupulous person and/or the so-call treasure hunters.

After the offered prayer, Madam Akie and party were ushered to the Monument of No Regret which is the symbol of the long history of friendship between Japan and the Philippines. This is the monument donated personally by the then Mayor of the City of Davao, Hon. Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

Bishop Ajiro explained to Madam Akie Abe the reason behind the installation of the Monument of No Regret. Names of Kigyo Kyokai officials and benefactors headed by Datu Bago Awardee Tatsuo Uchida will be engraved in this monument. Madam Akie listened intently to what Bishop Ajiro was saying and with teary eyed, offered another prayer.

Tree Planting at Mintal Memorial Garden

January 13, 2017, in the crowd gathered at the Mintal Public Cemetery, specifically at the area where Japanese tombs stand was the presence of persons in white polo shirt and dark pants. We assumed that these are the staffs assigned to safeguard the safety of the highest official in Japan.

First to arrive was the group of Madam Yuko Ishikawa, the wife of the JapaneseAmbassador to the Philippines, His Excellency Ambassador Kazuhide Ishikawa. Introduction to various officials who were around took place. Bishop Masataka Ajiro the former President of the Japan Philippine Volunteer Association approached Madam Yuko to do the honor of the ceremonial narra tree planting right beside the road from the entrance of the cemetery to the area where Japanese tombs are found.

Assisting Madam Yuko in the tree planting ceremony were Bishop Ajiro, PNJKPresident Ret. Judge Antonina B. Escovilla, Barangay Captain Ramon Bargamento and PNJK 2nd Vice President Juseven Austero.

Jun

2017

THE PRIME MINISTER SHINZO ABE

By Admin

Visit of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to PNJK Compound
By: Ret. Judge Antonina Escovilla

Prior to January 13, 2017, the presence of government officials both from the Philippines and Japan was noticed. Ret. Judge Antonina B. Escovilla, PNJK President was around and had conferred with them but no definite declaration was heard relative to the visit of the highest official in Japan. No date and time was mentioned and so everyone was in a quandary.

At any rate, MKD President Mallari left no stone un-turned. Various scenarios were outlined and she expected the responsible school officials to extend their warmest welcome and hospitality to the most important guests whose presence in Davao City would include in his itinerary the visit at PNJK Compound.

Every now and then President Mallari receives calls from officials in Japan and Manila. Each call, she would meet PNJK Family staffs and could not contain her emotions as regards the preparation in welcoming Prime Minister Shinzo Abe whose visit to PNJK compound has yet to be officially confirmed by the Office of the President.

When the final call was heard about the arrival of not only the Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife Madam Akie but of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte as well, another meeting was then scheduled. The staffs were mobilized to prepare tarpaulin welcoming both highest officials of Japan and the Philippines.

However, minutes before the scheduled arrival of the two highest officials some changes were made, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte cancelled his visit.

When Prime Minister Abe arrived, the graders who were patiently waiting along the road from the entrance up to the PNJK Gym, where the high school students were standing with flaglets in hand, waved the same and started singing “It’s A Small World” in Nihongo and “We Welcome You” which gesture must have moved our guest making him disembark from his vehicle together with his wife, gave highfives to all the kids. Upon reaching the place where we were standing, we, President Mallari, Judge Escovilla and Bishop Ajiro shook hands with the Prime Minister Shinzo Abe while being introduced by Ambassador Ishikawa. Thereafter, he stopped in front of the group of students performing handmine and was in awe looking at the words formed with the song “we welcome you” as the background. Before entering the audio visual room, he looked at the area where the Nisei were seated and said “arigatou” to their welcome greetings.

While in the audio visual room the Prime Minister observed a Nihongo class composed of third year college students with their Japanese Professor. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was impressed with the response of the students all in Nihongo and each student upon conclusion of the class was congratulated by him. It was an enjoyable sight with both the Prime Minister and Madam Abe talking to the students in Nihongo. School Administration is so proud to have students who could speak fluent Nihongo and could assimilate Japanese culture.

Jun

2017

25th Recorder Ensemble Competition By: Veronico B. Nazario

By Admin

The preparation for the much anticipated 25th Recorder Ensemble Competition started as early as the 3rd week of April. When Mr. Shuji Honda, confirmed the holding of the competition in early October, Mrs. Carmen C. Apigo, the School Principal of PNJKIS-Calinan and Mrs. Girlie Doydoy, being the liaison personnel of the competition, started calling previous contest participants who were also recipients of free flutes distributed by the Japan-Philippines Volunteers Assn. (JPVA) thru CASEDO during early stages of the project, inviting school trainors to attend a seminar on the 27th of May 2016 to be conducted by Mr. Shuji Honda at the PNJKIS Calinan covered court. Sixteen (16) Elementary Schools, both public and private, and three (3) high schools attended the said Seminar.
On the 15th of July, 2016, a follow-up seminar was again held in the same venue. Mr. Shuji Honda distributed the contest piece and additional flutes to schools that did not have complete set to be able to join the contest. The contest was slated on the 8th of October, but due to unforeseen circumstances, the original schedule did not materialize. The contest was moved indefinitely and was finally scheduled to take place on February 11, 2017 to be held at the PNJKIS-Calinan Branch’s covered court which was built in the mid 90’s and was called the PNJKIS Music Hall. Of the 16 Elementary Schools that attended the two seminars, five (5) backed out due to lack of preparation and one school, Mintal Elementary School, which was a no-show during both seminars, signified it’s intention of joining the contest, bringing the number of contestants to 12. The three high schools all sent positive answers of joining the contest.

The following is the list of schools that attended both seminars, the last five written in italics are the schools that backed out:

Elementary Schools
1. Amigo School of Calinan, Inc. (Calinan)
2. Bustamante Central Elementary School (Tibungco)
3. Calinan Central Elementary School (Calinan)
4. Lacson Elementary School ( Lacson, Calinan)
5. Lt. C. Villafuerte Elementary School (Calinan)
6. Pedro Rodriguez Elementary School (Tamayong Calinan)
7. PNJKIS Calinan Branch (Calinan)
8. PNJIS Main Campus (Lanang Davao City)
9. Sirib Elementary School (Sirib Calinan)
10.Tamayong Elementary School (Tamayong, Calinan)
11. Wangan Elementary School (Wangan, Calinan)
12. Quirino Elementary School (Quirino Calinan)
13. Marilog Elementary School (Marilog, Calinan)
14. Riverside Elementary School (Riverside, Calinan)
15. Subasta Elementary School (Subasta, Calinan)
16. Cesario Villa Abrille Elementary School ( Davao City)

High Schools
1. Amigo School of Calinan, Inc. (Calinan)
2. Holy Spirit Academy of Calinan, Inc (Talomo River, Calinan)
3. PNJKIS- Main Campus (Lanang, Davao City)

To ensure an impartial and unbiased result in the contest, a group of certified musicians was gathered to form the board of judges, consisting of Mr. Wilfredo M. Terante, Mr. Everjesto Caballero, Mr. Nestor Pasamonte and Atty. Hideshige Aoki, representing the Japanese sponsors.

Since the contest was for the different schools throughout Davao City, the Schools’ Division Superintendent, Dr. Maria Ines C. Asuncion, was also invited but due to prior commitments she was unable to come, so the Division MAPEH Supervisor, Ms. Amy Lacerna came in her stead. The Calinan Barangay Council was represented by no less than the Barangay Captain, Mr. Pedrito C. Angco.

The five main sponsors of the Recorder Ensemble were also represented by very notable personalities of the associations. The Tokyo Kichijoji Lions Club was represented by its current President, Mr Yoshikazu Enomoto, past presidents, Atty.. Hideshige Aoki and Mr. Kimio Kawamata, and current members Mr. Takahiro Komatsu and Mr. Yusuke Uchida; the Japan-Philippines Volunteer Association was represented by Mr. Takakazu Machida; The Japan-Philippines Industry Council was represented by its President Mr. Yoshihiro Tokumitsu and its past president, Mr. Akira Sekino; the Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai Inc., the foremost proponent of the competition, was represented by Ms. Ines P. Mallari, PNJKIS President, Ret. Judge Antonina B. Escovilla, President of the PNJK Inc., Board of Trustees, Mrs. Adelaida S. Panaguiton, member of the Board of Trustees and Ms. Carmen C. Apigo, PNJKIS-Calinan Branch Principal; and the Datu Uchida
Development Foundation was represented by Mr. Shuji Honda.

The program hosts, Ms Angel Gimbaan and Mr. Daniel Ulanday were so impressive in their hosting style which was done in both English and Nihongo. Mr. Shuji Honda and Mr. Takakazu Machida rendered their own version of the contest piece in an intermission number. Ms Lareina P. Moses and all the participating schools ensembles were urged by Mr. Honda to join the rendition.

When the dust cleared after the competition, in the Elementary Category, the PNJKIS- Main Campus came out the victors followed by the PNJKIS Calinan and the Amigo School of Calinan, respectively. The High School Category was ruled by the Amigo School of Calinan, followed by the PNJKIS-Main Campus and the Holy Spirit Academy of Calinan. The winners were given cash prizes and the nonwinners were given consolation prizes. All the participating schools coming from outside of Calinan Poblacion were given extra cash to defray transportation expenses.
The activity was so successful that everybody was looking forward
to the next competition, God willing.

Jun

2017

MoFA Interview February 22 and 23, 2017

By Admin

Hon . Consul Shiro Furihata of The Ministry of Foreign Affair in coordination with the Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai Legal Support Center headed by Mr. Inomota, Norihiro together with The Nippon Foundation represented by Ms. Ikuko Okubo came to Davao City, purposely to interview members of the Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai, Inc. (PNJK) Davao City Chapter.

This is one project that started last year involving the Ministry of Foreign Affair. In year 2015, Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai Rengokai headed by Mrs. Ines P. Mallari together with members-chapter presented to His Excellency Prime Minister Shinzo Abe documents containing more than 27,000 signatures, whereby an appeal had been interposed to give war-displaced descendants belonging to Category C classification the chance to present proofs evidencing their affiliation with the Japanese national. The Japanese government took notice of the plight of Category C descendants that it consented to take part in conducting interviews to somehow help them secure their own family registration by way of shuseki petition.

With this arrangement, Japanese consuls have been assigned to go to various chapters, meet the descendants that needed assistance, conduct an interview and weigh their evidence presented in order to qualify for shuseki petition. The petition is being handled by Japanese lawyers headed by Atty. Hiroyuki Kawai.

With the presence of Consul Furihata, on February 22, 2017 in the morning, two Category C descendants were interviewed at the PNJK Inc. board room namely:

Ceriaca – Ayako Konno Odoy whose father was from Fukushima, Japan and migrated to Davao, worked as abaca farmer in Tamugan. Allegedly the father joined the Japanese army during the war. Nothing was heard from him thereafter.

Tomasa –Masae Sejima Geraldes. Tomasa known as Masae believed that the surname of her father was Oshima. Per baptismal record her father’s name is Sausima Daguidor. Neighbors said the last name of her father is Sausima Sejima Senichi. The father was killed during the war. These are the only facts so far that the concerned descendant could relay to the screening committee.

In the afternoon of February 22, 2017, Cirilo Kimura was called and this is his story: his father Onna Lundas from Tamayong Bagobo tribe arrived in Calinan in 1929 and engaged in abaca farming. Cirilo Kimura was four years old when the war broke out. They took refuge in Samal and merely heard that his parents were killed.

Another descendant named Alicia chico Kodaira was asked about her background. Her father came to Davao and engaged in abaca farming under Ohta Development Company. Her Japanese father met Hanumaria Boholano. They got married in Cebu in 1935. Two children were born out of this marriage, namely: Hisao and Chiko. During the war the Japanese father was a driver of a Japanese Army while the mother and children left for Bohol. They survived the war and in 2005 they came to Mindanao and sought the assistance of the Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai. With research work coming from PNLSC they found the koseki of kodaira.

On February 23, 2017, two siblings were interviewed, namely: Rosalina Tamae Habuchi and Hitche Habuchi. Before the war the father was working as storekeeper owned by Ohta Development Company in Sta. Cruz. Later, the Japanese father opened a new store in Barangay Maglibas. He met Diola Manga and got married through tribal marriage. Nine (9) children were born. Three children went to Japanese school. During the war three children with the father were captured. The children later were released but the father was shot to death. They ran to the mountains and during peace time they came down and upon hearing the association of nikkeijins they became members. Later the koseki of the father was located with the help of the association.

All descendants who were interviewed are appealing that they be recognized to enable them to see relatives in Japan if still living. Moreover, once they are recognized it is a one legacy that can be left to their children and the young generations to come.

Padayon sa Pag-uswag

Prayer offered to “Zairyu Senbou Douhou Irei Tou” (Monument of the Deceased Japanese Residents)

Tree Planting at Mintal Memorial Garden

Visit of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to PNJK Compound By: Ret. Judge Antonina Escovilla

Prayer offered to
“Zairyu Senbou Douhou Irei Tou”
(Monument of the Deceased Japanese Residents)

Visit of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to PNJK Compound
By: Ret. Judge Antonina Escovilla