EDITORIAL
By: Rev. Bernardo Fernandez, Sr.
Chairman
“PHILIPPINE JAPAN AND ASIAN NATIONS SHARING CULTURE VALUES TOWARDS ASEAN 2015”
The 2013, 11th year of celebration of Philippine-Japan Festival has for its theme, “Philippine-Japan and Asian Nations sharing culture values towards asean 2015.” We are venturing on this theme after Ten years of reciprocal sharing our cultural values since 2001 with century background of Philippine-Japan Relation through blood line.
Historical record tells us that the first group of Japanese came to Davao in 1903 to work as Laborers on the Abaca Plantation in Tigatto Davao.
Other Japanese came to work in the construction of Kennon Road. A Japanese entrepreneur by the name of Kyosaburo Ohta also came to the Philippines to venture on economic venture through agricultural development.
Then series of arrival of Japanese came to join in the economic ventures, so by 1941 there were more or less 20,000 Japanese in Davao.
Inter Marriage developed between Japanese and Filipino women (mostly natives) thus, a new generation known as “MESTIZO HAPON” were born known as of today, “The Nikkei Community” of Davao which organized the PNJK Family; the PNJK INC. as the umbrella organization with PNJK-IS, MKD, PNJK-MC and the Polyclinic and Diagnostic center, with JPVA and JPIC as our counterpart benefactors from Japan.
PNJK-IS and MKD are our educational institutions from pre-school to college level. We are now on Second Century of relationship with Japan.
Losing the properties acquired by our ancestry in the first century of relationship destined for us descendant to inherit because of World War II, we the descendant develop our educational institution as our contribution for the development of society. In this second century of relation;
“The Living Landmark of the Economic Development contributed by our ancestry to Davao is the establishment of Davao city in 1937.” Every member of Nikkei community must be able to tell this information to the public. We must love Davao City.
Thus after, Ten Years of reciprocal sharing of cultural values between Philippine and Japan, we believe that the sharing of cultural values be extended towards other Nation starting with Asian Nations, Toward ASEAN and to GlobaL society.
To begin, we start with our immediate neighbor, Indonesia and Malaysia reliving our past historical relation, The Sri-Visaya and Madjapahit Culture and Empires.
Then we move forward to Asean and our Educational Institutions will play an important role in implementing this venture.
