Philippine-Japan festival is an annual activity participated in by the PNJK family composed of the mother association, the Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai, Inc., the Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai – International School, the Mindanao Kokusai Daigaku, the Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai Polyclinic and Diagnostic Center and the Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai Multipurpose Cooperative. The Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai International School Calinan Branch likewise joined the festival by a dance presentation rendered by the teachers in Calinan School.
Considering that PNJK-International School is on its 25th Founding Anniversary we witnessed the most elegant and luxurious gala night where all attendees were in their best form wearing bright, glittering and attractive gowns drawing oohs and wows from the audience.
Teaching and non-teaching staffs including members of the Board of Trustees were recipients of service awards. Those who attended as well became recipients of reasonable and fairsubsidy as the school management felt that all who had contributed their talents and helped lift the good image of the institution deserved to be compensated.
The celebration was a success. Majority of our partners from Japan came just to witness this celebration. JPIC group headed by its President Mr. Yoshihiro Tokumitsu was around.
Government officials found the time to be with us during the kick-off program and everyone enjoyed the various cultural presentations giving justice to this year’s theme: Philippine Japan Festival 2017: A celebration of History, Cultural Heritage and Friendship. Congratulations to all PNJK Family and to PNJK-IS as celebrating a founding anniversary with grandeur is priceless.
For an event as important as the Philippine-Japan Festival everybody was ushered to the Conference Room of PNJK Inc. to discuss the activities to be held from October 1 to 5, 2013. The meeting was presided by our energetic and able PNJK 1st Vice President Ines P. Mallari, our current MKD President and at the same time the President of the Federation of the Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai. Various committees were created, headed by responsible teaching staff of both MKD and PNJK-IS. Staff from other entities under the umbrella of PNJK Inc. were likewise given their assignments.
After holding three meetings, and satisfied with the reports given by each committee head, the activities that the public would witness came to their final stage. The scheduled activities were as follows:
October 01, 2013 Free Medical Clinic and Blood Letting under the supervision of Mrs. Anita P. Iwamoto, Managing Director of the PNJK Polyclinic and Diagnostic Center.
October 02, 2013 from 8:30 to 9:00 in the morning and armed with the necessary permit was the Motorcade cruising along PNJK-Bajada-Quirino and back to PNJK compound. A number of parents of students of PNJK-IS happily joined the motorcade.
After the motorcade the Kick-off Program and Awarding Ceremony was held at the PNJK-IS Gym.
Fellowship lunch for the invited guests, officials, faculty and staff was held at the MKD Sky Gym.
Thereafter, our special guest in the person of the Ambassador Toshinao Urabe, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines, lectured on the Philippine-Japan Relations and the venue was the MKD AVR. Students of MKD in attendance were so eager and interested in listening to a very informative lecture as it would enhance their knowledge relevant to the chosen career the International Studies.
Eigasai and Filipino Movie Festival were shown to students not only of the College but to all levels of the PNJK-IS. The general public enjoyed watching the Nihongo and Tagalog Singing Contest held at PNJK-IS Gym. Filipino students participated in Nihongo Singing Contest while Foreign Students were tasked to sing Tagalog songs.
October 03, 2013 we continued showing the Eigasai and Filipino Movie to students from the Elementary, High School and College Department. In the same day, Japanese and Filipino Cultural Lessons were held. There were Academic and Cultural Competitions as well participated in by students from the Elementary and High School Levels.
October 04, 2013 was the Nihongo Speech and Balak Contest. Participants from other schools and colleges joined the contest. There were Karate demonstration and Sumo Competition.
The awarding ceremony took place thereafter, followed by the most colorful event the Bon Odori. Everybody joined the evening affair, wearing kimono, yukata and hapi, dancing as a group to the tune of lively Japanese songs.
On October 05, 2013 the Recorder Ensemble Competition was held at the PNJK-IS Calinan Branch where officers and members of the Kichijoji Lions Club were in attendance. School bags from Japan were distributed by the Lions Club members to participants of the Recorder Ensemble. Students from various public and private schools were beneficiaries of these bags. By its appearance the bags were made of quality material and durable in character.
In the end, all those who have given their time, sacrifice and labors were satisfied with the result of the events. They can truly say that the celebration of the Philippine-Japan Festival was a great success. A great number of viewers and participants went home with contentment and joy.
Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai Family still couldn’t enclose the enthusiasm every time they prepare and celebrate the annual Philippine-Japan Festival. The jaunty celebration was the result of the consolidated efforts of the human resources from the Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai Inc., Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai International School, Mindanao Kokusai Daigaku, PNJK Polyclinic, Japan-Philippine Volunteers Association, PNJK Polyclinic and Multi-Purpose Cooperative, students, parents and members of the community in cooperation with the Embassy of Japan, Japan Information and Cultural Center, Japan Foundation, Tokyo Kichijoji Lions Club, Consular Office of Japan in Davao, Datu Uchida Development Foundation, Davao Japanese Association, JCCM, NISVA and JAM.
This year’s Philippine Japan Festival’s theme is “Philippine-Japan and Southeast Asian Nations Sharing Cultural Values towards ASEAN 2015”. Spearheaded by the school directress Mrs. Ines P. Mallari, the members of the Philippine-Japan committee dedicated much of their time just to come up with a very impressive and memorable celebration.
The week-long celebration started last October 1, 2013 with its medical clinic and blood-letting activity with a minimal fee of fifty pesos. The medical mission was organized by the PNJK Polyclinic and Diagnostics personnel. The following day, October 2, 2013, the motorcade was done at 8:30 wherein more than a hundred joined the said motorcade. It was followed with the Kick-off Program which served as the avenue where one could take a look at the diverse cultures of Asia. The kick-off program showcased different presentations which started with the bee – dance from the cute and jolly preschoolers to the amusement of everyone. Traditional dances of Philippines and Indonesia, the hand mime, the Taiko and Omikoshi practice of Japan were presented by the PNJK family. The kick-off program was graced by prominent national and local personalities like Honorable Toshinao Urabe-Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines, Honorable Eko Hartono – Indonesian Consul, Honorable Abdullah Zawawi Tahir – Malaysian Consul General, Honorable Mabel Sunga-Acosta – Davao City Councilor, Rev. Masataka Ajiro – President, Japan-Philippines Volunteer Association, Japanese friends and visitors, members of the Board of Trustees of PNJKIS, DAPRISA Officers and members and other invited guests.
In the afternoon of October 2, 2013, was the Nihongo and Tagalog Singing Contest wherein pupils, students and employees showcased their knack in singing. The Nihongo Singing Contest was also participated in by contestants from other schools like Yagi Method Children’s Academy, Sekolah Indonesia, Ateneo de Davao, Holy Cross of Sasa, and Davao City National High School. Simultaneous with the Nihongo and Tagalog Singing Contest was a Lecture on Philippine-Japan Relations at the MKD AVR. The Eigasai and Filipino Movie Festival also started in the afternoon of October 2.
The Cultural Lessons were taught on October 3, 2013 where participants were given the chance to learn the cultures of both Philippines and Japan. The cultural lessons taught were the following:
Ikebana
Origami
Calligraphy
Japanese Food Cooking
Filipino Food Cooking
Laro ng Lahi
Yukata Wearing
Chopsticks Lessons
Eigasai
Japanese Games
In the afternoon of October 3, 2013 was the Inter-School Quiz Bee for High School, which was attended by eighteen (18) schools, Essay Writing Contest for College and On-the-Spot Poster Making Contest for the intermediate. A “Flea Market” was also organized at the PNJKIS baseball field. The garage sale ran from October 2-4, 2013.
The Nihongo Speech and Balak Contest was held in the morning of October 4, 2013 at the MKD AVR where contestants compete among themselves who is the best in speaking the Japanese language. Foreign students on the other hand showed their dexterity in speaking the local language of Davao in the Balak competition. In the afternoon was the Karate demonstration and Sumo competition that was followed by the Awarding ceremony held at the PNJKIS covered court. Simultaneously, the Omochitsuki or Rice Pounding Activity was also done. During the awarding ceremony, pupils, students, parents and members of the PNJK Family were already wearing their Yukata and Happi in anticipation for the much awaited “Bon Odori”. Pupils, students, parents, alumni, pnjk family and visitors, old and new, shared the same excitement and thrill even though some are no longer neophytes to the said ceremony. The “Bon Odori” is one of the highlights of the entire celebration of the Philippine-Japan Festival. It is the most anticipated ceremony of the entire PNJK family, parents, alumni and even students from other schools in the region.
The Philippine-Japan Festival 2013 ended with a triumph as elementary and high school students of PNJKIS bagged the second place in their respective categories in the Recorder Ensemble Contest held at PNJKIS Calinan Campus last October 5, 2013.
Mrs. Ines P. Mallari, head of the Philippine-Japan Festival 2013 planning committee was very happy with the turn-out of the celebration; saying that this year’s festival was a successful one because of the consolidated efforts of those people who poured out their time and effort just to have a successful program. She also said that, this year’s Philippine-Japan Festival is the most festive in all Phil-Japan celebrations. Truly this is an indication that unity could be achieved if respect to others culture is practice. To the PNJK Family, omedetou gozaimashita for a very successful Philippine-Japan Festival!
