Jeepney Press #105 May-June 2020

Celebrating The Journeys Of Filipinos In Japan

Pahayagang pinoy sa japan

ジープニー プレス

在日フィリピン人 向 け マ ガ ジン

May-June 2020

105 ISSUE

Art & Design by DENNIS SUN

2020年5月-6月

Celebrating The Journeys Of Filipinos In Japan

Pahayagang pinoy sa japan ジープニー プレス

JEEPNEY PRESS welcomes articles of interest on Filipinos in Japan. Please email any photos, drawings, and other materials that you would like to accompany the article. Submissions can also be sent by postmail.

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publisher ASIA VOX LTD. IRENE SUN-KANEKO editorial & creative director DENNIS SUN editorial staff

ROGER AGUSTIN Tokyo MIRIAM SUN-ARENAS, MD Philippines MILES BORJA Tokyo GLEN GYPSY Tokyo FARAH TROFEO-ISHIZAWA Tokyo JEFF PLANTILLA Nara ABIE PRINCIPE Nagoya MARK QUIJANO Kyushu MARILYN RIVERA Philippines NERIZA SAITO Osaka ELENA SAKAI Tokyo KAREN SANCHEZ Kanagawa ANITA SASAKI Tokyo WARREN SUN Tokyo WAYNE SUN Philippines SALLY CRISTOBAL-TAKASHIMA Osaka ALVIN TAGLE Tokyo ALMA REYES Tokyo JASMIN VASQUEZ Nagano LITA MANALASTAS-WATANABE Tokyo RICHINE BERMUDEZ Tokyo

creative staff

ARLENE ESPERIDA Tokyo JERRY SUN-ARENAS Philippines NICK SANTIAGO Tokyo DANNY DUNGO Tokyo MARISOL KUDO Oita MARK WARREN DE LUNA Tokyo

Cover design and art: DENNIS SUN

contents 06 YOMU Editorial

by Dennis Sun 08 LIFE IS A JOURNEY

by Glen Gypsy 09 THE COLOR OF YOUR WORLD

by Marilyn Rivera 10 ON THE ROAD

by Neriza Saito 12 TRAFFIC

by Alma Reyes 14 ISANG ARAW SA ATING BUHAY

by Jeff Plantilla 16 MOVING ON

by Jasmin Vasquez 17 WHEN LOOKING IS NOT SEEING

by Arnel Sugay 18 ADVICE NI TITA LITS

by Isabelita Manalastas- Watanabe 20 DONDAKE

by Karen Sanchez 22 KWENTO NI NANAY

by Anita Sasaki 24 LIHAM PARA SA MGA KABABAYAN

by Yellowbelle Duaqui 26 NEW ROUTINE UNDER QUARANTINE

by Wayne Sun 27 THIEF IN THE NIGHT

by Richine Bermudez 28 CONTENMENT

by Herbert Benzon 30 STAY HOME, STAY SAFE

by Bonifrank Lorenzo 32 SOPHIA...

by Warren Sun 33 BIDA NG PANDEMIA!

by Richine Bermudez 34 CORONA NI MAKENAI YO!

by Irene Kaneko

Student? Just arrived in Japan? Lipat bahay? Bagong opisina?

Moving company? Cable and internet connection?

“Our Mission is You! Let us support your life in Japan.�

English and Japanese OK!

03-5292-2340

Only 1-min. walk from Takadanobaba Eki (Yamanote Line or Tozai Line) Very near Big Box and Donki

1-26-12-701 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

www.asiavox.com

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Small and intimate... which enables us to promote the optimal well-being and growth of each individual.

Co-educational and non-sectarian... Kindergarten through Grade 9.

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090-2908-5088(SB)

Visit our campus and experience the warm atmosphere of Nishimachi!

2-14-7 Moto Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0046, Japan Tel: +81-(0)3-3451-5520 Fax: +81-(0)3-3456-0197

www.nishimachi.ac.jp

読む

YOMU

means to read in Japanese

by Dennis Sun editorial Spring is a particularly important time of the year in Japan. It is the start of the fiscal year, school year and, of course, the start of the cherry blossom season!

All over the country, family and friends gather round the cherry trees to celebrate with food and drinks, full of admiration for the bountiful, and full of hope for new beginnings that the flowers bring. There are endless posting, sharing, liking and commenting of photos on Facebook and Instagram by both locals and tourists. Welcome to the quintessential Japan!

But because of the coronavirus pandemic this year, everyone has to shy away, stay at home and shun the sakura shindigs. It should be health first before the sakura.

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I tried my best to stay at home as much as possible.

However, as I have asthma attacks (which has become more frequent), I needed to get fresh air. Being diabetic, exercise is also very important. So I needed to strike the proper balance between a home “lockdown” and healthy outdoor adventures.

As the gyms were closed, the only way I could get fresh air and exercise while avoiding people is by waking up very early in the morning and walk to the nearby mountain park near my home in the eastern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo.

Challenge accepted—I don’t know how I did it because I am basically a night creature. Here is my typical routine: - I wake up at 3 AM automatic everyday (without the aid of an alarm clock!).

- I spend some time reviewing my Japanese reading and writing.

- I do my morning meditation, say my affirmations and come up with my visualizations.

- Then, around 4 AM, I would be out and about while it is still dark, and would be enjoying a private walk to the park. I would be welcomed by the giant trees as I go hike up the mountain top. I would feel the fresh cool air and start my stretching and deep breathing exercises.

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I think it’s because of this daily morning ritual that my asthma has began to heal.

My speaking voice suddenly became normal sounding again. And the slight pain in my chest mostly disappeared.

Until now, I still walk around the huge park and greet all the blossoming flowers along the way. It’s still spring and I feel privileged to have a private viewing of the whole park–all to myself. The government may have advised people not to celebrate the hanami to avoid cluster of infections but here am I having the best seat in the house.

Of all the years that passed, it’s only now that I have really come to appreciate springtime in Japan. Every day, I take pictures of the lovely blossoms I see. I have actually made a photo diary of the fascinating flowers in Facebook since March. Up to this day, I continue to do so.

This mountain park has become my sanctuary and refuge. The trees, the grass, the flowers have become my friends. I talk to them and they listen to my feelings. Soon, perhaps, I would be able to understand and speak their language, as well.

It is not all gloom and doom during this pandemic. We should always look for the bright and blooming side in everything. It’s all so funny that it is during these darkest moments when beauty presents itself in the most unexpected place. For me, mostly, it was because of spring and the flowers. And at this very mountain park where I live. I have been living here for several years already and I didn’t expect it would become my sanctuary.

This time. During the coronavirus pandemic.

"Just living is not enough... one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower."

- Hans Christian Andersen

Photos by: Dennis Sun Location: Toyama Park, Shinjuku, Tokyo

Glen Gypsy’s

“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.”

- Søren Kierkegaard -

08

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The Color of Your World

by Marilyn Rivera

"Mere color can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways."

- Oscar Wilde

She set down her crayons and sat herself comfortably in a red velvet chair at the corner of the room. Not sitting very long, her hands were already onto another adventure. She started spinning the globe at the side table and patiently waited for it to stop. The old wooden sphere looks so timid, humbling and yet so inviting. She looked at it like she was in a trance. All the different colors swooshed into a single pile of hue as she turned it faster and faster under her fingertips. With bright eyes, she asked, "Mommy, what makes the world go round?"

Her mother immediately understood where the question was coming from. She walked over and looked at the globe rotating in its own perpetual motion and set her eyes back to her daughter. She was not entirely sure how to answer her 7-year old. She gazed at her for a while and said, "The world goes round because of the people in it, like you and me," she paused with a smile. "If you love someone so much, you would do anything for them. You would do even the impossible. If the world does not spin, we would not live. That's how much God loves us."

When the globe finally stopped spinning, she sensed that a follow-up question was in queue, "How does

MAY - JUNE 2020

God knows where to put us, Mommy?" She patiently waited for her daughter's grimace of doubt disappear then continued, "Look my love, we are here," She pointed to a little speck of dotted colors on the globe, "We were placed here for a reason. No one is ever misplaced in this world. You and I are right where we are supposed to be for a meaningful purpose, for a really good reason. And in the future, you might be here on this same spot or from here to here." She spun the globe halfway and pointed to a larger speck of color.

"Mom, there are so many countries in this world. But I know where I really belong." Her mother looked at her inquisitively and asked, "Oh, so where do you belong? Show me."

"The world is so colorful," The daughter half-smiled. "It only remains so because you let me see its colors."

She then embraced her mother so tight. Her small eyes darted back at the globe and gently whispered a secret to her mother's ear, "Mommy, those pink ones remind me of strawberry ice cream." She smiled down at her and neatly tucked away her hair behind her ears and said, "Come on then, my love."

Although she did not hear her daughter's answer to her question, she was well-contented with her warm embrace. It was all she needed.

She is the color in her world. She is the reason why her world goes round.

Happy Mother's Day To All Mothers in Heaven And on Earth!!!

09

Neriza Sarmiento - Saito's

On the Road to:

The “New Normal” in Medical Care with Dr. SETSUO and ARLYN OGAWA Some geniuses in our history had unusual habits and behavior. Take Albert Einstein, the great physicist as an example. As a child, he refused to wear socks and continued to do so even as an adult. When he realized that sleep has good effects on our brain, he slept for as long as 10 hours, something not normal on those days.

However, it seemed that in one of those long hours of sleeping, he dreamed about something that led to his discovery of the theory of relativity!

When the emergency situation was lifted in Japan, people woke up to a “new normal“ way of life - teleworking, online classes via Zoom, Board meetings online, staggered working hours, social distancing, delivery services of all kinds and even online “nomikai”. For instance, I even joined my sisters online to celebrate our niece’s wedding and it was sort of funny though because we even dressed up and had a sip of our favorite drink!

But many pious Filipinos in Japan believe that the power of praying together is the best solution to the pandemic. A post on FB by a Japanese doctor proudly wearing a protective clinical gown made by his Filipino wife was truly inspiring at a time when doctors, nurses, caregivers and others were called frontliners or heroes of the pandemic.

Although I have known them for some years now, I waited for the best time to feature them. They are Dr. Setsuo Ogawa and his wife Arlyn Castro Ogawa, who have been striving to strengthen

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Japan-Philippine relations through medical care.

Arlyn hails from Angeles, Pampanga, a place famous for glamorous and mestiza-looking women. She went to Holy Angel Academy and after that she joined as a vocalist in a band that performed in Japan. Arlyn says that she probably inherited her grandmother’s talent in singing so she was always confident on stage. Although she mainly wanted to earn and support her family, she was enthralled by this country’s serenity, cleanliness and the politeness of its people.

The longer she stayed here, the

more she realized that there are Apostles Creed) many rules every citizen has Just before the that year ends, to follow, and that there are also communities are going keep unwritten rules oftoconduct that the holiday mood deep inside people abide by such as us. Whether it’s a big group or preserving harmony not, Filipinos have to hold in a group Christmas parties rude complete by not being or with arrogant, gamesbeing and exchange gifts. and dressed appropriately We were invited to Prof. for certain occasions.

Miyawaki’s home this week for a Christmas Party with the sophomores third Dr. Ogawaand is asome neurosurgeon year students. Homemade who runs his own clinic adobo and pinakbet as well as in

Amagasaki, Hyogo. He was

well as our hearts with the to go to granted a scholarship warmth of the Miyawaki family.

Medical school in the Asaka chan sang Jingle Bells for Philippines.

Luckily us.

Mrs. Miyawaki recalled for thathim, he once asked her why(University wenthertoson UERMMMCI people Christmas presents, of theget East Ramon Magsaysay

Memorial Medical Center) where gift for the baby Jesus. Then, Kenji kun asked why sheand doesn’t notable politician allow them to eat cake for Vice-Mayor ofaMarikina Jose Christmas. Then his mom replied Fabian Cadiz that sweets aren’tand goodnoted for their Cardiologist Dr.boy Ofelia teeth.

But then the said Samar-Sy again, “But it’s going to beof mythe culture graduated.

In spite gift for the Baby Jesus”!

and language barrier, Dr. Ogawa, finished the course. wasn’t In spite of the grief we had It this year thehaving loss of some easyover but lived there for members of our community this year- Bimboy Latoja, Mr . Bibiana “Mommy“ Ishita and Annabelle Sosogi, the little boy‘s comment

to study Nihongo and to train as caregiver specialists.

Later on, they can work full time in their areas of specialization.

Every year, about 10-20 scholars of their NPO group Nihon to Firipin Angels go through rigid training in Japan under professional medical specialists and in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, they graduated from the courses.

A devout Roman Catholic, Arlyn was able to instill good Catholic values to her children - Yoko, Yuji

of hope and celebrate the birth of our true love... Jesus Christ!

MALIGAYANG PASKO AT MASAGANANG BAGONG TAON SA INYONG LAHAT!!!

some time, he thought of ways to give something in return to a country he loves so much.

The woman who was so enthralled with the beauty of Japan was probably meant to meet the doctor who wanted to give something back to the country he loved so much. And so, they met through a mutual friend and that was the start of their courtship and marriage and the birth of their NPO! They provide scholarships to Filipinos

and Yuri. Dr. Ogawa has become a regular choir member of the Samasama Community, too and their youngest Yuri serves during mass. Moreover, she also joins the group’s dance group and won first prize at a Zumba contest in one Filipino Community Event! Of course, these are the things that make Arlyn very happy and proud of her supportive husband and children. Their scholars and health workers at Ogawa clinic also join them at Sunday church services.

Aside from being busy as a

MAY - JUNE 2020

general practitioner now, Dr. Ogawa spends some time for his passion in flying single engine aircraft whenever he has time.

Meanwhile Arlyn, says about how she raised their children, “Gusto ko talagang magkaroon sila ng matatag na disposisyon at maging malapit sa Diyos para malaman nila ang tamang daan.“ (I really want them to have a strong sense of judgment and to be close to God so that they will be guided into the right path in life.) In spite of the many challenges in life that she went through, Arlyn remains vibrant and warm to many people she gets to know everyday. Having trained as a nurse, she is always compassionate to others and made sure that everyone follows health hygiene such as washing hands, sanitizing and social distancing. Those who have worked and are still working with Dr. Ogawa and Arlyn know how they look after them, treating each and everyone a part of their big and growing family of medical specialists. The angels from Angeles are tirelessly caring for all of us.

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TRAFFIC by Alma Reyes Camera ready? Mic on?

Volume up? Good background? Fresh makeup? Unstained shirt? Lights, camera, action! Yes, you’ve just been “ZOOMed” in. The world is staring at you.

But, there’s no director, no line prompter, no props man, and no location shooting—just you, your private corner, and a dozen tiny faces in pixelated boxes.

For many of us relying on constant Internet feeding and addictive social media while enduring the long-standing pandemic that is frantically working so hard to shelter us within our walls, our computer screen is behaving bit strangely these days. It’s crawling with rows of tiny frames of jiggling faces next to each other, like sitting inside a production control room of a TV newsroom or a stock exchange trading room, with twenty active TV screens plastered on a chess board flashing simultaneously, except there is no action in the background, but only sculptural

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busts with mouths moving against a flat backdrop —just a wall, curtain, bookshelf, painting, or if you’re creative enough, a borrowed interior for that make-believe setup. The simulated interpersonal experience is a parade of anxious voices trapped in rectangles dying to speak their turn on ONE screen, your screen.

You can’t seem to get away with it. The checkered windows are everywhere—on YouTube, orchestras or pop singers staging remote home concerts; on “Stay Home” comedy shows, hosts “zooming” with multiple guests; on TV variety shows, personalities commenting in separate boxed frames; on news and weather reports; in schools used for home schooling; in hospitals, homes for the elderly, restaurants, and of course, companies; then, right in your very own living room, with your friends and family.

ZOOM, the explosive mobile application, founded in 2011 by Eric Yuan from California, U.S.A., and formally released in 2013, was initially engineered for hosting teleconferences in companies. With the sudden surprise of the Coronavirus, the application rocketed 2.13 million

downloads in March 2020, and, like a stinging virus, has infected 200 million users on a daily average basis. While this hip phenomenon looks very refreshing and exciting to many, recent studies show an increased flow of fatigue and insecurity among ZOOM users. The application has faced criticisms regarding cybersecurity, for one. Problems with hackers spying on ZOOM calls, unconscious sharing of Meeting IDs across other social media, leaving windows open for anyone to crash in, ZOOM bombing and its voluntary share of offensive images, and end-to-end encryption, are just some of the disconcerting issues that had to be handled.

More importantly, however, are the mental and behavioural implications that may affect the users unconsciously. Views have expressed mild indications of social pressure to stay constantly focused on bodily movement, tone, and pitch of voice that would usually require a steadier level of perfection and more potent energy, versus face-to-face communication. The obligatory necessity to balance body and mind is claimed to be exhausting at some point. Silence can be a disturbing occurrence in group video chats, which is easily interpreted as a technical fault, whereas a few

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seconds of it in personal conversation can be tolerable.

There is also the awkward sight of multiple sets of eyes curiously gazing out at you (or if not, at the suggestive background behind you), simply due to the physically flat layout of the screen, versus these same sets of eyes, which

can be circling around or behind you in the actual setting. Some people have used the term “performance” to describe a ZOOM session, because you seem to be prompted to prepare an “acceptable” physical setting in terms of personal appearance and background; the latter, especially, which belongs to your individual territory that could be an unintentional reflection of your persona. In business, while online video chats help to maintain the workflow, the obligation to present yourself formally to a horizontal panel of co-workers poses a psychological tension, like being studied intensely. Recently, a newly hired employee of an IT company in Tokyo was dismissed from work by his superiors who claimed that he “performed” badly during a company ZOOM session. The

accusations enumerated improper attire, jutting his chin out of the window screen, and his knee being visible in the frame.

There is something rather unsettling about a virtual frontline of numerous faces on a flat screen piercing through your eyes. For some, the reminder of its purpose to compensate for the unfortunate reality of disallowing or minimizing personal interaction during the time of quarantine can carve deeper paralyzed emotions.

The remote communication tool, likewise, seems to corrupt our self-complexity, when work, family, home, and personal life used to be each segregated compartments in our everyday lives, but now have been compressed into one single space, only to be more miniaturized into one window screen. Nevertheless, in today’s teleworking business lifestyle, video conferencing seems almost inescapable. During that obsolete era of letter-writing before E-mailing or social media chatting turned our lives around, personal communication, in its raw essence, meant and emphasized exactly that: personal. It wrapped an intimate relationship between two people reveling in private thoughts, whether in words, sealed firmly in an envelope, or by a voice (such as the telephone), concluded by replacing the receiver. In these times, however, the extension of our inner selves

has stretched beyond the language of ownership across universal boundaries, with no closure—where Facebook comments or other social media chat messages are shared, read and scrutinized openly, and worse, reach audiences we don’t even know (or care) are reading them or not, thus, superseding personal intentions with impersonal results.

Indeed, the virtual happy hour is a dry and sweet mixed concoction of animated bytes made to feel real, sometimes serving an intrapersonal, more than interpersonal, connection. In careless episodes, it stages vulnerable platforms for misinterpretation. Yet, perhaps, online conferencing or group video chatting is the most reliable digitized cure for not only securing a sound business synergy as satellite working is becoming more rampant, but also for filling the void of emptiness that has crippled our ego in defeating the unknown during this moment of crisis. In some ways, it psychologically loosens the chain of laws enforced against our will by encouraging us to cling to abstract facial interplay instead, and nourishes our esteem in believing that we are not alone in this new world of restrained distancing.

This inevitable path to modern communication may be imposing a mindful challenge on our ability to enhance our speech technique, and to manifest our barest intentions as openly and as humanely as possible with or without a LCD monitor. Whether we can articulate ourselves as effectively via a metal barrier or not can only be measured by our natural or superficial approach to self-expression.

3D illustrations by: Dennis Sun

ni Jeff Plantilla Guhit ni Dennis Sun Lockdown o hindi, ang isang bagay na kasama natin ay takot. Hindi natin masasabi kung saan manggagaling ang COVID-19, kahit pa sabihing wala ng kaso ng infection. Puwedeng dumating ang virus na ito sa anumang oras mula sa alinmang lugar.

nababahala, normal lang ang kalagayan, at sila ang baka maging tagapagdala ng virus.

Kaya’t iba na talaga ang ating pagkilos, para doon sa mga nag-iingat. Pero doon sa mga tao na hindi

Nguni’t mas malakas ay ang kaisipan ng tao na mag-ingat. Ito ang dahilan ng pagtigil sa bahay hangga’t maaari.

Quarantine ng Isip Dito sa Japan, bagama’t walang parusa ang hindi pagsunod sa “stay at home” policy, maraming sumunod - mga negosyo, simbahan, schools/universities, at iba pa - ganun din ang pagkansela ng mga events na dinadaluhan ng maraming tao.

Puwede ring ang isip ang naka-quarantine.

May mga report na dumarami ang kaso ng domestic violence dahil sa matagal na panahong hindi lumalabas ng bahay. Hindi masanay ang ilang tao na magkasama sa iisang lugar sa mahabang panahon. Kaya away ang kinahihinatnan.

Sa isang bansa naman, nabalita na nung matapos ang lockdown, tinapos na rin ang relasyon ng mga mag-asawa.

Dumami bigla ang nag-divorce.

Paano nga ba tayo mamumuhay sa panahon ng “new normal”? Mas mabilis isipin ang paglilinis ng sarili, paggamit ng mask, pagkakaroon ng social distancing, pagte-“telework,” at iba pa.

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Pero ang hindi mabilis gawin ay ang hindi mag-alala na mahawahan ng virus na hindi nakikita.

Dito mahalagang bigyan ng pansin

MAY - JUNE 2020

ang isipan.

Pampalibang ng Isip May ilan sa mga kababayan na panay ang posting sa Facebook ng pagsasayaw sa bagong usong tugtog. May iba naman ay kumakanta. Lahat ng ito ay paglilibang at sa loob ng bahay ginagawa.

May iba naman panay ang padala ng mensahe tungkol sa gamot daw sa COVID-19. May tungkol sa usok, init, inumin, vaccine (Fabunan vaccine) at pagkain. May physical exercise para lumakas ang katawan.

Meron ding nanakot, na kung hindi gagawin ang sinasabing dasal o hindi ipapasa ang mensahe masama ang mangyayari. Ito ay blackmail, isang kalokohan, na pinaniniwalaan pa rin ng mga tao dahil siguro sa takot.

Minsan ay sinabi ko sa isang nagpadala ng ganitong mensahe na ito ay pananakot na hindi dapat ginagawa, lalo pa sa panahon ng pandemic. Kailangan natin ng positive vibes.

Sinabi ko rin na hindi ito maka-Kristiyano. Gusto ni Kristo na tayo ay magtulungan, hindi magtakutan.

Kaya doon tayo sa good news – bagay na ikasasaya natin.

Good News Nabalita na negative ang result ng COVID-19 test sa isang Filipino na professional volleyball player sa Japan nung umuwi siya ng Filipinas.

Siya si Bryan Bagunas na star player ng Oita Miyoshi Weisse Adler sa Japan Volleyball League. Siya ay star player sa Filipinas nung naglaro sa University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) bilang miyembro ng National University (NU) volleyball team.

Nagsimula siyang maglaro sa Japan nung 2019. Kilala siya sa kanyang mga attacks at blocks laban sa mga malalaking players ng ibang Japanese teams, lalo na sa mga non-Japanese players. Mapapanood sa YouTube ang mga laro niya.

Naunang maglaro kay Bryan sa Oita Miyoshi Weisse Adler nung 2018 si Marck Espejo, na isa ring star player ng UAAP nung siya ay miyembro ng Ateneo volleyball team. Si Marck ang kauna-unahang Filipino volleyball import sa Japan.

Isa pang star player ng volleyball sa Japan ay si Jaja Santiago, na dating player ng NU women’s volleyball team sa UAAP. Pagkagraduate niya sa college, narecruit siya na maglaro sa Japan bilang professional volleyball player.

Naglalaro siya sa Ageo Medics sa Toyotomi.

Japan Women's Volleyball League.

Nanalo ang team niya ng bronze sa Si Sen Rikkyu ayng malamang na may 2019/2020 season liga.

ruson no tsubo para iimbak ang ng tsaa na ginagamit niya sa Angdahon mga laro ni Jaja na ng 6’5 ang chanoyu.

Magandang panoorin sa YouTube ang laro ng ating Filipino imports dito sa Japan habang nasa bahay sa panahon ng COVID-19.

Planet of the Humans Dahil na rin sa YouTube, may mga videos na mapaglilibangan. Isa na rito ang documentary na “Planet of the Humans” ni Michael Moore at Jeff Gibbs. Ito ay tungkol sa environmental movement sa US. Ipinakita doon ang problema ng mga alternative energy projects, at ang kaugnayan ng mga malalaking kompanya sa mga ito. May mga puna sa documentary na kasama ang pamilya Ukon sa Maynila iba pang Kristiyanong Hapones itoat tulad ng hindi nung Disyembre 1614. Namatay si pagbanggit sa mgang bagong Ukon makalipas ang 40 araw teknolohiya na sumasagot sa dahil sa hirap ng biyahe sa dagat at problema ng mga renewabletanda na rin. projects. energy

taas ay mapapanood din sa Si Ruzon Suzekaemon at Sen Rikkyu YouTube. mahalaga sang “Planet the May konting relasyon si Sen Rikkyu sa Pero ay ang ipinagmamalaki Sakai of city.

May ay yung mensahe na ang Filipinas dahil isa sa kanyang disipulo Humans” estatuwa si Ruzon Suzekaemon sa Angaykapatid Jaja na si Natuto Dindin si Ukon pinakamahalagang si UkonniTakayama. port ng Sakai city, bagay habangsamay Santiago-Manabat aymaging naglalaro din problema ngnaman ating environment kay Sen Rikkyu na chanoyu museums para kay Sen ay sa Japan, Toraynatin Arrows ang tao mismo. master.saAlam na siteam, Ukon ay Rikkyu.

At may private museums sa Sakai city na tapos lumipat siya sa Kurobe ipinakikita ang mga Aquaferries. Ang dalawang Ang ating kagustuhan na gumamit natitirang ruson no magkapatid ay tinawag na twin na napakaraming resources tsubo, iba pa doon towers ng NU dahil pareho silang energy, food, materials at iba pa - sa sa museums matatangkad at magaling maglaro. ating pang-araw-araw na buhaysa Kyoto at ibang ang sanhi ng problema. Sabi nung lugar na may ruson Lahat sila (Marck, Bryan, Jaja at isang pumuna sa documentary, no tsubo din.

Dindin) ay miyembro ng Philippine kung ang dami ng ginagamit ng national volleyball teams. Nanalo mga tao sa India ang gagamitin ng Ang pinakahuling ang men’s volleyball team ng silver mga tao sa buong mundo kaya istorya ay angpa sa 2019 Southeast Asian Games, ng ating resources na suportahan paglalakbay nina Padre Pedro isang makasaysayang panalo sa ang ating pangangailangan sa Bautista mulaang Kyoto volleyball dahil malalakas ang mahabang panahon.

Pero kung patungong Nagavolleyball teams ng mga dami ng kinokonsumo ng mga saki bilang isa sa kapit-bansa sa Southeast Asia.

Amerikano ang gagamitin sa buong kilalang 26 Martyrs mundo, mauubos ang resources. na namatay sa krus Ang UAAP basketball star na si sa Nagasaki nung Thirdy Ravena ng Ateneo ay may Kaya nga, nasa atin 1597. ang sagot Dahilsa dito, offer na maglaro sa Japan Basketball problema.

Kung malakas ang Bautista ipinatapon ni Hideyoshi sa Filipinas naging santo si Padre Pedro League. konsumo saiba mga dahil Baka ayawpag maayos na ang kasama natin ang 25 pang martyrs. Ang sitwasyon at magsisimula uli ang bagay-bagay, malaki din ang ating ng kanilang martyrdom ang dahilan liga,niyang malalaman lalaro siya sa problema.

Malaking negosyo itakwilkung ang kanyang pananapagpunta ni Pope Francis sa ang Nagasaki mpalatayang Kristiyano.

Dumating si paggawa 26 martyrs memorial nitong Japan professional basketball ng maraming bagayNoby- the league. more we consume, the better the business, pero at what cost?

embre 24, 2019. Sakai city ang huling lugar na dinaanan nina Padre Pedro Bautista sa pag-alis sa Kansai.

Bilang Fransiskanong misyonero, nagtayo si Padre Pedro Bautista ng kapilya sa noon ay liblib na lugar na tinawag na San Francisco del Monte (sakop ng Quezon city, at ngayon ay may simbahan na) at isa siya sa nangalaga sa mga Hapones sa Maynila bago siya ipinadala sa Japan nung 1593 ng Governor General ng pamahalaang Kastila sa Maynila para maiwasan ang banta ni Hideyoshi na sakupin ang Filipinas.

Pag-aaral ng mahabang relasyon ng Filipinas at Japan COVID-19 Pandemic Isang paraan para malalim ang Sa problema ngmaging COVID-19, ugnayan ng Filipinas at Japan ay ang malaking bahagi ang ating pag-aaral ng kasaysayan ng ugnayan ng 2 pang-araw-araw na desisyon.

Kung bansa, lalo na ang kasaysayan ng ugnayan hindi tayo mag-iingat, tayo ang ng mga tao.

mahahawahan o makakahawa sa iba.

Pero hindi rin masasabi na hindi tayo mahahawahan kung tayo ay nag-iingat dahil ang iba ay pabaya yung mga tinatawag na “pasaway” sa Filipinas. Lalo pa sa ilang lugar sa Amerika na may mga taong ayaw maniwala na totoo ang COVID-19.

Ang laban sa COVID-19 ay hindi lang laban sa mikrobyo, kundi laban ng isip at dadamin. Hindi lang ito tungkol sa pagkakaroon ng malusog na katawan. Ito ay mas lalo pang tungkol sa katatagan ng isip ng tao.

Mabuting hindi tayo mainip, mabugnot, magalit, o ma-depress dahil sa COVID-19. Dapat ay palaging positive ang ating pagtingin sa mga bagay-bagay lalo pa’t matagal pa ang laban. Kung sa boxing, 2 rounds pa lang tayo.

Gambarimashou!

MOVING ON

by Jasmin Vasquez Ang sarap ng pakiramdam ng mga tilamsik ng tubig na nagmumula sa itaas ng bundok papunta sa talon (falls) na umagos pababa sa lupa na para bang ikaw ay tinatapik at pinaghehele dahil sobrang nakakarelax at pandalian ay malilimutan mo ang stress mo at pagkabugnot dahil sa sobrang init ng panahon na iyong nararamdaman.

Matagal tagal din tayong nag stay at home.

Walang mapasyalan dahil lahat ng puntahan mong park ay sarado dahil sa pandemic covid-19 na yan. Ang daming mga events na hindi natuloy. Ang pinaka nakaka stess pa ay yung marami sa atin ang nawalan ng hanapbuhay. Yung iba naman halos isa o dalawang linggo na lamang ang pasok sa

16

trabaho. Hindi mo na alam kung paano mo mababayaran yung mga bills mo. Dahil ano mang sakuna ang mangyari sa atin, mananatili pa rin ang dating ng ating mga bayarin sa bahay, kuryente, tubig, gas, telepono at marami pang iba. Ang pinaka masaklap pa nyan yung budget para padala sa Pilipinas para sa ating mga pamilya. Hindi natin pwede ikatuwiran na wala na tayong maipapadala.

Lalo na at hindi naman lahat ng tao sa Pilipinas ay nakakatanggap ng ayuda mula sa gobyerno. Kung sino pa ang nagbabayad ng sapat na buwis, iyon pa ang karamihan sa hindi nakikinabang sa kaban ng bayan. Yung mga dati namang walang hanapbuhay na mahirap daw, iyon ang inuuna nilang bigyan. May pandemic man o wala, matagal ng ganoon ang buhay nila. Kaya nga sila dumami ng dumami dahil alam nila palagi sila ang uunahin ng gobyerno.

Mahirap na nga ang buhay, anakan pa ng anakan tapos isisi sa gobyerno bakit ganoon ang buhay nila. Kung iisipin mo pa lang sobrang stressful na. Katulad ngayon humina na ang trabaho dito sa Japan. Parang sasabog na ang utak ko kakaisip paano na kaya ang buhay namin, nating lahat. Saan kaya tayo pupulutin.

Ang init ng panahon ngayon at nangyayari sa buong mundo ay lalo pang nakakapag-init ng ulo. Kaya naman hindi ko na mapigilan na lumabas at pumunta sa lugar na paborito kong puntahan upang makalanghap ng sariwang hangin at ramdamin ang nakakawala ng stress na lamig ng humahampas na tubig na nagmumula sa isang falls. Hay, sobrang relaxing. Sa simula ay medyo mapapagod ka lang dahil maglalakad ka ng pataas pero pag narating mo ang

falls, sobrang ganda. Kung kayo ay mapapasyal dito sa aming lugar, pwede ko kayong samahan.

Ayun nga ng marating ko mismo ang paanan ng falls ay talaga namang napakasarap ng pakiramdam. Biruin nyo ang tagal mong di naka pasyal tapos napakainit pa sa loob ng aking bahay dahil wala naman akong aircon.

Hehehe. Minsan nakiki aircon lang ako sa kaibigan.

Parang ayaw ko ng umalis at doon na lang maghapon.

Kung mayroon nga lamang kubo doon ay baka natulog muna ako saglit. Sobrang sarap ng feeling kapag andoon ka na. Huwag kayong mag alala dahil wala masyadong nagpupunta doon kaya safe sa covid-19.

Kung meron man, siguro sobra pa ang daliri mo sa kamay. Matarik kasi ang daan saka marami ang hindi alam ang daan papunta roon.

Minsan may isang grupo ng mga taga Tokyo ang dumayo doon at talaga naman natuwa sila. Napakaganda kasi at makakalapit ka talaga sa mismong falls.

Ano nga ulit yung problema ko kanina? Nalimutan ko!

Hehehe. Ganyan nga po ang pakiramdam kapag andoon ka sa mismong lugar na iyan Fudo Falls po ang pangalan ng lugar na matatagpuan sa Takamori Shimoina District Nagano.

Libre po, walang entrance fee. Kaya para sa mga katulad kong sobrang stress na sa buhay, maganda mag explore sa mga ganitong lugar. Nakaka feeling young pa ang sarap ng haplos ng hangin sa iyong skin at yung tubig na nagmumula sa falls nakaka refresh mg face.

Hanggang sa muli! Ingat po tayong lahat. Let’s pray para po sa kaligtasan nating lahat at sana matapos na po ang Covid-19. God bless us all!

MAY - JUNE 2020

By Arnel Sugay An illiterate father and his educated son went on camping.

After pitching the tent, they both went to sleep. At the break of dawn, the father wakes up his son and asks,

“Look up to the sky. What do you see?”

“I see millions of stars,” the son said.

“What does that tell you?” asked the father.

“Astronomically,” the son said with pride “it tells us that there are millions of planets.”

The father gave his son a smack and said “Somebody stole our tent!”

Why did the son miss the obvious?

Can too much education blur the brain in looking for something beyond the ordinary? In “Thinking Between The Lines”, K.R. Ravi cited several reasons why we miss the obvious, to wit: • We think too much even when we do not know how to think • We look but do not see • Some of us are so full of ourselves that we have no time for other viewpoints, no time for even plain commonsense • We are afraid to challenge our cherished opinions and beliefs • We have ceased to look at the world through fresh eyes, with a sense of wonder

complicate matters with your theories and concepts which you have acquired from higher education or specialization? If the answer is yes and you still get stuck, maybe you are missing the obvious.

When confronted with an issue, do you have the proclivity to

(The writer is grateful to K.R. Ravi for the permission to cite from the book "Thinking Between The Lines." Mr. Ravi is South Asia's first Dr. Edward De Bono certified public trainer in Lateral Thinking.)

Whether the concern is personal or work related, I always bring to mind what Albert Einstein said, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.” If I am giving instruction to a custodian, I hear “simplify, simplify, simplify” echo inside my head. I make a conscious effort that if I can explain it to a kid and the kid understands me, then it is a clear instruction.

If I am proposing an idea, I use Edward De Bono’s “Six Thinking Hats” to make sure I look at the idea from different points of view. Example: What is the advantage of the idea? What’s the downside? What information do I have? What’s the opinion of others?

How can we make it better? What’s the next step?

illustration: Dennis Sun

MAY - JUNE 2020

17

Take it or Leave it!

ADVICE NI TITA LITS Isabelita Manalastas-Watanabe

katawan. Nagpalit ng trabaho sa obento at factory at biglang tumanda ang mga hitsura at tumaba pa.

Kaya bumalik po ako sa omise.

Dear Tita Lits, Dati po akong “talento” ng dumating ako sa Japan.

Nakapag-asawa at nagkaroon ng isang anak na ngayon po ay binatilyo na. Wala po akong mataas na pinag-aralan sa Pilipinas. Hindi po ako tapos ng high school. Buti na lang po, nakapunta ako sa Japan at nakatulong din sa aming pamilya sa probinsiya. Naitapos ko rin po sa college ang aking mga kapatid.

Kahit may asawa at anak na ako, hindi pa rin po ako tumigil sa pagta-trabaho sa omise bilang isang hostess. Kasi iyon lang po ang alam kong gawin na pagkakitaan. Kahit barok-barok pa rin ang aking Nihongo, alam kong magaling akong mag-alaga sa mga okyakusan namin sa omise. Magaling din naman po akong kumanta at sumayaw kaya maraming mga okyakusan na nag-ri-request sa akin lagi. Nag-try na rin po akong magtrabaho ng iba tulad sa mga bento shop pero ang liit na ng sweldo, boring pa, at ang sakit sa paa na nakatayo ka buong magdamag. Hindi ko po kinaya at baka tatanda akong bigla tulad ng ibang mga Pinay. Dati, sa mga omise sila at kay gaganda at sexy pa ang mga

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Ewan ko po kung bakit yung ibang mga kapwa ko Pilipina ay minamaliit pa rin ang aking hanap buhay. Wala naman po akong ginagawang masama sa ibang tao.

Hindi naman ako nagnanakaw at namemerwisyo ng iba.

Trabaho lang po ito at pinag-kikitaan. Ginagawa ko rin naman ang tungkulin ko bilang isang asawa at ina.

Yung asawa ko, matanda na rin at retired na.

Kulang pa rin ang nakukuha niyang pension sa gobyerno at kailangan pa rin niyang mag-arubaito. Pinapatigil na nga niya ako sa pang-gabi pero mas mataas ang nakukuha kong sahod kaysa sa kanya. Sa liit ng sweldo niya, hindi po kami makakaraos. Lagi na rin siyang nagkakasakit at minsan, hindi po ako nakakapasok sa trabaho dahil kailangan kong mag-alaga sa kanya.

Yung anak ko rin, parang ikinahihiya niya ako dahil sa trabaho ko. Kapag lumalabas kami, feeling ko lagi siya lumalayo sa akin.

Parang nandidiri siya sa kanyang ina. Nakaka-iyak kung didibdibin ko.

Minsan, ikinahihiya rin niya ako hindi lang dahil sa aking trabaho ngunit dahil ang ina niya ay isang gaijin at “Nihongo wakaranai” pa.

Nakakaintindi naman po ako ng konte, pero hindi pa rin po maayos ang aking Nihongo at siempre, lalong

hindi ako marunong magsulat at magbasa ng Kanji tulad ng maraming Pilipino.

Ngayon ay 45 years old na ako, at nasa ganitong kalagayan. Paano ko po sasagutin sa kapwa Pilipino ang mga tanong tungkol sa trabaho ko? Itatago ko ba o dapat ko bang ipagmalaki?

Masama ba ang pag-ho-hostess?

Papaano ko po maipapaliwanag sa anak ko na ganito ang napili kong trabaho? Meron po ba kayong suggestion kung paano ko mapapaunlad ang buhay pamilya ko dito sa Japan?

Salamat po ng marami!

Naghihintay, Maryjane Tokyo

D ear M ar yjane: Sana umabot sa iyo itong advice ko, na safe ka at iyong asawa at anak sa ating kinakatakutang deadly, but unseen enemy (covid-19).

Itong sulat mo ang isa sa pinakamahirap kong sagutin, sa ilang taon ko ng ginagawa ang aking Dear Tita Lits advice column sa Jeepney Press. Normally, mabilis akong makaisip ng papaano ang best advice. Ngayon lang ako humingi ng payo sa aking dalawang Pinay na kaibigan–kay Marilyn, na may asawang Hapon, at kay Alicia na married naman sa isang Espanyol–kung papaano kita sasagutin. Pati asawa kong Hapon, kinunsulta ko kung papaano ang best advice kong maibibigay. Alam mo kung bakit? Kasi, ang unang draft ng aking advice ay very diplomatic ang dating dahil ayokong saktan ang damdamin mo at makaragdag sa iyong

kinakargang hirap sa pakiramdam dahil parang ikinahihiya ka ng iyong anak.

After kong mabasa ang mga reaction sa sulat mo ng dalawa kong kaibigan na Pinay, at after ng advice na asawa, ni-revise ko ang letter ko sa iyo. Mas pranka na ang aking gagawin na pagsagot, at sana ay maintindihan mong mas mabuti na ito, kaysa sa trying hard akong mag-sugar coating, ika nga.

Tanggapin natin na marami tayong so-called na “talento” or “entertainers” na pumunta sa Japan siguro at least from 40 years ago. Tuluy-tuloy ang pasok ng mga Pinay sa bansang Hapon para magtrabaho sa mga omise. May joke pa nga: Bakit daw wala ng magandang Pinay sa Pilipinas? Sagot: Lahat nasa Japan! So isa ka lang sa libo-libong PERFORMING ARTISTS (iyan na ang official na tawag ng ating gobyerno sa ating mga talento/ entertainers) na pumunta sa Japan para makipagsapalaran. Lahat kayo, siguradong pumunta para kumita para makatulong sa naiwang pamilya sa Pilipinas.

Marami ang nakapag-asawa ng Hapon, at tumanda na dito sa Japan.

Ang pagbalik sa trabaho sa gabi ay sarili mong desisyon.

Hindi ka pinilit ng iyong asawa na kumita ng mas malaki para matulungan mo siya sa maliit niyang pension.

Sumasang-ayon ako sa iyong obserbasyon na mahirap physically at mababa ng mas higit ang sweldo ng mga ibang Pinay na nagtatrabaho sa obento o factory.

At doon, hindi sila required mag-make-up, magsuot ng attractive na damit, dahil wala silang dapat i-impress na okyakusan. Kaya hayun, baka nga nagtabaan na at nagmukha ng gurang!

Sa tantiya ko, kahit 45 ka na,

MAY - JUNE 2020

maganda at attractive ka pa rin, dahil nga alaga mo ang sarili mo. Pwera pa sa iyong talent ng pagkanta at pagsayaw, popular ka sa kliyente dahil nga marunong kang mag-entertain sa kanila. Pero hanggang kailan ka kaya makakapag-patuloy sa iyong same trabaho ngayon? 5 years? 10 years?

Kahit papaano, tatanda at tatanda rin ang ating hitsura, at magiging less popular ka na sa mga clients mo.

Kung gabi ang trabaho, sa umaga/hapon ang tulog. So kapag gising ang asawa at anak mo, tulog ka. Kapag gising sila, tulog ka naman.

OK lang siguro sa iyong asawa, medyo matanda na siya at baka hindi na masyadong kailangan ang physical relationship, pero wala kang oras na mag-spend ng quality time sa iyong anak, para makilala ka niya, madama ang iyong motherly love, at ma-explain mo sa kanya bakit nagta-trabaho ka sa gabi.

Let us admit it. Mababa talaga tingin sa ating mga Pinay ang maraming Hapon.

Kasama na diyan ang binatilyo mo. Ang asawa ko, napaka-defensive kapag ipinakikilala niya ako sa kanyang mga ka-trabaho (professor siya noon sa oldest Catholic university in Japan). Sasabihin pa niya kung saan at ano ang natapos ko, kung ano ang trabaho ko, etc., after malaman ng kausap niya na ako ay Pilipina. May image kasi tayo, na mababa sa tingin ng Hapon. Hindi pa natin ito maiaalis sa kanilang utak dahil deka-dekada tayong nag-deploy ng mga Filipino “talento/ entertainers” sa Japan.

Minsan, may isang Haponesa akong kausap, na super baba ang tingin sa ating mga Pinay. Sabi niya, good lang tayo as night club hostesses.

Sabi ko sa kanya, (tulad ng sabi mo sa sulat mo), trabaho lang iyan. Pero sabi ko sa kanya, ang Pilipino, nagtatrabaho at nagsasakripisyo, dahil gustong tumulong sa kanilang mga mahal sa buhay sa Pilipinas (tulad din

ng iyong pagpapa-aral sa iyong mga kapatid, na dapat mong ikuwento sa anak mo at iyong ipagmalaki na malaking accomplishment mo). Sabi ko sa Haponesa, e kayong mga Hapon, nag-ho-hostess dahil gusto ninyong kumita para bumili ng branded goods, at para maipagpatuloy ang inyong mga luhong pang-katawan.

Hindi nakaimik ang bruha!

Walang karapatan na tingnan ka ng mababa ng mga ibang Pinay, kasi majority ng mga Pinay na nandito sa Japan, ay pumunta rito as “talento/ entertainers” noon. Baka hindi lang ma-admit ng mga nakakasalimuha mong Pinay na medyo age group mo, na katulad mo rin silang nakipagsapalaran sa Japan noong bata pa sila. Pero kahit malinis pa ang trabaho ninyo, at talagang kayo ay legitimate na PERFORMING ARTISTS, iba ang image ng Hapon sa mga babaeng nagta-trabaho sa omise.

Minsan, yayain mo ang asawa mo, na magbigay kayo ng oras para mag-usapusap kasama ang inyong anak. Kasi sa tingin ko, mahal ka ng asawa mo kaya ka niya pinakasalan, kaya hanggang ngayon, ay magkasama pa kayo. Dahil mahal mo din siya, kaya siya ang pinakasalan mo, at hindi mo ipinagpalit sa iba. Dahil sa inyong pagmamahal sa isa’t isa, lumabas sa mundong ito ang inyong anak. Ang anak ninyo ay ipinanganak out of love between his mother and his father. Sana maappreciate ng inyong anak ang pagmamahal ninyong dalawa sa kanya.

Dapat ding ma-expose at maka-intindi ang anak mo, ng kanyang Filipino heritage.

Kapag may event ang Embassy na iniimbita ang tulad nating OFW, isama mo ang anak mo. Kapag may Philippine Fiesta (normally yearly, pero baka wala this year dahil covid-19), isama mo rin siya para manood ng shows, maglibot sa mga booth, at baka sakaling may makilala rin siyang mixed blood na Pinoy at Hapon na

mabait at makaibigan niya.

Kasi, maganda ang may support group din si binatilyo mo; mga kasing edad niya na mixed blood para they can exchange views, learn more from each other, etc. Mayroon ding Filipino Chorale group, na nagpe-perform every year sa Shibuya Bunka Kaikan. Ang gagaling nila–mga kageneration mo halos ang members ng Chorale.

Nakapanood ako (two years in a row), and every time, I felt sooo VERY PROUD TO BE A FILIPINO. Sana makapanood din kayo ng mga ganitong good performances ng anak mo.

Kung mahilig manood ng sumo ang anak mo, tanungin mo kung kilala niya si Ozeki Takayasu Akira. Si Ozeki Takayasu Akira ay katulad niyang mixed blood – ang tatay ay Hapon, at ang nanay niyang si Bebelita, ay Pinay.

Si Takayasu Akira ang first Japanese-Filipino to ever reach this rank in the history of sumo wrestling.

Pagtapos ninyong makausap ng asawa mo ang inyong anak, tanungin mo kaya kung ano ang ikinahihiya niya talaga–na ikaw ay isang Pilipina? O dahil sa iyong trabaho lang. Kung dahil sa trabaho lang, may solusyon doon, at ikaw din ang makakagawa ng solusyon.

Pero kung dahil Pilipina ka, wala tayong magagawa pa, na kaagad ma-solve itong negative image natin sa Japan.

Sa lahat yata ng bansa, may diskriminasyon. Sa America, karamihan ng Pinoy doon ay doctor, nurse, at mga professionals. Baka mabibilang sa kamay kung ilan ang nagta- trabaho sa omise. Pero kahit ganoon pa kataas ang edukasyon ng nag-migrate sa Amerika, hindi sila puti at sila ay nadi-discriminate din, as “people of color”. Buti na lang brown tayo, dahil kung black tayo, mas nakakaexperience sila ng unfair treatment. Alam mo siguro ang kaso ni George Floyd sa Minnesota–isang unarmed black man na niluhuran sa

leeg ng isang white police officer sa daan.

Nagmamakaawa na si George na hindi siya makahinga, ngunit hindi siya pinakinggan, hanggang totally na naputulan na siya ng hininga. Dahil dito, nag-riot hindi lang sa Minnesota, kundi sa maraming states pa sa Amerika. Kumalat na rin sa ibang bansa ang protesta.

“Black lives matter” ang isang mensahe ng mga protestors.

Sa Japan, patuloy pa rin ang mababang tingin sa atin ng maraming Hapon. Pero nasa atin din naman kung magpapa-epekto tayo dito, o mag-try na lang tayo, kahit individually, to raise our image in Japan. Marami na ngayong Pinoy na accepted ng magturo ng English.

Noong unang panahon, gusto native speaker (native speaker = white-skinned, kahit hindi masyadong marunong mag-English!).

Slowly, but surely, our image as a people will improve.

Talking of improving one’s self, sana makahanap ka ng oras para matuto ng Japanese, kahit man lang proper spoken Japanese. You will improve your chances of finding an alternative job, if you choose to.

Actually, may choice ka. It is your decision kung ano ang mas mahalaga sa iyo.

Konnichiwa minnasan!

Kamusta po kayong lahat?

Nawa ang lahat ay nasa mabuti at ligtas sa anumang sakit, kasamaan at karamdaman gaya na lamang ng kumalat na “Corona Virus o COVID19� kung saan laganap at kumakalat saang sulok man ng mundo at pinangangambahan na hindi na ito mawala at lalo pa itong makakapinsala habang tayo ay nabubuhay dito sa mundo.

COVID19 na kapag tinamaan tayo nito 50/50 na ang buhay natin at makikipaglaban o maaaring mamatay tayo ng nag-iisa at hindi na masilayan ang mga mahal natin sa buhay o ang ating pamilya.

Shoganai din na hindi natin sila mayayakap o mahalikan o makapiling man lang habang tayo ay may dalang COVID o virus na ito hanggang sa tayo ay gumaling o pumanaw dahil dito.

tayo ay hindi nakalabas ng bahay at limitado ang kilos natin. At umabot ng halos dalawang buwan na nagdaan at ano-ano ba ang nagawa o ginawa natin para maibsan ang pagkabato o pagkainip?

Sa mga kumita habang lockdown ay nakakahanga.

Pero halos lahat ay nawalan ng trabaho at walang kita at nakokontento na lamang sa bigay ng mga mayayaman, kapit-bahay at gobyerno.

Kung mapapansin natin, napakahirap ng sitwasyon natin ngayon. Hindi na tayo malaya kagaya ng dati. Kilos o galaw natin ay apektado na din. Maselan at dapat tayong maging responsable sa bawat ginagawa natin dahil tayo-tayo din ang mapapahamak.

Nawalan saysay ang mamahaling bagay o materyal panandalian pagkat nawala ito sa eksena ng buhay natin.

Dahil halos lahat sa atin ay nakontentong mabuhay ng simple sa kadahilanang hindI nga tayo nakalabas. Mga sasakyan hindI na maibyahe sa kung saan dahil nga sa lockdown. Bawat border ay may checkpoint at hindI pwede ang pakalat-kalat sa kalsada, party o mass gathering para maiwasan ang pagkakahawaan at malayo o mapigilan ang pagdami ng pasyente na may COVID19 dahil hanggang sa ngayon wala pa itong mabisang gamot. At higit sa lahat ay ang napagtanto natin ang kahalagahan ng may ipon sa panahomg tulad ngayon at kaya nating mabuhay nang hindI nakatanggap ng anumang tulong sa kahit kanino at lalong masarap sa pakiramdam ang ikaw, tayo ang nakakatulong malaki man o maliit sa mga kababayang

Ang gobyerno natin dito sa Pinas nagkaloko-loko na din.

Mga sistema ay paiba-iba at hindi lahat ay nabigyan ng tulong o naabot ng ayuda.

Shoganai madalas nating sambit diyan sa Japan kapag ang isang bagay o sitwasyon ay wala tayong magagawa upang baguhin pa o pigilan bagkus kailangan nating tanggapin ng maluwag sa ating mga dibdib at ipagkabit-balikat na lamang.

May nagpatayan, may karahasan at ang katwiran ng mga ahensya ay wala nang pondo ang bansa at wala tayong magagawa. Kung nasa Japan tayo, masasambit mo na "shoganai ne".

Masakit isipin o tanggapin na hindi na natin maabot ang nais natin at mas lalong masakit kung tayo ay susubukin na magkasakit ng walang lunas kagaya na lamang nitong

Pero may malaking leksyon tayong natutunan. Ito ay ang pagiging matiyaga, at madiskarte sa buhay. Sinubok tayo sa ngayong panahon ng "quarantine" kung saan lahat

2o

MAY - JUNE 2020

higit na mas nangangailangan.

At sa panahong ito ay makikilala mo kung sino-sino ang pwede mo malapitan at may mabubuting puso na handang tumulong kahit lahat tayo ay nasa isang gipit na sitwasyon. Marami sa atin ang nawawalan na ng pag-asa. At dahil nga gipit o hirap tayo ay marami sa atin ang sa dasal at pananampalataya na kumakapit. Sa panahon ding ito ay marami ang nagbalik-loob sa Diyos sa pag-asang maililigtas tayo sa anumang kapahamakang hinaharap at haharapin natin.

Base sa sarili kong nararamdaman o karanasan nakakatulong sa akin ang salitang "shoganai". Para sa akin ay isa itong pagtanggap o pagyakap ng isang negatibong nangyayari na hindI naman natin inaasahang mangyari at mag "move on" o ituloy ang buhay nang may positibong pananaw at hindI sumusukong lumaban, bagkus ito ay hamon sa atin bilang isang tao at may pananampalataya sa Diyos Amang Maylikha. Na maniwalang ang buhay sa mundo ay walang katiyakan at tanging ang Maylalang lamang ang nakakaalam kung kailan ito matatapos. Dapat lang nating isipin na ang lahat ay may katapusan. Ang buhay natin ay hiram. Shoganai, kaya dapat tuloy-tuloy lang.

Hanggang sa muli. Mag-ingat po tayong lahat.

Be blessed.

ni Karen Sanchez Habang nabubuhay tayo sa mundong ito Pagsubok ay kasa-kasama na natin dito Ang iba ay di nakakaya, nasisiraan na ng ulo Lalo na kung walang nakakausap o nakakahalubilo Iba-ibang pagsubok atin nang nararanasan Epidemya, sakuna, kalamidad at iba pang karahasan Iba-iba ang ating mga paniniwala at pinagdadaanan At nasa atin din naman paano natin ito matutugunan Tapang, tibay ng loob at dasal sa Diyos na Maylalang Tiwala sa Kanya na atin ding itong malalampasan At may tinatanaw na mabuting kinabukasan Upang pag-asa manatili at lalo pang lumaban Ang mundo ay bilog at lahat ay maaaring magbago Panahon lang ang tanging makakapagsabi nito Ang mahalaga ay lumaban, tumanggap na talo at natuto Para sa agos ng buhay, ihip ng hangin na pabago-bago

KWENTO NI NANAY Anita Sasaki

EVERY GISING IS A BLESSING! Noon nakaraang buwan ng Mayo ay buwan nga ating mga minamahal na INA, ang ilaw ng ating mga tahanan.

Binabati po namin kayong lahat mga INA, NANAY, INAY, INANG, MAMA, MOMMY, MONSHIE, MUDRA, MOMMARAMING SALAMAT PO SA INYONG PAGMAMAHAL. You are the moving force behind your children.

Sa ating Inang Kalikasan na lubha nating naabuso…

Nilikha ng Dios ang ating mundo para tayo ay mabuhay ng maayos ngunit hindi natin inalagaan. Kaya andiyan ang mga baha dahil sa kalat nating mga basura, baha, landslides, lindol dahil sa kinalbo nating mga bundok. Ang ating mga isda na namamatay dahil sa mga dinamita ginagamit nang mga gahaman sa pangingisda.

At sa ating Inang Bayan…

Maraming salamat po Panginoon at lagi pong gabayan Ninyo ang mga namumuno sa gobyerno namin po. Gabayan mo po silang lahat para sa ikauunlad

at katiwasayan nang aming bansa at ang buong mundo.

Since January 2020, we were all bothered by this corona virus or Covid-19 not only in Japan and the Philippines but the whole world.

It’s a pandemic. March quarantine then lockdown. Tamang tama Mahal na Araw na sinabi “Stay At Home. “ Nasara ang ating mga malls, sinehan, mga eskuwelahan at ang mga simbahan.

Nakakalungkot at nakakatakot dahil hindi natin nakikita ang kalaban nating VIRUS. Maraming nagkakasakit. Namamatay. Pati mga tumutulong na mga doctors, nurses at medical technicians.

Hindi lang sila ang ating mga frontline heroes. Pati mga janitors na naglilinis sa mga hospitals at other facilities, mga grocery staff, nagtitinda sa mga palengke. Sa panahon ngayon, hindi lang mga sundalo ang ating mga bayani.

Nakakalungkot dahil sarado ang ating mga simbahan. Ano man ang ating mga reliyon o paniniwala, meron tayong kanya kanyang simbahan na pinupuntahan. Pero dapat “Stay at home ” lang po tayo.

At bilang isang pamilya tayo ngayon magkakasama, nananalangin at ito ang mga simbahan. Nasarahan man ang mga simbahan pero maraming simbahan ang nabuo dahil sa sama-sama tayong pamilya na nagdarasal. Ito ang tunay na simbahan. Hindi ang building o ang nakikita nating malalaking ekstraktura. Kundi ang pamilya sama samang nananalangin. This is the real meaning of the church.

Di pareho noong bago dumating ang Covid-19, tayong lahat ay halos wala nang oras sa pamilya o sa bahay. Abala tayo sa pag hahanapbuhay, paaralan at iba

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pa. Para tayong nasa “rat race”. Habol tayo nang habol sa pera. Kaya madalas tayong pagod, galit at depressed. At diyan tayo nagkakasakit. Diyan tayo nagkaka cancer, high blood, sakit sa puso, diabetic at ngayon ay ang covid-19. Kung di pa sinuwerte ay ang hahantungan natin ay sa kahon na maliit o malaki.

Umabot ang Stay at Home sa Pilipinas ng 2 buwan. Sa Japan naman, wala kaming “lockdown” kundi “State of Emergency “. Ngunit ngayon sa Japan ay dapat Mayo 30, 2020 tatapusin ang state of emergency pero noong Mayo 25, 2020 ay tinapos na. Sa atin naman sa Pinas iba iba ang pagtatapos nila ng “lockdown “. Nasa kung saan ang humaba or nag “curve” na ang mga city. Sa June 1, hindi na lockdown meron tinatawag sila na GCQ (General Community Quarantine).

Sana sa pagtatapos ng “Stay Home” sabi nila balik na tayo sa normal nating buhay. Huwag na po. Mas mainam na maging new normal po tayo dahil hindi po maganda ang dating normal natin. At least level up tayo. Ang dating Normal natin ay hindi po tayo aware nang ating pag alaga sa washing of our hands, mag alcohol after, mag gargle tayo paggaling sa labas. Huwag na tayong mag beso-beso or shake hands. Kaway kaway na lang po. Maintain natin ang social distancing. Avoid crowded places.

Ngayon ko lang naisip bakit ang bahay ng mga Hapon ay usually pagpasok mo una lagi ang banyo at kitchen. Kasi pagpasok nila ng bahay, hugas kamay sila at gargle muna bago ang lahat. At normal sa kanila ang naka mask, konting sipon lang naka mask na sila.

At higit sa lahat manalangin tayo at magpa salamat sa Dios na tayo ay buhay. Inalagaan Niya tayo sa panahon ng covid-19. Maraming salamat po!

MAY - JUNE 2020

P h i l i p

D iz o n

T o r r e s

Facebook : Philip D. Torres Mobile (Philippines) : +63-91-7605-6366 Model: Irene Kaneko Photography: Borg Meneses Hair & Make-up: Vela Mua Art Direction: Dennis Sun

Liham para sa mga Kababayan sa Japan

ni Yellowbelle Duaqui

Mahal kong Kababayan,, Tulad po namin dito sa Pilipinas, marahil ay matindi rin ang inyong pag-aalala dahil sa paglaganap ng novel corona virus (COVID-19) sa buong mundo. Marami sa atin ngayon ang nahaharap din sa matinding mga problemang dulot ng pandemya: ang pagkawala ng kabuhayan, ang kawalan ng seguridad para sa hinaharap, at pagkalito sa mga susunod na hakbang na maaaring gawin upang makabangon mula sa krisis na kinakaharap. Tulad ng paglaganap ng corona virus, hindi natin inasahan ang pagsalakay ng mga problemang kawaksi nito nang sabay-sabay, walang patid, at wari’y wala pa ring katapusan. Hanggang ngayon, namumuhay tayo sa takot dahil sa panganib na dala nito sa atin.

Sa kabila ng pagkakaroon ng hokkenshou (national health insurance card), alam ko pong mahirap din ang maospital sa Japan. Bukod sa hindi kabisado ang Nihongo lalo na ang pagbabasa ng Kanji, minsan ay nakakaranas din ng diskriminasyon bilang isang banyaga. Marahil ay lalo po itong nakakadagdag sa inyong agam-agam. ‘Ika nga ng ibang kababayan po natin sa Japan at dito rin po sa Pilipinas: “Bawal magkasakit!”

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Habang tinatawid nating lahat ang kadilimang ito na malayo sa isa’t isa (dahil na rin sa pangangailangang magsagawa ng physical distancing), alalahanin natin na mas mahalaga naman na ang mga puso’t isipan natin ay lalo

pang paglapitin sa pamamagitan ng patuloy na komunikasyon, pag-uunawaan, pagtutulungan, at pagdarasal para sa kaligtasan ng bawat isa.

Totoong nakakatakot ang mapamuksang virus na ito dahil ito ay wala pang lunas sa ngayon. Dahil hindi rin ito nakikita ngunit mabilis makahawa, para tayong humaharap sa isang malupit na kaaway na walang mukha. Marami na rin sa ating mga kakilala o mahal sa buhay ang binawian ng buhay at napinsala ng virus na ito. Ngunit sa mga panahong ito, nakita rin natin ang mga pangyayaring wari’y imposibleng mangyari noong mga panahong “normal” pa ang takbo ng ating buhay.

Naririyan ang kuwento ng mga negosyanteng namigay ng pagkain, masks, personal protective equipment (PPEs), at pinansyal na donasyon sa gubyerno, sa mga ospital, at sa mahihirap na komunidad sa panahong ito. Isa sa mga negosyanteng ito ay si Ramon Ang, ang pangulo ng San Miguel Corporation.

Nahihirapan man ang kanyang kumpanya sa ngayon at namatayan ng anak dahil sa corona virus, naging bukas-loob pa rin siya sa pagtulong sa kapwa sa panahong ito. Ang kanyang pabrika ng alak ay naging pagawaan ng ethyl alcohol na ipinamigay nang libre sa mga ospital sa Pilipinas. Nagsimula rin silang gumawa ng nutribun – masustansyang tinapay na ipinamigay din nang libre sa mga

MARCH - APRIL 2020

mahihirap na komunidad. Natanggap din ng kanyang mga empleyado ang kanilang buong pasahod ngayong lockdown.

Namigay din siya ng 1.1 milyon kilo ng bigas sa mga mahihirap nating kababayan.

Umabot din sa 10 milyon dolyares ang PPEs na kanyang ipinamigay sa mga frontliners.

Sa ngayon, umabot na sa P13.08 bilyon ang naitulong ni Ramon Ang sa ating mga kababayan. Ang mga ganitong pagkakawang-gawa ng mga korporasyon ay bihirang maramdaman sa panahong “business as usual”.

Naririyan din ang wari’y paghilom ng sugat ng kalikasan. Sa India, halimbawa, natatanaw na ngayon mula sa siyudad ng Jalandhar at sa hilagang rehiyon ng Punjab ang bulubundukin ng Himalayas dahil sa pagbaba ng antas ng polusyon sa India mula noong nagkaroon ng lockdown dulot ng pandemya. Sa ilang bahagi ng Kamaynilaan, tanaw na rin ang Sierra Madre, ang pinakamahabang bulubundukin sa Pilipinas na matatagpuan sa Hilagang Luzon. Tulad ng India, bumaba rin ang antas ng polusyon sa Kamaynilaan mula ng ideklara ang lockdown.

Sa kabila nito, mahirap sabihing may “silver lining” ang pandemyang ito kung titingnan ang dami ng taong namatay at nagkasakit sa ngayon, gayon din ang mga nawala o naapektuhang hanapbuhay. Marami ngayon ang nagugutom at lubhang nahihirapan, at hindi pa malinaw kung kailan matatapos ang krisis na ito.

Nakita rin natin na lahat ay pantay-pantay ang pagiging bulnerable sa virus na ito.

Mayaman man o mahirap na bansa, makapangyarihan man o walang gahum, pareho lang na pinasok ng virus dahil sa

umiiral na sistema ng globalisasyon.

Gayunpaman, ang hindi pagkakapantay-pantay sa sistema ang siyang lalong nagpahirap sa buhay ng mahihirap ngayong krisis na ito. Hindi na makapagtrabaho dahil sa lockdown ang mga pamilyang isang kahig, isang tuka. At kapag dinapuan ng sakit, lubhang napakalaki ng inaabot na gastusin sa ospital, gayon na rin ang pagpapalibing kapag sakaling namatayan.

Kaya’t sa muling pagbubukas ng daigdig pagkatapos ng krisis na ito, dapat din nating itanong sa sarili kung dapat bang bumalik na lang uli sa dating kaayusan. Ito na ang pagkakataon upang magsimula uli at ayusin ang sistemang pangkalusugan sa bansa, bilang isa sa mga lumitaw na problema sa krisis na ito. Nawa’y ang “new normal” na ito ay magbigay ng tuon sa kalikasan at sa kalusugan ng tao, bilang mga prayoridad higit pa sa mga pulitikal at ekonomikong interes ng iilan lamang na mayayaman at makapangyarihang tao sa mundo.

Panalangin ko na sana ay manatili kang ligtas sa iyong kinaroroonan. Lakasan mo ang iyong loob sa harap ng krisis na ito.

Ki wo tsukete kudasai!

Nagmamahal,

Yeowbee

A NEW ROUTINE UNDER QUARANTINE ask her to practice reading books to familiarize her with new words and enhance her reading skills and memorize the multiplication table.

Since kids like going to the beach or resort to swim and this cannot happen during social distancing, I bought her a big, inflatable pool which made her really happy. Hopefully, this would inspire her to be an Olympic swimmer.

By: Wayne Sun It’s certainly a different year for everyone this year.

As for kids whose major source of happiness comes from outdoor activities like malling or going to playgrounds and amusement centers, it’s going to be a tough situation as no summer escapades can be done.

point that she will get tired of the things she has been doing each day. So, to perk things up, she indulges in food preparation like how to make pizzas to popsicles, how to prepare juice and baking, to name a few.

In other days, she is introduced to board games like Word Factory, Snakes and Ladders. I also taught her how to play My daughter is a mall badminton and During this rat like me. I was afraid bowling and she quarantine, what my seems to enjoy both daughter enjoys most of how she would react with just staying sports. She also finds is staying up late and time riding her scooter playing. The usual home for months.

Then one day, she and playing routine she has is hula-hoop. playing with her toys, approached me and her gadgets, cellphone said: "Dad, I'm bored." I know it will come to a There are days when I and ipad. The most

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creative thing she does is when she begins to hold the pen. At the age of 7, I find her drawings and caricatures cute and nice. There's something to her sketches that makes them unique and original. Added to that is her coloring and designing paper planes and dedication cards.

MAY - JUNE 2020

One of the common things we also enjoy doing at night is doing Tiktok videos. There is this element of creativity and fun whenever we do dubbing or lip-syncing. And the most touching part of them all is when we both pray together before bedtime. I taught her how to pray and verbalize her thoughts through praying and reflect and be thankful to God for the blessings.

More than anything else, the best thing that this quarantine period gave to parents is having more time to spend with kids at home. I am fortunate that I was able to work from home. As for my daughter, she is able to enhance more of her talents and explore new things.

Most kids may experience anxiety during lockdown because they cannot go outside and have fun. But having fun may not always mean doing outdoor activities. We can still bring fun at home to our kids.

It’s up to us parents on how to turn around routinary activities and turn dull moments into exciting ones. We can make our kids smile even under this time of full restrictions and prohibited gatherings.

Expect the unexpected!

All my life, I have always expected the unexpected. So, in everything that I do, I always see to it that even before the problem comes, I already have the solution to it. My friends would always tell me that I am being too hard to myself, because I expect things to be perfect. I am not a

my way to be able to live my “American Dream”. So, I planned to travel every year to America. I went to Guam in 2016, California in 2017, Nevada in 2018 and Arizona in 2019 and this year, 2020, the planned was supposed to be New York! I was very excited, everything was planned and set until Covid-19 happened. Back in February, I thought that by May, everything

postponement of the much-awaited Tokyo Olympics, the biggest sports in the world. Not that I wanted for it to push through amid the Covid-19, but had it not happened, everything

Thief in the night

By Richine Bermudez

could have been a lot different. Many businesses could have gone bigger, many people could have gotten more jobs, tourists could have subdued the whole of Japan thus have made our economy prosperous.

I hoped for prosperity.

Before the outburst, I was planning on putting up my own private tour guide group with some of my friends, thinking that lots of tourist will come to Japan this year. We prepared tour packages, activities and many more for the business. But due to the situation, nothing has materialized. So frustrating! perfectionist. I just always want everything to be under control and avoid problems that can explode in my face anytime.

It was like a big explosion in a quiet and peaceful place when Covid-19 arrived. People did not see it coming and no one was prepared nor was ready for it! No one, including me!

Back in 2016, I got my US visa. It was a dream come true when I passed the interview and given a 10-year multiple visa. I thought then that it was

would be better and that I could still pursue my plans. But it got worse! It’s such a bummer and I couldn’t be disappointed more!

Disappointment, along with the whole world. I was also disappointed because of the

More frustrations! The school where I work for had to close for a month and a half to comply to the government’s measure in containing the virus. This was my first time ever to stay at home for more than a month doing nothing. But to be

MAY - JUNE

honest, I was thankful that my boss was very considerate as she did not risk our health and our students by not letting us continue to go to school during the State of Emergency. It was a hard decision to make, I’m sure, especially her business was at stake. But she chose life over money. Very inspiring, indeed!

All our lives, we have been trying hard to inspire ourselves to chase our dreams and be someone in this world. We have believed that having a prestigious title, having the best things in life, lots of money, and always being on top are the basis for being successful. But that’s not true. Going after these things is like chasing after the wind. All our efforts will be futile after these things were taken away from us.

So, it’s better to focus on our family and relationship with God. These are the things that can never be bought and can’t be taken away from us.

Life is full of surprises. We can’t just be too complacent and take time and things for granted.

Being ready is a must and being vigilant is important.

Because like Covid-19, unexpected events are going to come and surprise us like a thief in the night.

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What ReallyBy:IsHerbert Contentment?

Licardo Benzon

My personal journey in life was never easy. I have been to so many difficult situations and have experienced some foolishness as they say. I even blamed myself several times for not doing things in their proper perspective. But these are things in the past. I have moved on and overcame these challenges. I think that’s the most important thing.

I have accepted that I am the type of person who will always be striving for a goal, no matter what, the type of person who enjoys a challenge, and who enjoys the journey. A risk taker probably? But it’s not the goal that matters to me — it’s the journey to get there that is so much fun. And I’m content with being that type of person.

So what really is contentment?

Is it subjective or objective?

Having a house of your own or acquiring limitless wealth?

Having a stable and happy relationship because there’s no such thing as perfect? Personal achievements? Or doing the

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things you love? I believe it isn’t a matter with being content with your situation in life and never trying to improve it. It’s a matter of being content with what you have — but realizing that as humans; we will always try to improve, no matter how happy we are. If we don’t, we have given up on life. Am I right?

Let me give you my fair share of steps on how to be contented and the amazing things it can do in our lives. I’m going to use my life as an example of course, only because I know it best.

1. Practice gratitude.

Our outlook on life is a major contributor to our happiness or unhappiness. I believe contentment and gratitude are inseparable. We choose whether we are happy or unhappy. Learn to focus on the good things, things that we have and not those that we lack. I heard a lot of people saying their life is a crap. Of course they’re going to be unhappy. I’ve had those conditions at several points in my life, believe me. And most of the time, I was unhappy in those kinds of conditions. And others, I was happy and content. So I’ve come to the conclusion — and it’s proven true — that it’s not the conditions that make me unhappy, but my choice of thoughts, of attitude, of behavior. So I have to say, you have to take control of your attitude. Start counting your blessings!

2. Happiness.

Many people see “contentedness” and “happiness” as one and the same. In many ways, they are, but I think it’s really a matter of focus. Happiness is a state of being, influenced by a number of factors, including contentedness.

Contentedness for me is a matter of being satisfied with what you have. It focuses on what you have and don’t have instead of just being a state of being. It influences happiness.

However, you can choose to be content, just as you can choose to be happy, and if you choose to be content, you will be happy. I hope I don’t confuse you?!

There are many ways to become happy — you can become happy by doing certain things (shopping, eating, and sex), you can become happy because you are loved or in love, you can become happy because you just won the lottery or a million yen. Being content is just one way to be happy, but it’s a great way.

3. Break the buying habit.

For many of us Filipinos, it has been ingrained into our lives that the proper way to diffuse discontent is to purchase the outward item that is seemingly causing the discontentment.

Ironic, isn’t it? We have gotten into the habit of satisfying our discontent by simply spending more money. Almost no energy is spent determining the true root of the discontent. Are you dissatisfied with your wardrobe? Go buy new clothes.

Not content with your vehicle?

Go buy a new one.

Contentedness is at the core of

MAY - JUNE 2020

simplicity. It’s about being content with less, with a simpler life, rather than always wanting more, always acquiring more, and never being content.

We must break this habit.

Material possessions will never fully satisfy the desires of your heart and that’s why discontent always returns. The next time you recognize discontentment surfacing in your life, refuse to give into that bad habit.

Instead, commit to better understand yourself and why the lack of that item is causing discontent. Only after you intentionally break this thinking will true contentment begin to surface. I know it’s hard but it’s possible! I did it!

6. Social change.

4. Stop comparing yourself to others.

7. Help others.

Comparing your life with someone else’s will always lead to discontentment. Just accept the fact that there will always be people who “appear” to be better off than you and seemingly living the “perfect” life as they say.

I do not teach people to accept social injustice and not strive for change by spreading or preaching contentedness and a positive outlook on life. Think of your inner power, we all have that. It’s just a matter of being content with such simplicity that would give you the independence from foreign commercial or external powers, and eventually foreign political powers. I am an activist when I was a University student and I strongly believe that social change can still happen if you are content with yourself, with your life, but not content with the system of oppression around you.

This is my favorite! I just love helping people. When you begin helping others, sharing your talents, time and money (if you have enough you think), you will find yourself learning to be content. The practice will give you a finer appreciation for what you own, who you are, and what you have to offer.

5. Jobs.

Should we be content with our jobs? Well, I won’t say that you should stick with a dead-end job and a boss that treats you like dirt. Of course not! If you’re unhappy with your job, change it. That’s been my approach and it’s worked for me. I’ve always wanted to be an educator and I am now, almost a decade actually.

However, I have learned that being a content person in other areas of my life, and being content with my life in general, has generally helped me at any job. Discontented people tend to be complainers, or grumpy, or negative. Don’t be like that.

Having said all of these, although it’s not as easy as it sounds, I can say contentment is a choice. Learning how to be content comes from a combination of intentional mindset shifts, habit changes, and being aware of our thoughts and actions.

Contentment is what I’ve been reflecting on for two straight weeks of working from home during the pandemic. Again, I have to say, it’s all worth it!

My personal journey in life was never easy. I have been to so many difficult situations and have experienced some foolishness as they say. I even blamed myself several times for not doing things in their proper perspective. But these are things in the past. I have moved on and overcame these challenges. I think that’s the most important thing.

I have accepted that I am the type of person who will always be striving for a goal, no matter what, the type of person who enjoys a challenge, and who enjoys the journey. A risk taker probably? But it’s not the goal that matters to me — it’s the journey to get there that is so much fun. And I’m content with being that type of person.

So what really is contentment? Is it subjective or objective? Having a house of your own or acquiring limitless wealth? Having a stable and happy relationship…because there’s no such thing as perfect? Personal achievements? Or doing the things you love? I believe it isn’t a matter with being content with your situation in life and never trying to improve it. It’s a matter of being content with what you have — but realizing that as humans; we will always try to improve, no matter how happy we are. If we don’t, we have given up on life. Am I right?

Let me give you my fair share of steps on how to be

#StayHome #StaySafe Kaya pa, mga bes?

to places you want to go, but it could lead you to new discoveries, new places, new experiences. Basta pedal lang nang pedal.

by Bonifrank Lorenzo

It has been 3 long months since the covid-19 pandemic took Tokyo by its cruel claws. Kaya pa ba natin, mga bes? Kaya yan!

Basta konting relaks lang, konting chill, at malalagpasan din natin ito.

Totoong mabagsik ang epekto sa ating lahat - financially, mentally, emotionally. And we know this pandemic could stay with us for a long time. So here are some simple tips on how to have a healthy disposition during these challenging times.

Netflix & chill I am lucky to be able to work-from-home during this pandemic. But still, nakaka-stress pa rin. And what better way to “escape” the stress than to watch movies! Lots & lots of them! For less than 1,000 yen a month, Netflix is literally a precious treasure box of ENTERTAINMENT that we all need.

Recommendations: “Crash

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Landing On You” (duh... I’m sure napanood nyo na ‘to!), “Itaewon Class”, “Hollywood”, “History 101”. Siempre meron ding Pinoy blockbusters like KathNiel, LizQuen and a lot more.

Bike pa more Sarado ang mga gym so I had to find another way to exercise & stay fit. Nag-decide ako bumili ng... bisikleta! Para makapag-exercise at para na rin makapag-gala kapag walang trabaho. I bought a Hummer bike with 20-inch wheels. It’s a little pricey at JPY 30,000 pero it is foldable & very light, so I guess it’s worth the price. I now bike 5X a week, around my neighborhood. Eksakto naman at ang ganda na ng weather ngayon, kaya KIMOCHIII ang pakiramdam.

If you still don’t have a bike and you can afford to get one, I strongly recommend it.

Biking will not only bring you

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Cooking Nung unang 2 linggo ng SOE (state of emergency), araw araw ako nagpa-deliver sa Uber Eats. I’m sure kayo rin!

Pero nakakasawa rin pala ang laging fast food & pizza, diba mga bes? And very expensive! So I decided to bring out the “inner cook” in me, went to my nearest Ito-Yokado grocery and started cooking. Started with

the easy ones like pork sinigang (buti na lang hindi pa expired ang sinigang mix ko), chicken afritada, and chicken nilaga. Sa tulong ni GOOGLE, I was able to find more recipes and expand my culinary repertoire.

Marunong na ako mag chicken curry, chicken with broccoli and chicken... uhm, ok you get the idea.

Stay safe, mga bes!

133-0057 Tokyo, Edogawa-ku, Nishi Koiwa 4-1-22 Takeda Bldg 6th Floor

Student? Just arrived in Japan? Lipat bahay? Bagong opisina?

“Our Mission is You! Let us support your life in Japan.�

Only 1-min. walk from Takadanobaba Eki (Yamanote Line or Tozai Line) Very near Big Box and Donki

1-26-12-701 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

www.asiavox.com

English and Japanese OK!

03-5292-2340

By Warren Sun

Sophia: the lady with the eye tumor..no more Sophia Savillaga, a 19-year old lady hailing from the depressed area of Tungao, Butuan City located southeast of Manila, carried a heavy burden in her past.

When she was still seven months old, her mom noticed something like a pimple under her left eyebrow but just ignored it. By the time she turned seven years old, the pimple grew like a lump around 5cm almost covering her left eye. By 10, she completely lost her left eyesight.

Sophia’s dad passed away when she was very young. Her mom wanted to have her checked in the hospital but they cannot afford to go there as they are relatively poor. By the age of 15, the mass of the eye tumor loomed large. She had serious bouts of headache, pain and bleeding from her eye tumor when exposed under the sun and rigorous physical activities that’s why she was adviced to sleep early at night.

With her condition, she tried growing her hair longer so she can cover the tumor in her left eye for she was being bullied by her classmates in her elementary days in school. She eventually stopped schooling with this scenario and decided to stay at home.

Living in seclusion even in her neighborhood, she often gets teased and yelled “bukol” (Tagalog for lump) by other kids.

It was her cousin Jeany who convinced her to go out and assist her at the beauty salon she was working for.

From there, Jeany taught Sophia how to do basic hairstyling but still experienced getting stared at from other customers.

She began posting her glammed up look with her hair covering the tumor over Facebook and she got a lot of beautiful comments. One day, she made a crucial turning point of letting the whole world know that there will be no more hiding. One of her cousins posted her picture revealing the big bulge!

She eventually received comments

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stating it was fake and all but more people believed and sympathized with her.

There were many people who got her attention from local to foreign media and luckily was given financial assistance via Crowdfunding which answered her biggest prayer.

If it weren’t for the brave and courageous idea of conquering her fears and insecurities, it would not lead to receiving monetary assistance for her initial treatment. And so, she underwent biopsy and CT scan in Butuan City. She was later on recommended to undergo operations in Manila.

On the big day of her operation, it would definitely be a life-changing moment as she closed her eyes and was placed under anaesthesia.

Just imagine the big tumor that became the product of mockery and bullying which lowered her self-esteem and detached herself from the many people trying to misjudge her, is now gone for good. The operation went generally successful.

The tumor may be gone but something else was missing as the eye prosthesis was the next proposal to make Sophia look complete. Now, she was referred to UP-PGH and it was a long journey to apply as indigent for their charity patient medical funds.

Though the results were not satisfying and convincing, it was still far a wiser move than not having it done at all.

Sophia even got Japan’s media attention. Summer of 2019 when she was featured in Sekai Gyouten News. I was there and witnessed the

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year-in-the-making production of the documentary and drama re-enactment of her life story.

I realized and saw the changes with Sophia. The old Sophia was a lady of few words, afraid to socialize with people and very reserved.

She would leave everything to her cousin Jeany to act as her spokesperson. The now Sophia is quite promising, getting on the sociable stage and creates an effort to initiate a conversation.

Though she may not be expressive enough, you could read the smile she’s wearing is full of gratitude.

With things looking bright on her side, she plans to go back to school to continue her studies in the near future.

But during this pandemic crisis, she is helping her family in the fields harvesting corn during the weekdays and goes back home on the weekends.

It is heart-warming to know that Sophia is bold enough to face the world with no more pretensions.

Bida ng Pandemia! ni Richine Bermudez

Ang kwento tungkol sa Covid-19 Pandemic ay isa sa mga kwentong tiyak na hindi mabubura sa kasaysayan ng buong mundo. Ito na ata ang pinaka nag marka sa pahina ng buhay ng bawat isa sa atin.

Dahil sa pandemia, naging block buster ang salitang “Lockdown”.

Mababasa mo ito sa mga pahayagan, madidinig sa radyo at bukang bibig ng bawat tao.

Mai-kukumpara ang salitang ito sa isang sikat na influencer dahil hindi lamang ito bumago ng buhay ng madami, kung hindi nag bigay din ng daan upang ma-discover ng iba sa ating mga kababayan ang kanilang mga hidden talents!

Ready ka na ba kilalanin ang ating mga Bida?

Ang unang bida natin ay expert sa mga online SALE. Laman siya ng mga online stores, at hindi nagpapa-awat sa pag click ng “add-to-cart”. Libangan nya din na magbasa ng mga reviews online, at always ready ang kanyang credit card para sa “proceed to payment”!

Ligaya para sa kanya ang pag-sho-shopping online, bilang hindi niya ito nagawa bago ang lockdown! Ang bida natin ay totoo ngang shopaholic at deserve ang kaniyang title na The Diamond Star!

Very productive naman ang ating next na bida! Wala siyang kapaguran. Lagi siyang nag hahanap ng mga raket online, o di kaya eh mga FREE online courses para makapag aral.

Walang nasasayang na oras sa kanya. Kahit pagtatanim o

gardening, hindi nya pinapalusot!

Sa kanyang idle time naman, siya ay nag e-exercise o nag lalaro ng kaniyang paboritong sports! Hindi pa naimbento ang salitang mag papatigil sa kanya sa pagiging workaholic. Bago pa mag lockdown, siya ay super energetic na, kaya naman bagay na bagay sa kanya ang title na The Super Star!

Movie marathon naman ang type na type na gawin ng ating susunod na bida. Super easy sa kanya na tumapos ng isang series sa isang upuan. Eksperto din siya sa mga magagandang documentaries na mapapanood online at best movies of all time.

Enjoy na enjoy siya sa break na tinatamasa niya ngayon at isa siya sa mga taong sinusulit ang good benefits ng Lockdown. At sa super enjoy ng ating bida, halos ayaw na niya tumayo mula sa kaniyang kama, at hindi na din nakakain sa tamang oras na dahilan ng kaniyang pag lobo.

Sa pagka subsub niya sa trabaho at kawalan ng oras mag libang bago mag lockdown, carrying carry para sa kaniya kahit na siya pa ay mag gain weight at tawaging - The Mega Star!

Patok na patok naman sa kahit anong online platform ang susunod nating bida! Siya ang may pinaka madaming followers sa IG at FB. Winner siya sa pag ti-TikTok at feel na feel niya din ang pag v-vlog at ang pag pose

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sa camera para i-post sa kanyang social media accounts.

Hindi maikakaila ang pagiging creative ng ating bida, kaya nararapat lamang sa kanya ang title niyang The Multimedia Star!

Hindi naman papa-talo ang ating pang huling bida! Siya ang pinaka versatile sa lahat!

Yakang-yaka niya gawin ang kahit anong maisipan niya.

Name it and consider it done!

Siya ang tipong go with the flow.

Go lang, kahit anong maisipan!

Hindi naman siya “happy go lucky,” sadyang adaptable lang siya! Kaya naman na sungkit niya ang title niyang – The Star of all Season!

Ang buhay ay maikukumpara natin sa pinilakang tabing.

Bawat palabas ay may simula at katapusan. Bawat kwento ay maari tayong patawanin o paiyakin – at lahat ng ito ay parte ng isang matagumpay na pelikula.

Ang pandemia ngayon ay hindi kabuuan ng kwento ng ating buhay, ito ay parte lamang. Nasa atin na lamang kung paano natin ito haharapin. “Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass; it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.”

Kaya naman huwag hayaan ang kahit ano na takpan ang ningning ng iyong bituin dahil sa buhay na ito, ikaw ang star, ikaw ang BIDA!

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by Irene Kaneko Pinoys are a very happy and resilient people. Despite their personal hardships, the typhoons, earthquakes, and now, this epidemic, they still have time to crack a joke and laugh. We ask a few Pinoys in Japan how they are surviving the corona virus epidemic. Let’s hear it from them.

Greetings of LOVE and CURE to all in these trying times of Corona Pandemic! Corona or not, my family won’t be affected or alarmed. I guess due to the fact that our balanced diet is full of VITAMINS from ginger, garlic, tomatoes, vinegar, vegetables, fruits, etc. Moreover, we exercise daily to keep fit. We gargle with warm water and salt only every morning and before bedtime. Of course, we follow all general directives on how to prevent or protect us from infection or otherwise. Although we are much in liberty to go out here in Hokkaido, we still do it with great precautions. “Stay at home” as much as possible and for this reason we needed to call my Hairdresser and Chiropractor for home service. Lastly, not to forget is my great Faith in GOD for our daily protection and HEALING! - Susan P. Fujita, Hokkaido

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I arrived in the Philippines on March 12, 2020 when the State of Emergency/ Lockdown announcement was made in Metro Manila by President Duterte. Since the pandemic Covid-19 started threatening the whole world, I have been bringing with me my maintenance medicines (for Hypertension) and other medicines for fever, headache, anti allergy and cough to be ready always whatever happens. Also, I have always with me thermometer, sanitizer, alcohol and, of course, I use face mask. The preventative measures that I have been doing are always to follow the safety, precautionary measures. The day I came

back here in Japan on March 18, I did Home Quarantine for more than 14 days and until now I’m always staying at home. To kill boredom at home, I started planting some vegetable seeds and some roses on the pot in my veranda. I posted games/ riddles on my FB wall just for fun and I’m glad that many friends answered. I could say that to avoid stress, we have to make ourselves busy even when at home.

Stay home and always continue the precautionary measures to prevent infection. Stay healthy and God bless!

-Mila Mukai, Iwate

My thoughts.... Yes, it makes you think about Covid19/ Corona, which is full of fear & anxiety. As a human being, we are all unique & we have different techniques how to fight it! Mga kapamilya, "makenaide"! Always think positive and we need to be aware of what other’s are doing. Always remember that nothing is impossible under the sun! This is not the end of the world. The finality is in God's word. May all of us be willing to stand strong together and live out our days with compassion and grace. Let us continue to pray for the healing of the World! We heal as One! - Charity D. Sato, Sendai

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Corona ni makenai yo! Hello to everyone! Just sending my warm hello and this message for people to follow to protect our health in line with guidance to kick out corona virus: - Hand washing - Coughing etiquette - Staying home especially if feeling unwell - More happy communication with your family at home and friends online Be positive! Please keep safe always.

We can move on. God bless always!

- Rosemarie Aritaka, Fukuoka

Hello, everyone! Hope you’re all doing fine. Surrounding the uncertainty of corona virus is the hardest thing to handle. Staying at home and social distancing could be viewed as an opportunity to slow down on our hectic lives. I find myself reading books again, binge on that drama series that I've been meaning to watch and listening to podcasts. I had the opportunity to connect with long, lost friends ideally online. There are a variety of activities we can do to give our mind a break from distressing thoughts. コロナに負け ないよ！ -Pamela C. Miyamura, Shizuoka

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Since the start of the State of Emergency in April, we decided to close the club. We stayed at home as much as possible as we were really scared to buy food outside. We always wear mask everywhere we go as well as using alcohol before entering and exiting the supermarket or anywhere. As we arrive home, before settling the purchase we are bathing first then wipe the things we bought with alcohol before we put in the container. Even at home, we wash our hands

To prevent the spread of this Covid-19 pandemic, everyone requires a massive global effort. Our family is taking precautionary measures regarding hygiene and safety norms. We regularly use sanitizers, handwash and facemasks. We stay informed and follow

frequently. We eat plenty of fruits rich in vitamin C. After waking up in the morning, we would gargle in warm water with salt. It’s the time when we enjoy the company of family more than anything else in this time of pandemic. The most important is to pray to our Lord Jesus Christ everyday and pray the rosary.

- Emi Arai, Kyoto

guidelines of Japan and local authorities. We also make an effort to stay at home, avoid crowds and practice social distancing.

However, we sometimes go out driving for nature trips on weekends. Taking a break from daily routine at home is also essential for our mind, body and

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spirit to relax, recharge and rejuvenate. In the photo, it’s me and hubby (in front) with my sis and bro from Philippines who are currently staying with us since March. They can't go back due to lockdown in the Philippines. No international flights available, too. I believe we will get through this together if we will continue to make effort to do all the safety and precautionary measures against COVID-19. Let us also unite in prayers for protection and healing of the world.

Wishing you all good health and safety on these trying times.

- Melinda Yamashita, Shizuoka

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ジープニー プレス

在日フィリピン人 向 け マ ガ ジン

May - June 2020 2020年5月-6月