Neriza Sarmiento Saito's ON THE ROUND TO: A Special Kind of Hospitality from the Amagasaki Catholic International Community

Neriza Sarmiento - Saito's On the Road to: A Special Kind of Hospitality from the Amagasaki Catholic International Community

There’s no denying that Autumn is my favorite season of the year. There’s calmness in the air because the temperature drops to 23-24 degrees in the morning and in the early evenings.

However, it will take some time for the beautiful autumn foliage to come out. Maybe after the World Rugby Games in Japan this year, the mountains and surroundings will be lled with hues of yellow, orange and brown. It’s also the time of the year when gourmets are on the look-out for fresh harvests of the season. A perfect time to enjoy delicacies from different prefectures. In my younger days, the aroma of champorado and inihaw na tuyo for breakfast were some of the memories that ash back in my mind whenever I smell grilled dried fish in the neighborhood. Perhaps, it was the aroma of homemade Filipino dishes that lured us to an event in Amagasaki City, a bustling industrial area in Hyogo Prefecture with a population of 463,256. Young Filipino trainees are part of the working force at textile and energy-related companies. Others are language teachers and researchers in some major corporations.

The Amagasaki Catholic International Community celebrated their 14th anniversary on Sept. 22 with a mass ociated by Fr. Giovanni who was also celebrating his birthday on that day. He announced that the church is going to be renovated in the next few months. Thanks to the support and devotion of the Amagasaki Catholic International Community led by Ms. Maritess Kita and Ms. Liberty Yasuda. Ms. Christmas de Guzman and Ms. Jasmine Mayo were in-charge of the program that featured the Amagasaki Healing Zumba Dance Group and the Star Girls, songs by Gerry and Ariel, Jelo, Mark and Mr. Bright. Several prizes were drawn at the raffle including a round trip air ticket from Act Tourist, prizes from Metrobank, Chenvel Door to Door Services Inc and Ariba sari-sari store. The new manager of Philippine Airlines, Osaka, Mr. Raphael Romualdo attended the event.

Ms. Christmas, the super-nice emcee acknowledged those who cooked the dishes at the all-you-can-eat buffet. Gina Macasaet (tokwa’t baboy), Mathy de Guzman and Renz Betonio (adobo), Virginia Yap (menudo and bopis), Joseph Estefani (bicol express), Crisanta Kusumoto (pininyahang manok), Grace Matsushita (dinuguan), Shiela Domingo (pinakbet), Evelyn Ono (biko), Fe Harada and Shirley Suzuki (puto), Sonia Hirakawa and Rose Puno (vegetable salad and fruits). As it was still hot on that day, we really enjoyed Ms. Olive’s halu-halo. It was as though we went to a town fiesta in the Philippines. According to their leader, Ms. Maritess Kita, they will have a Thanksgiving Concert on Nov. 24 from 2-4 pm at the Sun Civic Amagasaki featuring the “Sabado Boys“. If ever you get homesick while in Japan, drop by the Amagasaki Catholic International Community and experience a truly authentic Filipino hospitality.