In this Issue - Japan Foundation

ISSN 0118-7910
Volume XIV Issue 3
February 2012
www.jpf.go.jp
www.jfmo.org.ph
www.jfmanila.wordpress.com
In this Issue
Upcoming Events
Highlight:
Wagashi
Feature
Japan in the
Heart of a Moro
At HOME with Art:
Japanese-Filipino
Children Found their
COMFORT Zone at the
Yuchengco Museum
Animahenasyon:
A Celebration
of Images in Motion
Japan & The
Readymade
Remembering Tohoku
What’s More Important
in the Face of Disaster?
People, Events, Places
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2
Upcoming Events
2012 Nihongo Fiesta
February 13, 18 & 25
unit asia Jazz Concert 2012
February 13
Sky Dome, SM North EDSA, 8:00pm
Jazz ensemble “unit asia” will be returning to
Manila this February for a one-night free concert.
Catch this group of choice jazz artists from Japan,
Thailand, and Malaysia as they collaborate with
Filipino singer, Ms. Cooky Chua, on February 13
(Monday), 8:00pm at the SM City North EDSA Sky
Dome in Quezon City.
4th Nihongo Quiz Bee
for High School Students
February 25
The Tents, Alphaland Southgate Mall,
3:00pm to 5:00pm
The 4th Nihongo Quiz Bee for High School
Students is a fun and exciting challenge for
young Filipino Nihongo learners to showcase
their knowledge in Japanese language and
culture. It is open to Filipino high school students
who are attending Nihongo or Japanese
Language & Culture Classes in their schools.
All 2012 Nihongo Fiesta events are open to the
public. FREE ADMISSION.
For inquiries and reservations: call the Japan
Foundation, Manila (JFM) at telephone number
811-6155 to 58; or email: email@jfmo.org.ph.
Wagashi: Japanese Traditional
Confectionery Lecture/Demonstration
February 18
The Podium Atrium, 1:30pm to 3:30pm
Three Japanese pastry chefs will do a lecture/
demonstration on the art of making the Japanese
traditional sweets or
wagashi. Wagashi is a
traditional Japanese
confectionery which is
often served with tea,
especially the types
made of mochi, azuki
bean paste, and fruits.
39th Nihongo Speech Contest
February 25
The Tents, Alphaland Southgate Mall,
10:00am to 12:30pm
Awarding: 2:00pm to 2:30pm
Filipino students and professionals show their
linguistic skills by delivering their own original
compositions on a theme of their choice. The
Nihongo Speech Contest continues to attract
high caliber contestants from the country’s
numerous language institutes, colleges/
universities and organizations offering Japanese
language courses. The Champion and the
Outstanding Performance Awardee will both
take part in an all-expense-paid week-long study
tour in Japan; all qualified contestants will receive
consolation prizes.
The event is made possible with the support of
The Podium, SM City North EDSA, GA Yupangco,
Yoshinoya, Philippine International Arts and
Jazz Festival Foundation, Inc., the Embassy
of Japan, Canon Marketing (Philippines),
Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry
in the Philippines, Inc. (JCCIPI), The Japanese
Association Manila (JAMI), Japan Overseas
Enterprises Association (JOEA) and Association
of Filipino Nihongo Teachers (AFINITE).
Editorial Staff
Shuji Takatori
Editor-in-Chief
Yukie Mitomi
Associate Editor
Cecilia EJ Aquino
Sheila de la Paz
Katrina Soliman
Roland Samson
Staff
The award-winning “Fireflies” of the Japanese
playwright – Mr. Toshiro Suzue, will be staged
at the Rizal Theater of the Ateneo de Manila
University (ADMU). This joint project fosters
cross-cultural exchange in the theater between
Japanese and Filipino theater schools, specifically
the Theater Arts Program of ADMU and the
College of Music and Drama of Toho University
(Tokyo, Japan).
Lecture-discussion on contemporary Japanese
theater will also be conducted. For details, please
contact: Tanghalang Ateneo c/o the Fine Arts
Program (finearts@admu.edu.ph).
Japanese Ceramics in the 17th Century:
A Lecture and Exhibition
February 15- March 25 (Exhibition)
February 15-17 (Lecture by Dr. Takenori
Nogami from the Arita Folk
and History Museum in Japan)
University of San Carlos Museum, Arthur Dingman
Bldg., University of San Carlos, P. Del Rosario St.,
Cebu City
The project aims to present the connection between
Japan and Cebu in the 17th Century through
a lecture and exhibition of Japanese ceramics
recovered from excavations in Boljoon, Cebu and
Plaza Independencia in Cebu City.
DLSU JF Fellows Seminar on
Japanese Studies
February
De La Salle University Manila
(Yuchengco Center)
In cooperation with the Japanese Studies
Program (International Studies Department)
For more information, please contact the Japan
Foundation, Manila at telephone numbers
811-6155 to 58; or visit our website at http://
www.jfmo.org.ph
March 11 Memorial Ceremony
UP Diliman
For further details, please call JICC at 551-5710.
ISSN 0118-7910
Volume XIV Issue 3
February 2012
The ‘Fireflies’ Project: Seeking Cross-Cultural
Understanding in the Theater Between Two
Universities in Japan
and the Philippines
February 21-25
Rizal Theater, Ateneo de Manila
University, Diliman, Quezon City
For details, please contact : The University of San Carlos
Museum at museum@usc.edu.ph / jerbersales@usc.
edu.ph or tel. # 032-253-1000 loc. 191 .
Locus Redux: Speaking Across Contexts
(Learnings and Negotiations in Writing and
Teaching on Art)
May 19-21
Yuchengco Museum, RCBC Plaza, Makati City
The project is a 3-day conference on capacitybuilding in art education and dialogue on art in
Asia which the organizer deemed to have largely
gone unattended. The last series of the Locus
conference was held in 2002.
For details, please contact : Ms. Fanny San Pedro
or Ms. Mary Ann Pernia, Conference Secretariat at
telephone no. (02) 631-24-17.
Suki is a newsletter published by The Japan Foundation, Manila
(JFM) located at the 12th Floor, Pacific Star Building, Sen. Gil Puyat
Avenue, cor. Makati Avenue, Makati City 1226, with telephone
numbers (632) 811-6155 to 58, fax number (632) 811-6153; and
email address at email@jfmo.org.ph.
Suki is published three times a year and is duly registered as
printed matter mail at the Makati Central Post Office under Permit
No. 1074-97 NCR dated June 16, 1997. It is distributed free of
charge to individuals and organizations interested in Japanese
Studies and International Culture Exchange.
The opinions expressed in the feature articles are of the authors
and not necessarily of the Foundation. Reproduction in whole or
part of Suki articles is prohibited without permission from the
author and The Japan Foundation, Manila.
FEATURE
Japan in the Heart of a Moro
Text and Photos by Abdul-Jalil S. Umngan
My first study tour in Japan left heavy
emotions when I headed to Narita Airport
for my flight back to Manila, Philippines. The
rich memories of my insightful 12-day stay
in this wonderful country flashed back while
I am sightseeing at the concrete jungle
landscape outside of the window of the bus.
Indeed, beginnings or first experiences are
usually daunting and endings are usually
sad. But it’s the whole experience that
matters.
As a tourist in Japan, I was greatly mesmerized
with their culture. The Japanese people’s
high regard and observance of the value of
respect to others is truly remarkable. Their
standard and consciousness of being always
on-time is very laudable and exemplary.
Being on time manifests not only the
character of the person, but also his or her
respect to other’s precious time. I recalled
my acquaintances with coordinators of
Japan Foundation who kept reiterating “the
15-minute advance arrival of participants
in every scheduled activity because that’s
how Japanese people do it.” Meanwhile, as
a Muslim and a Moro, it is imparted to us
during childhood in our studies in Islamic
system of education called the Madrasah to
value time, and not waste it.
Second, it is astonishing how Japanese
people observe silence and avoid making
noises in public places. Making unnecessary
noise is perceived as disrespect to
others. Another tradition which caught my
attention was their practice of bowing. Boys
bow on the side of the bus before and after
it leaves, families bow many times before
departing, and people bow to greet each
other—all these as a sign of respect. While checking my belongings in the airport,
my impression on the Japanese people and
their tradition kept me preoccupied. I believe
that their good values, preserved culture
and traditions, despite modernization and
globalization, are strong factors for the
progress of their country. Before finally entering for check-in, with
a deep sigh, I glanced once again at the
atmosphere of Tokyo. Jittery that my stay in
Japan is bound to end in a short moment
while waiting for my flight, I recalled
precious memories in Kyushu Island where
we did hands-on dialogue on “Environment
and Community Revitalization”. Heartfelt, it was one of the perfect and
happy days of my life. We went to the lovely
Minamata City in Kumamoto Prefecture
via bullet train from Fukuoka City to learn
the resiliency and heroic actions of some
individuals. Meeting the great people of the
city was a distinct honor for me. One of them
was Mr. Masazumi Yoshii, former mayor of
Minamata town, who was able to restore the
community from the devastation brought
by decades-long Minamata disease. Our field
exercise of Jimotoga-ku or appreciating and
optimizing the local resources is still fresh
in my mind. It was initiated by humorous
Yoshimoto san. We learned about arumono
sagashi or research of local resources in
their so-called “field museum of village life”,
where we enjoyed their rich resources and
vast residual forest land as if carpeting the
mountain ranges. These efforts were supported by undying
endeavours of some Non-Government
Organizations (NGOs) such as Shoshisha and
Minamata Asia Network who consistently
pay attention and advocate for the patients
of the Minamata disease. We left our
documentations in the Utopian village of
Okawa, upland community of the Minamata
City, for their reflections. Noteworthy, I
realized that although Japanese are known
for their homogenous society, they still
enrich heterogeneity of ideas from the
different societies in the world. The impression that I got from my
visit in Japan was overwhelming: as
a land of both ancient architecture
and modern technology coexisting
side-by-side; a land where the
beliefs, traditions, and culture
remain strong; and as a land
of amazingly well-preserved
edifice such as of centuries-old
Shogun temple in Kumamoto
and Shinto Meiji Shrine at the
heart of the buzzling city of Tokyo.
Deep in my nostalgic thoughts
of Japan, I was awakened by the
announcement of our boarding
time. On my flight, I was trying to
sleep but my mind continued to
tour my memories of the busy
districts of Shibuya, Harajuku
and Akihabara, all in Tokyo. These
places are mostly flocked by
young people wearing fascinating
fashions which make them look
like anime characters. Further,
I explored in my mind the Tokyo Tower,
Jami Mosque, and the Parliament Complex
juxtaposed with the Emperor’s Palace. I could
not also forget the sumptuous food that
were served, the caring coordinators of Japan
Foundation and cohorts, and my fellow
participants from nine other ASEAN countries
plus six in the East Asia Pacific, of course with
emphasis on my Kababayan Dan Beracasio,
who are now my endeared friends. Finally falling asleep after my long thoughts
of Japan, I can truly say that every end is a
new beginning. I will take to heart the words
I delivered during the culmination night
that “We will take the challenge to reflect what
we have learnt from this prestigious JENESYS
program. Rest assured, we will be good
ambassadors of the great Japanese people in
our respective communities. That’s how we can
continue the torch burning.”
Abdul-Jalil S. Umngan is a technical staff of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), the government agency mandated to oversee and coordinate
the comprehensive peace process in the Philippines. Before joining OPAPP, he practiced his profession as a forester at the National Power Corporation - Mindanao Generation
under the Watershed Management Department. He used to be the Executive Director of the Community Actions for Lake Lanao (CALL). Mr. Umngan has also been involved in
some non-government organizations (NGOs) as a convener for the tri-media team of the Young Moro Professionals Networks (YMPN), and as Secretary General for Insan Islamic
Assembly (INSAN) in Metro Manila and Luzon.
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Highlight
F
ood had been an interest of mine ever since I arrived
in Japan. Like most Filipinos, my food vocabulary
already included the words katsudon, tempura, sushi and
sashimi. But, after tasting the “real deal,” I wanted to delve
deeper, and eat Japanese food that is not available in
the Philippines. I mentioned this interest of mine to
Natsuka-san, my Japanese language tutor. After our
next study session, she brought me to a wagashi
shop and this is where she introduced me to the
wonderful world of Wagashi.
Text and Photos by Karl Ian Uy Cheng Chua , Ph.D. Wagashi or Japanese Sweets is a category
for traditional sweets that are commonly
served during sado or Japanese tea
ceremony. They are made from a variety
of ingredients such as rice, sugar, azuki
beans, etcetera. While taste is usually
the most important concept in food,
the appeal of wagashi is its appearance
because its flavor should not overpower
the taste of the tea.
Wagashi include several sub-categories
such as manjuu, daifuku, dango, youkan
and the more familiar mocchi, among
others. It is not only the choice of
ingredient that changes the flavor and
transforms the wagashi into a different
type of sweet, the change can also
be achieved by choosing a different
method of cooking. The flavor of the
wagashi is meant to be subtle as it not
only meant to complement the flavor of
the tea, but to also ease the taste buds
from the bitterness of the maccha or
green tea. This is similar to the practice
of having dessert with one’s coffee or tea.
There are also different types of wagashi
that are seasonal, which use ingredients
available only during a particular season.
The shaping of seasonal wagashi also
reminds one of that particular season.
I still remember the first wagashi I
purchased. It was recommended by
Natsuka-san because it was a popular
product of the shop. Unwrapping the
purple packaging revealed an amber-
brown jelly-like sweet which was the
color of the azuki bean paste it was made
from. It was much later on that I was
able to read that this wagashi is called
agari youkan, which is made from a mix
of azuki beans, water and flour and is an
Autumn/Winter sweet.
In the six months I was studying Japanese,
my language teachers and tutor would
bring different types of wagashi for me
and my classmates to taste. One day,
Highlight
a staff of the school brought a sweet
wrapped in bamboo leaves. She told us
that is was a specialty of her hometown.
Unfortunately, I was not able to catch
the name of either the sweet or the
prefecture where it came from.
My teacher told me that the different
prefectures in Japan specialize in
different wagashi that they (Japanese)
buy as souvenirs. Tourists go to Kyoto
not only to bring home the memories of
the historical temples they have visited,
but also bring home yatsuhashi , either in
its steamed or baked form. It is a sweet
that is made from rice flour, sugar and
cinnamon. Or one can go enjoy the
Tanabata Festival in Sendai and at the
same time enjoy sundamocchi, mocchi
covered with a sweet, bright green
edamame paste. What makes this unique
is that it highlights local produce, and
local culture.
This meant entering into a traditional
form of apprenticeship which would take
a lot of time. Nonetheless, I asked Araisan, a housewife who taught sado to the
residents of Kunitachi City, to teach me.
At first, I thought it was odd to ask her if
she knew anyone who could teach me.
But I was happy and surprised to know
that, most of the time, she makes her
own wagashi for her classes. During my
first informal class with her, we made a
summer sweet which was called kohaku,
to be served during a tea ceremony for
the kindergarten near her house. The
ingredients were quite simple, kanten
(agar), sugar and water. During that first
lesson, my sensei made me realize that,
despite the simplicity, of the ingredients
such as agar and sugar, there were several
varieties and one has to use a particular
type, to achieve the look and texture of
the sweet.
In the case of kohaku, it was supposed to
look like pieces of ice to provide relief to
a person from the warm summer. It was
hard to the touch, but after placing it in
one’s mouth, the texture reminded me of
gummy candy.
After this lesson, sensei gave me a few
strands of the kanten left over, which
I used to make my own version. I was
attending a food conference in Canada
and thought that I might be nice to bring
wagashi to a food conference. First, I left
the kanten soaking in water overnight.
The next day, I dissolved the kanten by
heating it on a low flame with water and
sugar (had to use fine sugar, but sensei
told me granulated sugar blended in a
mixer also works well).
Constant stirring was necessary to
avoid overcooking the ingredients. The
instructions said to stir continuously
for around 40 minutes to an hour to
ensure that the sugar and kanten were
dissolved properly, but I was impatient
and stopped stirring after thirty minutes.
While enjoying these sweets was great,
I also wanted to try to make them.
Looking at the ingredients, flour, sugar,
fruits and beans, I believed I could try to
replicate them in the Philippines when I
came back. However, after reading a bit
more about wagashi, I thought I would
not be able to learn how to make them
because one of the few places that one
can learn how to make them (aside from
cooking schools) would be the shops.
I transferred it into a container to cool,
preferably overnight. Sensei used milk
cartons that were thoroughly cleaned
as the packaging can withstand the heat
of the liquid. Once cooled, it ends up
as solid block of jelly, which you could
slice and serve immediately by covering
it with fine sugar (simulating gummy
candy). However, you can also leave the
sliced pieces out to dry so that the sugar
can solidify and end up looking like small
pieces of ice. On my part, I thought that
bringing a summer sweet during spring
in Canada might be inappropriate; hence
I tweaked the steps slightly. Instead of
a milk carton, I used a carton for acerola
juice since it has a pinkish hue. This
resulted in giving my kohaku a pinkish
color. After slicing it, I used a cookie
cutter to shape them into small cherry
blossoms which I then left to air-dry.
I was happy with how it turned out
-- until I ate a piece which had a grainy
texture because of my impatience with
the sugar. I brought some for my sensei
to taste which she said “nice try.”
After returning to the Philippines, I have
failed many times trying to replicate
recipes, which I learned in Japan, but this
has not stopped me from continuing
my goal of, hopefully, making beautiful
wagashi.
Karl Ian Uy Cheng Chua , Ph.D. is currently the Acting Director of the Japanese Studies Program of the Ateneo de Manila University. He teaches Asian History with the History
Department as well.
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FEATURE
The workshop area is friendly and intimate and a bit secluded. But
I was worried that the “winter” temperature in the museum would
make the children uncomfortable. Two of the participants came early
without any warm clothes and after a while, they started to feel cold.
But as they started to walk around and looked at the collection of
paintings and sculptures and the photos of Ambassador Alfonso T.
Yuchengco taken with cultural and political icons such as Mother
Teresa, the Dalai Lama and Yasser Arafat, they felt better.
undocumented Filipino children, migrant workers and Japanese
families in Nagoya, high school students in Kobe and graduate
students in Kyoto) in 2008 and NGOs helping Asian migrant brides
and young Korean women survivors of sexual violence in South
Korea in September 2011.
The day when the workshop was conducted is significant: December
10 is International Human Rights Day. It was a Saturday, a time
when children do not go to school, which gives them the chance to
explore another place to enrich themselves and exercise their rights
to participation and development. The workshop complements
the House of Comfort exhibition, both supported by the Japan
Foundation Manila Office, including the printing of catalogue to
create awareness on the role of arts in healing and in reflecting
conflict and in promoting peace. It aims to provide creative and
child-friendly activities relevant to the context of the participants
to surface their issues and to foster resilience. It also encourages
interaction and dialogue to promote sharing of contexts and
experiences as a way of building trust and friendship among and
between the participants and artists, workshop facilitators and
museum staff.
With my House of Comfort Art Project finally on exhibit in a beautiful
art space which is the Yuchengco Museum at RCBC Plaza in Makati
City, right on the ground floor near the main entrance of the
museum, I am glad that the Japanese Filipino Children (JFC) from
DAWN (Development Action for Women Network) who are my
collaborators in the project in 2006 can see and experience it. It is
part of the Nothing to Declare international exhibition organized by
Dr. Flaudette May Datuin, Josephine Turalba and Precious Leaño and
curated by Claro “Chitz” Ramirez. With the colourful works already
hanging at different levels, I could not help but think how big the
difference is between the museum condition and the environment
where the textile works were created. From the crowded evacuation
centers and simple shelters for survivors, school buildings with no
running water and other venues that fall short of what we know as
comfortable and convenient, the project travels to museum and
gallery spaces in urban areas to engage the viewers on how art can
be used for advocacy to create awareness among the people living
in better condition and to inspire them to take action.
The House of Comfort is a collaborative and cumulative art project
which started in 2006 as a creative response to the need to connect
and work with communities considered as peripheral to society,
mostly affected by natural and human-made disasters. This was
done through workshops that engaged the participants to tell
their stories through textile cut-outs and running stitches creating
small panels of colorful works of their dreams with their issues and
problems embedded in their narratives. The project went to Bicol at
the evacuation centers in Albay and other affected communities in
the Visayas and Mindanao. It has also involved different communities
in Japan (artists, feminists, writers and NGO workers in Osaka,
There were eleven JFC who attended the workshop and one
Filipino, the sister of one of the participating JFC, two mothers
who accompanied their children and two DAWN staff. Three
Japanese women came – Miho Nakanishi, a visual artist and art
manager as well as my collaborator in the House of Comfort
who was here for a Japanese Government Study Grant for
Artists from October 1 to December 19, 2011; Yuria Furusawa,
an Asian Public Intellectual Fellow for 2011-2012, a Ph.D. student
of the School of Cultural and Social Studies at the Graduate
University for Advanced Studies and a Visiting Research Associate
of the Institute of Philippine Culture (IPC) at the Ateneo de
At HOME with Art:
Japanese Filipino Children Found their COMFORT Zone
by Alma Quinto
at the Yuchengco Museum
Photos by Louise Far
FEATURE
Manila University; and Ryoko Yamagata, who used to be an art
coordinator in Japan but is currently living in the Philippines
with her husband. They observed as well as participated in the
creative writing and storytelling workshop. They also attended
the creative intervention training workshop that the House of
Comfort Art Network, Inc. (ARTHOC) organized on November 1819, 2011 with funding support from the National Commission for
Culture and the Arts (NCCA). In the afternoon, they helped me
facilitate my workshop on soft toy sculpture, each one of them
in charge of a group of JFC to assist them in creating 3-D works
based on the stories they wrote during their creative writing
session with Noreen Parafina, teacher, storyteller and Programs
Director of Museo Pambata Foundation, Inc. Noreen designs
educational activities and programs for children advocating
and promoting children’s rights, literacy and the arts. As part of
Museo Pambata’s advocacy to promote literacy among children,
it donated children storybooks for the library of DAWN.
In the creative writing workshop, the dream of Yorgei Cerezo , now
in 3rd year high school, struck me as reflective of his strong desire
to reunite with his father and to bring him to the Philippines once
he gets rich, becomes a boss and owns a big house - “yayakapin ko
ang aking ama na sobrang mahigpit na parang wala nang bukas” (I
will embrace my father so tight as if there is no tomorrow) - so they
can live happily together. I first met Yorgei in 2006 as a participant
in my visual art workshop at the DAWN office. After 6 years, he is
taller than me and can confidently articulate his ideas.
Another objective of the workshop is to encourage dialogue
between and among local and Japanese artist/cultural workers and
Japanese Filipino children from DAWN for the sharing of contexts,
concerns, issues and experiences to promote cultural exchange,
understanding and collaboration.
For Miho, her interaction with the JFC during the workshop gave
her this insight: “JFC is a community between the Philippines and
Japan. They have rich cultural resources from both of their parents
but they are discriminated against by people who cannot tolerate
difference, like a different face, a different name and a different
family model. Usually, small children do not have their own words
to express their feelings. They use the words of people who are close
to them. If these people don’t understand them, children express
themselves in the negative. What can we do? I think we can use
‘Art’. ‘Art’ can see and destroy the negative, ‘Art’ can create and give
positive experience. JFC can use ‘Art’ as a language for them to
express. And their expression becomes their resource too.”
I agree with Yuria on the role of the arts in empowering vulnerable
children: “I think the JFC discovered their own skill and ability in
creating things through the workshop. I imagine that Japanese
Filipino children are likely to be considered as children who are
marginalized and in need of help. Though it is true that they need
support in their actual life, I think it is also important to them, just
like any other children, to have some occasion where they can free
themselves in the world of imagination and creativity, feeling freed
from how others would categorize them. I think the workshop would
be one of such opportunity. “
And finally, Ryoko described her experience with the JFC as: “Although
having lived in the Philippines for more than ten years, I had never had
an opportunity to meet or interact with Japanese Filipino Children
and their family. Of course, I heard about them and was aware of
the difficulties and challenges they face, but I’ve never really given
deep thought on them. The issue sounded socially complicated and
privately sensitive for me as a Japanese to be involved, even though
I felt bad for the children who had to separate from their fathers
and unavoidably were hurt deeply inside. Another reason was that
I simply did not have a chance to meet them. Alma’s workshop was
truly a good introduction and opportunity for me to know them.
I did not know how I should approach or help the participating
children before the workshop. I was unsure whether I should give
my hand to do the work for them or not. So at the beginning,
I sat by them and watched what they were doing talking to
them just occasionally. Then I realized later it could be all right
for me to work with them. Once I started taking part of their
works, I felt we were in a team working together. When we
finished the work, we all shared the sense of accomplishment
and were much closer. I did enjoy the benefits and goal of the
workshop; we can be closer by doing creative work together.
The workshop was in fact structured very well. In the morning, the
workshop helped the children be ready to open themselves up through
storytelling and creative writing. The children were ready to express
themselves sewing and producing art works in the afternoon. When
I joined their works, the children openly accepted to work with me. I realized in the workshop how important for all of us to be open,
creative and work together. If I, in fact, developed understandings
and trusts with them during the workshop, I would say it was
because we worked together on arts. I do not doubt that they all
had experienced hardships and pains, but I am sure the workshop
will help them heal themselves. Alma Quinto has worked with many affected communities in the Philippines, Japan and South Korea through her House of Comfort Art Project which started as a humble dream to build
a tactile soft sculpture house out of the stories and dreams of marginalized people using mostly fabric scraps. She presented this project in the Art Activism Conference at the National
Museum of Singapore as a collateral event of the Singapore Biennale organized by the National University of Singapore Museum on March 12, 2011, one day after Japan was hit by a strong
earthquake. Her advocacy is to use the arts to foster resilience and to empower those affected by man-made and natural disasters.
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FEATURE
“You’ve earned yourself a fan here,”
gushes one person from the audience,
after back to back screenings of the CGI
movies of Japanese director Jun Awazu,
namely, Negadon: The Monster from Mars
(2005), and Plan Zet (2010) during the 5th
Animahenasyon Philippine Animation
Festival in Eastwood City that ran from
November 22 to 25 last year.
Organized by the Animation Council of
the Philippines, Inc., Animahenasyon
2011 featured two of the more famous
works of Awazu, who opened the
conference of the festival.
Intriguing in their look and feel, the
animated films draw inspiration from
high-tech alien robots
throughout the city.
rampage
“It’s a parallel universe,” Awazu says.
While the influence of these old movies
and TV series are obvious in his work, just
as palpable is the weight the filmmaker
places on family. “I can’t say that what you
saw in the movie reflects my own family,”
he is quick to say. “But it depicts what a
family should be.” Awazu observes that
in this day and age, parents and children
lead very separate lives. However, with all
the social problems and environmental
catastrophes buffeting us, one realizes
that to survive these, a family has to
remain intact. And this is something that
the technology of motion capture. A
challenging process technically, the
more difficult part was having the actors
create movement in a believable way,
and have them express nuances that feel
natural.
Unlike in the U.S., Awazu explains,
animation is not considered part of
Japan’s film industry. It still belongs to the
visual arts. For the animators, this not only
translates to working within budgetary
constraints, it also means pushing the
boundaries of creativity.
“It’s very hard to be a CGI artist,” Awazu
cautions. “It requires skill. You must be
willing to learn a lot.” And as the films’
Animahenasyon:
A celebration of im
Japan’s monster movie heritage. In both
Negadon and Plan Zet, an alien power
attacks Earth—leaving it to the courage
and skill of the main characters to save
humanity.
“I grew up watching Godzilla,” director
Jun Awazu relates. “I really like old films.”
In the 80s, Awazu witnessed the end of
an era in animation, where Ultraman and
the Masked Rider ruled supreme. “They’re
something I grew up admiring.”
In tipping his hat to the Kaiju genre
(Kaiju translated means “strange beast”
or “monster”), the color-grading of the
two films hark back to its 1950s-60s
roots – desaturated and grainy. Especially
interesting, as an audience member
points out, is the films’ overall style of
blending the retro with the futuristic.
While we see characters use oldfashioned telephones and black and
white TV sets, outside their windows
Awazu wanted to express in his films.
In Negadon, a father is tormented by
guilt over the loss of his daughter, who
died from an incident involving a giant
robot he created. He finds redemption
through the very same robot, using it to
successfully annihilate an alien creature,
and thus save the city. Strapped inside
his machine, he rips through the skies,
and allows himself to explode along with
the enemy.
creator, Awazu’s test was doubly harder –
to render his vision successfully onto the
screen.
“What would you use CG for, if it becomes
so realistic?” Awazu muses. For him, the
burden would be on the creator, the
person who imagines worlds and shapes
them into stories. “How creative you
are—that would be the distinction.”
Family figures in just as strongly in Plan
Zet, in which a son exacts revenge on the
alien invasion that killed his father. The
boy joins Earth’s last line of defense, and
finds within himself the willpower that
eventually destroys the alien force. He
reunites safely with his little sister.
Aside
from
Awazu’s
works,
Animahenasyon 2011 also featured
selected works from the 14th Japan
Media Arts Festival, selected episodes
from the hit animated series Supa Strikas
and Cartoon Network’s shows, and the
competing entries from the professional
and student divisions, which the festival
is centered on.
“Every part in the production was hard,”
Awazu says. “But the acting was the
hardest.” His second film, Plan Zet, utilized
Capping the festival was the awarding
ceremony that everybody was waiting for.
And for the first time in Animahenasyon’s
Director Jun Awazu (right) during the artist’s talk and interaction
Category H winners
FEATURE
mages in motion
Winners 2011
history, the grand prize winner did not
come from the National Capital Region.
A graduating student from Ateneo de
Naga University (ADNU), 20-year old
Gil Joseph Sanchez is the first regional
winner to bag the coveted top award
in the prestigious nationwide animation
festival. His work, Sanayan Lang ang
Pagpatay, is based on a poem of the
same title by Fr. Albert Alejo, and bested
33 other finalists.
Sanayan Lang ang Pagpatay was also
nominated at the recently concluded
Metro Manila Film Festival in the New
Wave Independent section, Student
Short category, along with 10 other
entries from all around the country.
Beset with a theme on apathy, Sanayan
Lang ang Pagpatay is a metaphorical
look into the different ways of killing an
unsuspecting lizard, likening it to how
easy it has become for people to kill one
another and how indifferent viewers
have become to crime, death and the
plight of victims.
“It is a very big honor to be
Animahenasyon’s first grand prize winner
outside Metro Manila. With this award,
by the Animation Council of the Philippines, Inc.
I hope we are able to show that Manila
is not the only center of animation in
the country. We also have a lot of very
talented, world-class animators in the
provinces who deserve recognition,”
Sanchez said.
Other winners in the festival for the
professional division include Hytek by
Rodolfo N. Tinapay for Category A (1-5
minutes), Pasintabi by Jeff Capili for
Category C (21-40 minutes), and the
demo reel of Roy Dadivasfor Category F
(TVC/OBB/demo reel).
For the student/amateur division, other
winners include Sanayan Lang ang
Pagpatay by Gil Joseph A. Sanchez for
Category H (1-5 minutes), Paano Hulihin
ang Araw by Jane Mariel L. Almoneda
for Category I (6-20 minutes), Dream
by Maryjane A. Dejumo for Category K
(Music video), and Save Animals Habitat
advocacy ad by Anthony Lemuel C.
Reorizo for Category L (TVC/OBB/demo
reel).
A special citation for mastery of
storytelling was also given to Capili’s
Pasintabi, while Sincillola by Victor Ian M.
Covarrubias from Zamboanga won the
best regional entry and the audience
choice award, and Kaleh at Mbaki teaser
by Dennis E. Sebastian received the best
in technical quality award.
“This year’s harvest of winners is
another testament to the Filipino’s
creativity and excellence in the field
of animation,” expressed Michael Kho
Lim, executive director of Animation
Council of the Philippines, Inc.
(ACPI) and overall project director of
Animahenasyon. “Indeed, the quality
of entries that we receive each year
keeps on getting better, and we are
confident that we will have more
original animated content that we can
showcase here and abroad in the years
to come.”
Animahenasyon serves as a venue
for Filipino animators to present their
world-class ideas, to open doors of
opportunities, and a chance for them to
meet and be inspired by the finest names
in the industry.
And for those who were not able to join
this year’s festival, Animahenasyon 2012
is now accepting entries. This year’s
festival will be held in De La Salle-College
of St. Benilde, School of Design and Arts
Campus from November 26-29.
Animation Council of the Philippines, Inc. ACPI is a non-stock and non-profit organization whose member companies specialize mainly in, but not limited to, 2D, Flash or 3D animation.
It aims to promote the animation industry globally with the intention of creating an identity for the Philippines to be considered amongst the preferred countries that service the animation
industry.
As an organized body, ACPI aims to promote the Filipino talent both locally and internationally. With the cooperation of its members as well as the Philippine government, it is
envisioned that the member studios and schools will be considered competitive both creatively and technologically.
ACPI’s vision is to make Philippines as the prime provider of animation and content creation services to the global marketplace. On the other hand, ACPI’s mission is to be the center
of excellence for animation and content creation services through building more efficient and effective collaborative business practices that will elevate the country’s economy and culture.
9
10 FEATURE
The Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths Programme (JENESYS) was launched by the Government of
Japan as a result of the Second East Asia Summit (EAS) in January 2007 during the term of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. It is
a 35-billion-yen youth exchange program, inviting about 6,000 young people to Japan mainly from the EAS member states (ASEAN,
Australia, China, India, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea) every year for five years with a view to establishing a basis of Asia’s stalwart
solidarity by expanding youth exchange. The program is expected to deepen mutual understanding among young people who will
assume important roles in the next generation in each East Asian country. Various kinds of exchange programs including inviting and
dispatching youths have been implemented in cooperation with concerned countries and organizations.
Japan & The Readymade
If we want the visiting artists to get to know the local culture,
By Buen Calubayan
we have to develop the local art scene so they will be encouraged by it.
– Yoshio Murakami
Seeing Japan is like reading subway maps on a moving train. The
destination comes in a convenience if you can connect tracks by
color-codes and symbols. But you can easily get lost if you miss
the English translations or enjoyed the scenery too much. I keep a
balance by trying to merge everything into one activity – the map
becomes the scenery, and the trip as the destination.
As an artist researching on contemporary art in Japan, I began in
the Moya woods in the city of Aomori, home to some species of
migratory birds, trees, and people as early as 3500 BC [1]; known
for its delicious apples, some of the oldest bath houses, and the
Nebuta Festival. Part of its development in the modern times
was the formation of the city as “Print town, Aomori” as a move
to preserve the history of print making in the past and ensure its
continuation [2]. The activities and hard work of the local people
pave the way to an artistic vision of what became the “Aomori
Contemporary Art Center (ACAC).”
Nature & ACAC
Last October, I stayed in the Center under the JENESYS Programme:
Invitation programme for Creators organized by the Japan
Foundation. When I arrived, I immediately explored my new
surroundings. With ACAC’s fully functioning facilities for Artistin-Residence (AIR) Program [3] located at the middle of the
forest where the Architect Ando Tadao implanted his invisible
architecture [4], indeed, this place can be an artist’s utopia as what
AIR programs is known to be.
During my residency, I volunteered to help the artist Pál Péter in his
installation “Anamorphosis 3: The sculpture you walk on”. This is part
of “Re-Modernologio: Phase II”, a project that re-examine in details
the blurring of life and art to facilitate dialogue and present the
process with accuracy and sensitivity. He interprets this by restoring
a previous work done five years ago during his first residency at
ACAC. We gathered stones from the coast and carefully arranged
it around a metal cylinder so that its reflection will form an image
of a face. This play with illusions also applies to the lenses he made
from transparent sheets filled with water. These were strategically
placed in site in order to view the forest in a close-up or in a
distortion, which ever the case is, it’s always a matter of how you
look at it, depending on your perspective as a spectator or as a
collaborator. As I am documenting myself helping him, I discovered
my position in another process which was entirely my own. This is
where my activity became an intervention to Pál’s work where the
documentation becomes a work of art in itself.
As I am looking at nature through the lenses, and in our
documentation, some questions appear in my displacement.
Is this tendency of art to blur its boundary from life & nature its
way to bring us back to the reality that art itself destroyed through
alienation? Is this tendency of art to reach out to communities its
way to save itself or just a repetition of the mode of art production
that alienates us more through the unchallenged status quo of the
art system? I really don’t have an answer.
Effigy & the Nebuta
As part of the preparation for the JENESYS Programme, the Japan
Foundation Manila with the University of the Philippines Vargas
Museum conducted the Curatorial Development Program. Here,
I presented a project that would become my lenses for what I
FEATURE
would be looking for in Japan, the “IP-PIDDYI” (effigy) Project. This curatorial project
is about the emblematic representation
of a Filipino Idol who gives hopes and
aspirations to the Filipino people (Masang
Pilipino). That Idol is our famous celebrities
and politicians, they make us proud and
fulfilled as a Filipino and as a Nation with
the illusions of democracy, peace, equality,
and success that they generate. Without
them, there will be no image to represent
ourselves, and without image, Filipino as
reality is impossible.
For this project, I intend to gather
students, volunteers, tourists, bystanders
or practically anyone to participate in the
making of effigies on strategic locations
around the National Museum complex.
These effigies of the Idols will correspond
to the monument of past heroes Jose Rizal
and Lapu-lapu on the adjacent Luneta Park.
During the production period, we can have
small talks, film showing, performances,
and other cultural presentations. Then we
will just leave the effigies to deteriorate in
performance over time in order to reveal
it’s hallow form as a representation of the
illusions portrayed by the symbolic change
in its appearance.
In Aomori, the Nebuta Festival which is
an ‘Important Intangible Cultural Asset’ in
Japan is an emblem of fine craftsmanship
of the artists and the culture of the people
of Aomori. It takes place every year from
August 2nd to 7th as one of Japan’s main
summer festivals which is being carried
out by the people of Aomori for about 300
years. The technique of building & making
the Nebuta float is especially important to
the effigy project from which we can learn
as an artist and as a community.
Before I left Aomori for Tokyo, I had a
discussion with curators Kondo Yuki and
Kaneko Yukiko about the Art Center and
its manner of operation. I also presented to
them the National Museum and its potential
to develop a platform for contemporary
art programs. Budget, education, and the
public are the key point of our discussion
from which we laid out similarities and
differences in our situation.
Tokyo & the vendos
When I arrived in Tokyo for the second
part of my trip in Japan, I immediately
notice the convenience of city living
from which I am used to. I already miss
the experience of fishing & making
sashimi in the coast of Aomori, spending
a day in the woods and stargazing. Far
from simple and sustainable living, Tokyo
offers a different view.
Notes
1 The excavation at the building site for ACAC
has revealed a habitation site, evidence of
a settlement in the Middle or Late Jomon
period (ca 3500BC – ca 1000BC), together
with potsherds in the Early Jomon period (ca
5000BC – ca 3500BC) onwards.
On the agenda of the arts – cultural
diversity and the activities of new art
centers, towards the new commons – is
the ongoing discussion of post 3/11 Japan
hosted by Tokyo Wonder Site, Institute
of Contemporary Arts and International
Cultural Exchange. The answers from
the questions “Where in the world do
we stand now?” and “Where do we go
from here?” are being heard as the ‘silent
voices.’ These are the voices of recovery
and hope towards the rebuilding of a
new social system.
3 Facilities of ACAC includes two exhibition
galleries, AV room, library, wood work studio,
workshop studio, printing studio, AV studio,
Photo studio, lecture room, & other residential
facilities.
In the Japan Foundation headquarters,
I was able to attend the international
symposium “Connect: Network of
University Art Museums in Asia.” In this
symposium, the speakers discussed
about the difference of a university art
museum from a regular publicly funded
art museum; their institution’s collections,
history, as well as recent activities and
developments; exhibitions; and archive
networking.
As I am documenting the sunset during
my last day in Japan as the end note of my
artistic research, I can see clearly through my
lenses the Japanese identity, which almost
comes from everywhere like a Readymade
in a vendo machine. On a slight difference –
Filipinos, in order to connect to the outside
world, we have to learn their language. But
for the Japanese to connect to the outside
world, the world has to learn Japanese. That
is why we import goods, including cultures,
from them. They have a ‘national’ to be ‘inter’
about. [5]
As for my art project which comprises
mainly the full documentation of my
residency, Japan is my Readymade.
2 Murakami, Yoshio. “Miscellaneous thoughts
before the Opening of Aomori Contemporary
Art Centre”, AC2 Magazine for Document &
Critic No. 0 Dec. 2001: 4
4 ACAC was designed by the world renowned
architect ANDO Tadao. Taking care not to
destroy the geographical undulations of
the site, and in an attempt to make the best
use of the surrounding natural features, the
construction was designed on the theme
of “invisible architecture,” with the buildings
buried deep inside the surrounding forest. The
linear shaped “Creative Hall,” and “Residential
Hall” shaped like a bridge stretched across a
valley, and “Exhibition Hall,” comprising of galleries and a circular open stage, make up the 3
buildings on the site.
5 To paraphrase “How can we be international if we have no ‘national’ to be ‘inter’ about?”
(Emmanuel Torres)
References
AC2 Magazine for Document & Critic No. 0
Dec. 2001: 17
Iemura, Kayoko. On the Agenda of the Arts:
Cultural Diversity and the Activities of the New
Art Centers: Silent Voice - Matter of Attitude.
Tokyo: Tokyo Wonder Site, 2011.
Someone’s Garden. We love Artists: Artist in Residencies Around The World. Tokyo: BNN, 2009.
Online sources
Tokyo Wonder Site
http://www.tokyo-ws.org/english/archive/2011/10/on-the-agenda-of-the-artswhere-do-we-go-from-here-2.shtml Accessed
January 21, 2012.
The Japan Foundation
http://www.jpf.go.jp/e/culture/new/1111/1103.html Accessed January 21, 2012.
Aomori Contemporary Art Center
http://www.acac-aomori.jp/en/index.html
Accessed January 21, 2012.
Buen Calubayan currently works as a researcher at the National Museum. He has been in the culture industry as an artist, teacher, and museum worker. His artistic projects tend to crossexamine boundaries of religion and the art system.
Through the lens of PAL Peter
(Photo by PAL Peter)
Through the lens of PAL Peter
(Photo by PAL Peter)
Anamorphosis 3 by PAL Peter
(Photo by Buen Calubayan)
11
12
Text and Photos By Elmer Sayre
A visit to the areas
affected by the
Great East J apan
Earthquake on
October 26-28,
2011 as part of
my fe l l o w s h i p
under the Asia
Leadership Fellow
Program (ALFP)
jointly implemented by the Japan Foundation
and the International House of Japan, proved
to be life changing for me. Before coming
to Tokyo for the fellowship, the catastrophe
that happened on March 11, 2011 in the
Tohoku region were powerful images I saw
in the television such as the unstoppable
onslaught of the tsunami, the heroism of
men trying to contain the spread of unseen
yet deadly radiation from the Fukushima
Dai-ichi nuclear plant, and the piles and
piles of irradiated debris dotting the affected
areas. Little did I know that I will be afforded
the unique experience to be up close and
personal: seeing the desolate and devastated
landscape, talking to those helping in the
rehabilitation, seeing volunteers at work,
hearing a head of a local newspaper describe
how they innovate and present the news no
matter how dire the circumstances and so on.
Also, little did I know that what I saw in Tohoku
would be repeated in a much grander scale
in the Philippines when Typhoon Sendong
ravaged the cities of Cagayan de Oro and
Iligan in the early hours of December 17, 2011.
Together with other ALFP fellows, we went
to Sendai by bullet train - with the power
of the train astounding me because it is
nothing like I had experienced before back
home (where time is kind of slow). Until now
I savor the train’s speed whizzing through
concrete jungles near Tokyo and much later
on, through quaint rice and vegetable farms,
then through Fukushima, a ghost of a town
where sorrow came a-visiting on that fateful
March 11, and then finally to Sendai City. In
Ishinomaki, a day later, we made a tour to the
devastated coastal area and I experienced
the heartbreaking realization that this is
indeed a catastrophe of unimaginable
proportion - most of the houses utterly
flattened to the ground whilst some of
those left standing were severely damaged
and unfit for habitation. The next day we
went to Ozuchi town and we witnessed the
same heartbreaking scenes. Here and there
I saw pieces of mementos of happier times
scattered on the roadside; a bent spoon on
the ground, perhaps used in some family
celebrations while laughter reverberates;
photo albums with proud couple in their
wedding best still discernible; children
frolicking in some family outings… I was told
that in Ozuchi most of the local government
officialdom were wiped out when they went
in full force to the town hall to rally their
constituents, just when the ominous tsunami
waves came rolling not realizing that the
waves would be much higher, devouring
all on its path. Today, the shell of the town
hall remains haunted by the ghosts of those
heroic men and women.
The unimaginable tragedy is a sort of
watershed for the Japanese people to surely
rise-up again, and already there are lots of
signs everywhere: of heroism, of stoic grit
and determination and of the innate capacity
of the human spirit to survive. In Sendai, the
Japan Platform, among other NGO’s and
government entities is doing their very best
to rally financial, material, and moral support
to the victims. Mr. Kodama, its operations
manager said that he has to leave his work
in some other devastated countries in order
to help his very own, saying that his expertise
is much more needed in his homeland. In
Ishinomaki, the chief writer and editor of
the Ishinomaki Hibi Shimbun, Mr. Hiroyuki
Takeuchi, explained to us in vivid details
how, despite odds, they managed to provide
news in real time to the dazed and confused
victims by handwriting the news and posting
it in evacuation centers. Some copies of their
handwritten newspaper are now enshrined in
the Newseum in Washington, D.C., signaling
human innovation at its best despite the
failure of high technology in this century. In
the early hours of the tragedy, the news they
provided served as a lifeline for people to
come to understand what has happened and
no other media outfit - no matter how vast its
resources - could have done this.
In Tono City, the Tono Magokoro Net is
mobilizing local and foreign volunteers
sending them to the arduous task of cleaning
the debris and accompanying or helping the
victims especially the old and infirm. Deep
grief is silent, but another human being
sharing this grief will be invaluable indeed.
We also met a survivor during the tsunami,
Mr. Ryoichi Usuzawa, representative of Ozuchi
Town Magokoro Park and former official of
Kamaishi City. He recounted how he was able
to get out from his fast disappearing house
and swim or jump from the flotsam to safety
with his dog Taro, never believing that he will
survive. He said that with his second leash
on life, he is able to reach out and touch the
lives of a lot of people other than his own
immediate family, saying that maybe this is
the mission that a higher being (one of our
colleagues termed “divine providence”) calls
him to do. When we visited the Chusonji
Temple in Hiraizumi, we witnessed a group
of itinerant dancers dancing to honor those
who lost their lives during the earthquake.
Of course my fellowship is not all about
the Great East Japan Earthquake but the
activities were varied and rich - thanks to the
superbly efficient organizing and preparation
by the secretariat coming from the Japan
Foundation and the International House of
Japan. During the 2-month period, we visited
other places such as Okinawa, did a retreat
in Kanagawa, participated in workshops and
seminars held at the International House and
at places around Tokyo and presented a final
symposium. The final symposium is aptly
titled “Beyond Conflict and Disaster: The Role
of Civil Society in Asia.” On my own I visited
the old city of Kyoto and stayed at a “capsule
hotel” there. Then I capped my Japan sojourn
with a visit to the Disney Sea. Surely, the ALFP
is a fellowship I can compare to no other.
Elmer Velasco Sayre is the in-house adviser of the
Water, Agroforestry, Nutrition and Development (WAND)
Foundation. He designs initiatives related to water system
development, biodiversity improvement, ecological
sanitation, promoting a culture of peace and microfinancing with emphasis on the poor mainly in Mindanao.
FEATURE
What’s more important
in the face of disaster?
Text and photos by
Christie Suyin Ceres G. Jamoralin
affected areas to help, and messages of support and encouragement
were sent to the survivors to help uplift their spirits. This was something
that I expected from a developing country like the Philippines, but not
in a highly developed country like Japan.
Illumination Festival to
commemorate the victims
of the 1995 Great Hanshin
Earthquake in Kobe
Show of support for
the tsunami victims
On the outset, Japan and the Philippines seemed poles apart.
Economically speaking, Japan is way ahead of the Philippines.
Although both are prone to natural hazards, the Philippines lags
behind Japan in disaster preparedness and ability to recover quickly
from disasters.
In the World Risk Index of 2011, the Philippines was rated as the third
most at risk country in terms of disasters. Japan did not even make it
to the top ten – obviously due to its strong capacity to cope and adapt
from devastating disasters like the recent Great East Japan Earthquake.
Fortunately, the March 11, 2011 disaster did not happen in the
Philippines, or it would have been ten times more devastating. It
would have crippled the entire country – unable to withstand its
damaging effects. But Japan, because of its economic capacity,
although badly hurt as well, was able to stand up from the rubble of
destruction brought by the triple whammy of disasters – earthquake,
tsunami, and nuclear power plant meltdown.
Indeed, abundant resources can go a long way in preparing and
recovering from disasters. Japan is equipped with all the latest
technologies, know-how, and systems to be able to respond effectively
before, during and after disasters. Time and again, modern technology
has helped Japan recover from disasters.
But surprisingly, despite the obvious disparity between the two
countries, there remain many similarities, especially in its social coping
mechanisms.
What stood out the most during my visit to Japan under the JENESYS
East Asia Future Leaders Program was not the technology, but the
human and social aspect of things.
Yes, the multi-million life-saving equipment is there, the disaster
preparedness and early warning systems are in-place, and the fortified
buildings and houses are very evident. What most impressed me
though, is the human response.
Just like in the Philippines, after Typhoons Ondoy and Sendong
devastated thousands of people, the bayanihan spirit (culture of
cooperation) was overwhelming. The same is true in Japan.
After the Great East Japan Earthquake, help from all over Japan and
elsewhere poured-in, volunteers came in droves to the tsunami-
My impression of Japan, before this program started, was that of a
highly industrialized country wherein people are very much removed
from the social and emotional aspects of life. I have in my mind the
notion of Japan as a fast-paced urban center where people hardly
interact, much less care about others.
But I was wrong. I guess disasters have a way of bringing people
together. Community cafés, communication centers, memorials,
dialogues, cooperation, music, etc. --- all these were present in the
Japan that I saw and witnessed. The culture, local wisdom, human
interaction, and people are the highlight, and not modern technology.
In Kamaishi City for example, the students were saved from the
tsunami not by the evacuation plan, but by the wisdom of a teacher
to move to a much higher ground. In Tono City, community and
communication centers were set-up to foster dialogue and sharing
of experiences among the survivors. Community gardens, cafés
and concerts were also organized to help boost the morale of the
affected people. Volunteers also showed their concern by giving
time to talk and interact with the survivors who are in the verge
of depression.
One tsunami survivor shared during our visit to the Tono City Disaster
Relief Network: “What’s important is not relief goods, but human concern.”
He talked about how a simple pat in the back, a hug, or a talk, helped
him and most of the survivors cope with the tragedy.
One volunteer at the Tono Magokoro Net said it best: “We need to
listen to voices we cannot hear, and see the invisible.” The memory of the
disaster should never be forgotten, in fact it should be shared and kept
for a long time in order to draw lessons from and build a better future.
Memorials such as the Kobe Illumination Festival, and the Disaster
Reduction and Human Renovation Institution commemorating the
Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995, are just examples of this.
Technology did play a significant part in the disaster preparedness and
recovery in Japan. The high-tech equipment of the Kobe Waterfront
Fire Station was indeed very impressive, the earthquake-proof
buildings are a testament to the innovative character of the Japanese
people, and the hazard maps and other early warning systems are very
much entrenched in their everyday lives.
But as Professor Norio Maki of Kyoto University said, “technologies and
systems are just tools; what’s more important are the people.”
And that’s the most valuable lesson that I learned during my visit to
Japan. In aspiring to become high-tech and efficient like Japan, the
Philippines should never lose sight of its social strengths that are
already ingrained in its culture.
What are technologies without the human spirit? The Filipino culture
of bayanihan or helping each other is as valuable as any technology in
the world. The Japanese can attest to that.
Christie Suyin Ceres G. Jamoralin works for the Citizens’ Disaster Response Center as the Coordinator of its Field Operations Department. She has been working for the organization since 2007.
She graduated from the University of the Philippines-Diliman with a BA in Journalism and an MA in Women and Development.
13
14
People • Events • Places
Instrumental trio Trinity with Taiko Matsumoto shared the stage with Bandang Malaya to perform
a different kind of music concert during the Sound Fusion: Trinity Concert, November 16,
2011 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati.
Organizers and participants of the forum.
The 14th Philippine Nihongo Teachers’
Forum was held at JICA, RCBC Plaza in Makati
City last November 14, 2011. Entitled “How You
Design Your Lessons Affect Your Students’ “Can
Do” in Nihongo : Reflecting on One’s Teaching
By Using The JF Standard,” the seminar
aimed to enhance teaching techniques and
strategies for more competitive Japanese
Language Teachers.
“Addressing the K to 12
Curricular Enhancement
in Philippine Education
2012” international
conference/workshop held
on January 19 at the Sison
Auditorium in Lingayen,
Pangasinan.
Over 2,000 examinees took the 2011
Japanese Language Proficiency
Test simultaneously last December
4, 2011 at three testing centers
across the nation: DLSU in Manila,
University of San Carlos in Cebu City,
and Mindanao Kokusai Daigaku in
Davao City.
People • Events • Places
The 8th Tupada International Visual Performance Festival
(TAMA’11) with the theme “solidarity in PErformAnCE,” was held
last November 3-10, 2011 to highlight the importance and value
of performance practice in advocating peace and unity. Japanese
artist Mokoto Maruyama was among several foreign artists who
participated in the said event. (Photo courtesy of Pipo Domagas).
The 5th Animahenasyon Festival, held last November 22-25, 2011
at Eastwood City, Libis, featured this year’s competing animated series
made by both aspiring and professional animators, as well as a special
exhibition program from the 15th Japan Media Arts Festival.
House of Comfort Exhibit and
Workshop, December 2011 at the
Yuchengco Museum, RCBC Plaza in Makati.
(Photo by Louise Far)
“Let’s Study in Japan” seminar was held at
the De La Salle University last October 26, 2011.
It was organized by the Nihon Kenkyu Kai with
the Japan Foundation, Manila Director, Mr. Shuji
Takatori, as one of the resource persons.
Renowned Japanese director Mr. Jun Awazu
(right) graced the artist’s talk and interaction,
after the screening of his award-winning
works Plan Zet and Negadon.
The 2011 International Conference
on Green Urbanism was held last
October 18-20 at The Heritage Hotel
Manila, Philippines. Resource persons from
Japan: Dr. Haruo Ishida (from right) and Prof. Dr. Paul Hidehiko
Tanimura join speakers from the Philippines (from left) Dr.
Candido A. Cabrido, Jr. UP SURP Dean and Ms. Susan Rachel
Jose from NEDA during the plenary sessions. (Photos courtesy
of UP School of Urban and Regional Planning (UP SURP))
15
Watch out for...
The
PHILIPPINES-JAPAN
FRIENDSHIP MONTH
JULY 2 0 1 2
JFM Office Transfer
“Perspectives on the new Japan Foundation Manila office
at the 23rd Floor of the Pacific Star Building.”
Library
Lobby
Classroom
Starting April, JFM will be offering
a new course for Beginners.
MARUGOTO: Japanese Language and Culture
Tuition Fee: P3, 800 / Module
Module 1 April 17 ~ May 29 (Every Tuesday and Thursday)
Module 2 May 31~ July12 (Every Tuesday and Thursday)
6:20 p.m. ~ 8:30 p.m.
Total: 24hours (12 meetings) / Module
For inquiries: Please call the Japan Foundation, Manila (JFM)
at telephone numbers 811-6155 to 58; or email: email@jfmo.org.ph
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