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Lantern Campaign set
early
Committee
members of the Lantern Campaign, led by Cesar V. Santoyo,
held a meeting July 22 in Tokyo with representatives from
various sectors to plan their activities this year.
Santoyo, also coordinator of the Tokyo-based
Center for Japanese-Filipino Families, hopes the festival
will become truly ecumenical. It is for this reason that Sister
Remedios “Remy”Locsin of the Assumption Missionaries
has been designated the rallying figure for this non-denominational
affair, which tries to enlist the participation of Filipino
women and their Japanese families.
A Jose Mari Chan concert is being negotiated
to jazz up the event, tentatively scheduled to coincide with
the gathering of Filipino church workers on September 24.
The Lantern Campaign was initiated in 2001
by a consortium of non-governmental organizations and volunteer
groups such as Kapatiran, Filipina Circle for Advancement
and Progress (FICAP), KAFIN, Filipino single mothers in Kawaguchi,
Center for Japanese-Filipino Families (CJFF), and the Open
House.
The Open House that year launched a parol
parade in the Urawa Diocese compound with more than 200 Filipinos
participating. The aim, then as now, is to keep alive the
tradition of displaying the parol or lantern in commemoration
of the Star of Bethlehem, which led the three wise men to
baby Jesus.
Ibaraki Christian Center
celebrates 4th anniversary
The Ibaraki Christian Center (ICC) celebrated
its fourth year of continuing service to the Filipino community
in the Ibaraki area last May 23 with a regular morning service
and an afternoon program. Well-known Japanese Bible scholar
and preacher Rev. Tadashi Oyamada graced the occasion with
a powerful preaching, And the Sea Was Opened.
Other churches, such as the Narita Alliance
Church, the Tokyo International Christian Church, also participated
in the celebration attended by more than a hundred people
at the venue of the fellowship in Tsukuba City.
Missionary couple Rev. Nemesio Barro and
Luz Barro have been ministering in the church since its inception
four years ago.
Japan resident Aklan
class muse
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Sally Harada breaks into a smile
showing the good looks that made her homecoming muse. |
Members of Banga Elemntary School,
Class of 1955, pose for souvenir picture at their reunion. |
Long-time Japan resident Sally Harada is overwhelmingly
voted muse of the Banga Elementary School, Class of 1955,
at a recently held reunion in the town of Banga, Aklan. Sally
is married to Dr. Jiro Harada, a Japanese plant physiologist.
The couple, who reside in Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki Prefecture,
have a son, Paul, who works as a computer engineer, and a
daughter, Christie, who teaches English.
The festive get-together enabled Sally to
reconnect with her childhood friends, many of whom are now
holding important positions in business and in the government.
Migrant Learning Program
expanded
The Kabayan Orientation, an ongoing migrants'
learning center in Meguro Catholic Church, will expand its
program starting in August to include not only basic computer,
business startup and Japanese courses but also accounting/management,
English (academic and corporate), cooking/baking, and advanced
computer courses such as multimedia/video-streaming, hardware
assembly, troubleshooting, programming in Visual Basic/C++/Perl,
graphics design, web authoring, database management, etc.
Teachers are IT professionals and Monbusho
scholars in Japan who have the specialized skills and qualifications.
Classes are offered once a week on weekdays and weekends from
6 to 8 p.m., although the learners can choose a time convenient
to them. The two-hour lecture includes hands-on training.
The rate is 2,500 yen per session and the module distributed
each participant at 500 yen per session.
Those who are interested may contact Tonette
Binsol at 090-9367-3872 or email ka_tonyang@yahoo.com.
Kamayan Restaurant
marks 4th year
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Chanda Sugano |
Kamayan Restaurant in Narita City, Chiba Prefecture,
marked its 4th anniversary last July with Filipino and Japanese
customers partaking of the sumptuous meal in the eat-all-you-can
party.
Kamayan Restaurant, owned and managed by
Chanda Sugano, has become a landmark in the city.
It attracts not only local Filipino residents
but also Filipino travelers from all parts of Japan on their
way to nearby New Tokyo International Airport to catch a flight
home.
Small wonder the food is personally prepared
by the comely Ms. Sugano.
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