Nestor Puno: Our Nationality is Not a Barrier to Our Giving or Receiving Help

How They Did it – Stories for Migrants by Migrants

In the over 40 years that Filipinos have been migrating to Japan, there have been many different stories that can be told about their experiences, both happy and sad, and of their way of life here in Japan. While our image has not been all that good to the local citizenry, who tend to associate Filipinos with the so-called “Japayuki,” it has provided us with a way to become known here as a community in the different spheres of our lives.

There are those of us who have made the effort to embrace the culture of the country they have come to acknowledge as their second home, while there are also others who have chosen to maintain our own culture for the purpose of introducing the Japanese to it and familiarizing them with it. Regardless of which category we may find ourselves in, all of us have a contribution to make in the circles we move to improve the image of Filipinos here in Japan.

Our JFCs were born and raised in different circumstances. Some were born and grew up here in Japan, and from the start have had the benefit of being part of its educational system, and as such many of them do not know Pilipino or if at all they do, are not fluent in it. On the other hand, there are those who were born and raised in the Philippines, where they were going to school and as such have no knowledge whatsoever of Japan and the Japanese language. Then there are those who were born here in Japan but who because of the circumstances of their parents, found themselves being shuttled back and forth between Japan and the Philippines, developing fluency in the language of the place where they stayed longest.

Regardless of our situation, there are always things that we can share with our community. First of all, let us not forget our heritage as Filipinos or JFCs which we have no reason to be ashamed of or hide. If in the past the image of Filipinos has been less than ideal, this has since been remedied by the first generation of migrants. We can maintain our identity even as we strive to assimilate into the society we are presently in. Second, let us not also forget the family values that we grew up with and which are among the many positive aspects of our Filipino culture. After all, the reason why we Filipinos go abroad is to provide a comfortable life for our families, even it comes at the cost of family unity. Over long periods of separation, JFCs and their parents find that they have become strangers to one another which is the root of misunderstandings within the family. We need to be objective about this because we are all victims of circumstance here and must find a happy balance to this problem. Third, we should make it a point to excel in the Japanese language, for once you have achieved a degree of fluency, it becomes easy to find good and stable employment, which in turn leads to the fulfillment of goals and dreams which you will then be able to use for the good of our countrymen and our community. Should there be things that we don’t understand or there be problems that we are facing, let us not hesitate to approach the various FilComs or groups whose mission is to help foreigners in Japan. You are not alone, and our nationality is not a barrier to our giving or receiving help.

We need to aim high and keep up with the progress in the different fields where new opportunities are opening up for all of us. Many Filipinos are in the fields of entertainment and sports, yet we rarely hear of Filipinos who are in such professions as medicine, the law, etc. This is not difficult for a person to attain for as long as he or she is willing to work hard and has the drive to succeed, and I have a firm belief in the abilities and intelligence of our youth. We are already past the stage of integration and consultation and should now be at the level wherein we are part of the process of making policies and resolving issues related to the lives of Filipinos and JFCs here in Japan.

I am convinced that all problems have solutions, and if we do not find them within ourselves then perhaps they lie within others. Let us devote time to thinking of solutions instead of dwelling on problems. Nothing is impossible if you have determination, and our triumph lies in our ability to act together.

Mabuhay po tayong lahat!

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