Peace Boat: Port of Call – Manila, the Philippines

Update from the 68th Global Voyage

January 3, 2010 Manila, The Philippines – Japanese Filipino Children: Connecting with their fathers’ homeland

Former OPA Analisa Alnas with her daughter Jemina at DAWN. There are between 100,000 and 200,000 children whose Filipina mothers worked in Japan’s hostess bars and whose fathers were their mothers’ Japanese clients. The women, referred to as overseas performing artists (OPA), went to Japan as entertainers, but upon their arrival were forced to wait upon male customers and often go out with them on dohan (enforced dates). These dates often lead to sex, and sometimes relationships, but in many instances, the women go back to the Philippines alone, pregnant and with little-to-no money. The Development Action for Women Network (DAWN) is one of the only organizations offering assistance to Japanese-Filipino children (JFCs) and their mothers. Carmelita (Mel) Nuqui, the executive director of DAWN, has spent the last 14 years trying to re-establish a connection between the children, their fathers and Japan.

Everyone at DAWN, Mel says, has been anticipating the long-awaited return of Peace Boat to the Philippines. When Peace Boat docked in the Philippines, 17 participants visited DAWN’s office and training centre for a cultural exchange with some of the 92 JFCs currently involved with DAWN and a discussion about the skills the mothers gain through the Sikhay (self-empowerment) training programme. Mothers and their children joined Peace Boat participants for a day of songs and games, but the group also sat down for a discussion session about peace and diversity. Participants from both groups agreed that living in a safe and wealthy nation doesn’t always mean it’s easier to live a happy life. The children kept Peace Boat participants on their feet for most of the day. Because DAWN has such a long relationship with Peace Boat, Mel says, many of the JFCs were excited to finally meet the Japanese participants. It’s been five years since Peace Boat has visited Manila.

Eriko Nakada says she was “shocked” by how accepting JFC are of their situation “The kids were pretty welcoming and friendly,” says participant Nakada Eriko. “Because the children couldn’t see their Japanese fathers, I thought they might be angry about Japan and they might dislike Japan, but instead they were very warm and welcoming.” DAWN takes a group of children to Japan annually to perform plays about growing up without the support of their fathers. Teatro Akebono – Japanese for dawn – tours around different cities to educate about JFCs and the rights they deserve. It’s also the best opportunity some of the children will have to meet their fathers or relatives. “Some fathers really refuse to meet with their children,” Mel says, “because they have Japanese families and they don’t want their other family to know (about the other child).” But men who cooperate, she says, sometimes offer financial support.

Ten year-old JFC Chikara Nakamura Japan since 2005 has steadily decreased the number of entertainer visas it issues for Filipino women to come to the country, but the government has made only minor steps to recognize and assist JFCs. These children, unless born and raised in Japan, have for many years had no rights to support from their fathers and it was nearly impossible to get Japanese residency. Last year, Mel says, the Japanese government began allowing JFCs – whose parents aren’t married — to be registered in their fathers’ kosekitouhon (family registry), but only if the father formally recognizes the child as his own. If the child can register by the age of 18, he or she has a chance to get Japanese residency. “This is a welcome development,” she says, “but we are encouraging the Japanese government to help JFCs in other ways, such as helping with their schooling.”

Actors in “The Cranedog” draw from their life stories when performing the play for audiences in Japan. Back onboard Peace Boat, Teatro Akebono put on a play for participants called “The Cranedog using”, animals to represent the different nationalities of the children, Japanese (the crane) and Filipino (the dog). The play not only tells the story of JFCs longing for a connection with their fathers, it shares their hardships growing up with a mixed racial background. Other children often bully JFCs because of their Japanese-Filipino appearance: Japino is a common taunt that bullies use. The theatre production, says Mel, helps the children come to terms with their situation. Peace Boat participants were surprised by how honest the children were in their emotional performances. “If I were them, I couldn’t do it,” Ms Nakada says. “Instead of closing up they opened up (and) I thought that these children have the strength to show their weakness, which is a hard thing to do.” For more information, see DAWN’s web site: www.dawnphil.org With translation assistance by Hiramatsu Yuta and Fukuda Hikari