History introduced to us Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, Margaret Thatcher, the Iron Lady, and our very own Cory Aquino. I was very fortunate to have been able to interview her in Osaka in the 1990’s and it made a lasting impression.

I was surrounded by strong women in my childhood. My grandfather became a writer and retreated to his typewriter to write poems and essays to avoid Lola’s nagging. My mother was a quiet, unassuming school teacher but would not back out once her principles and those of her children’s welfare were at stake. But she knew her role as a dutiful wife and mother and was able to create a happy balance between family and career. Even my father knew that it would be better not to argue with her once she kept quiet because her silence was more deafening than nagging and confronting her would mean a declaration of war! From them, I learned that women should stand up for their principles.

Another strong woman who had a big impact on my university days and on my career was theater awardee Naty Crame Rogers, who was my mentor and department head in the Speech and Drama Department. One of the challenges she gave me was to alternate for Mila Ocampo (mother of Snooky Serna) in Nick Joaquin’s “Portrait of the Artist as Filipino,“ directed by Lamberto Avellana during a performance at the Pines Hotel in Baguio.

I had butterflies in my stomach on opening night. Luckily, I said my lines, “A tisket... a tasket“ quite convincingly. Thanks to the grand dames of Philippine Theater Daisy Avellana, Veronica Palileo and Naty Crame Rogers who trusted me to do that role. From them, I learned that “trust begets trust.“

Trust in people was my secret to surviving life in Japan after I got married and gave birth to three boys. I juggled time between child rearing and social activities with the Japan Philippines Friendship Society or Kansai Nippi Tomo No Kai that we formed in 1984. At meetings that we held at the Phil. Tourism Office, I was the only woman, and on some occasions, when my husband was on business trips, I had to bring my boys along.

There was a time, out of curiosity, I went to an English Conversation School to apply for a part time teaching job, but the interviewer’s face was visibly displeased when he noticed that I was pregnant with my third baby. It would have been different if that happened in the present, when online English lessons are popular.

My third baby was born with a defect on his finger, so he had to undergo two operations. My husband’s family blamed me indirectly, but the impact was felt when he started to go to school. He was bullied not only for the defect but also for the fact that his mother is a foreigner. It got worse until he didn’t attend school anymore. It tore me apart, and a once happy family was torn apart too! From this, I learned how to turn misfortunes into positive ones.

That was when we had just formed the Philippine Community Coordinating Council in December 2000. Two years from now, we will be celebrating our 25th year.

We were on the verge of canceling Kapihan 5 due to time constraints had it not been for the timely visit of Dr. Jovelle B. Laoag Fernandez, a multi-awarded healthcare executive and author of the book “THE EXPAT.” Right after a very stimulating conversation with her and her husband, Dr. Alex Fernandez, the other women in the group, OWWA Officer Ms. Pilipina Dino asked if we could incorporate a discussion on women’s issues in one of our PCCC events and immediately, we thought of Kapihan 5. Lea Bartiquin, who is very much involved in radio broadcasting in the Philippines and who is now working as an English teacher with the Osaka Board of Education in Kishiwada was tapped by OWWA to do a presentation on gender sensitivity. That afternoon we spent with Dr. Fernandez was the pivotal factor in why we can go on with Kapihan 5 and had it not been for Labor Attache Elizabeth Marie Estrada’s trust in us, we wouldn’t be able to do this. It would also be a good time for the induction of the new set of PCCC Officers for 2024, headed by Ms. Katrina Fujikawa, the indefatigable woman behind the success of two PCCC major events, “Paskong Kansai-Ya“ in 2023 and HIPTOK in 2024!

To the women of Kapihan 5 and to all the men in the group who have supported us, Mabuhay!!!!

The year of the dragon made a bold and fiery entrance with a magnitude 7.6 earthquake in Ishikawa Prefecture, just as families across the country were celebrating the first day of 2024. My family had just gathered for the New Year get-together. My usual three-tiered jubako had three sets of food: the first layer is Philippine dishes with adobo and atchara; the second layer is Japanese kamaboko, daisies, dashi, maki tamago, beans, and Kuri Kinton Kazunoko; and the third layer is ham, cheese, and olives. A jolt in Osaka interrupted our online New Year pleasantries with my sister.