Kyoto Diocese Filipino Community Core Group

September 2006 Meeting

The 7th meeting of the Kyoto Diocese Filipino Community Core Group (Core Group) was held on 18 September 2006 in Yagi Catholic Church, Kashihara Shi, Nara Ken. Leaders of Filipino catholic Church communities in the Kyoto Diocese (except Shiga prefecture) attended the meeting. The members of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Holy Mother of God (SFIC) assigned to the Kyoto Diocese, and Fr. Aquilino Tabamo of the Takada parish church in Nara Ken also attended the meeting.

Core Group history

Since a number of community leaders who attended the meeting were new to the Core Group, a brief review of the history of the Core Group was presented. Following is the brief overview of the history of the Core Group: In 2000, the representatives of Filipino catholic Church communities in the Kyoto Diocese had a meeting with Bishop Paul Otsuka in Kyoto Shi. In that meeting, the Filipino representatives reported on the activities being undertaken in the different communities as well as the problems being faced. The meeting ended with a decision to organize a network of Filipino communities in the Kyoto Diocese. The Filipino representatives met again the following year (2001) in Nara Shi where the name of the group - Kyoto Diocese Filipino Community Core Group - was adopted. Subsequent meetings were held every year since then. During the meetings, diocesan concerns such as the promotion of the diocesan program on Collaborative Ministry for Mission were discussed. There were also activities that followed the meetings specifically the forums on Japanese laws, and one activity (Family Day) held separately.

The activities of the Core Group had several functions:

  1. In relation to the diocese: the activities became means of communicating diocesan programs to the Filipino catholic community, and also means of communicating Filipino concerns to the Kyoto Diocese officials;
  2. In relation to Filipinos as residents in Japan: the activities were means of getting the support of the Philippine consulate on problems relating to both Japan and Philippine legal systems
  3. In relation to Filipino-Japanese families: one activity at least helped introduce the members of the Filipino-Japanese families from different communities within the Kyoto Diocese to each other and learned more about Filipino culture.

Based on the discussions in the October 2005 meeting, the main role of the Core Group is to continue as a forum that:

  1. Links the different Filipino catholic communities within the Kyoto Diocese. In a sense, this means developing a Kyoto Diocese Filipino community.
  2. Facilitates the sharing of experiences on building church-based communities. In this context, experience sharing means learning from the achievements and mistakes of every Filipino community.
  3. Discusses common concerns among the Filipino communities.

Main agenda

After the brief overview of the history and tasks of the Core Group, the meeting proceeded to discuss the meeting agenda consisting of the following:

1. Update on the programs and activities of the different Filipino communities
2. Discussion on possible activities as a group
3. Presentations on

Several leaders briefly presented the programs and activities of the different Filipino communities. The main issue that came up was the problem of getting more Filipinos involved in the activities of the church. This was raised as a problem in Nara, though not much of a concern in Mie. But due to limited time, there was no discussion on the experiences of other Filipino communities regarding ways of getting Filipinos to attend church activities.

The issue of relationship between Japanese and Filipino Catholics was also raised. There was a suggestion to promote better relationship between them through joint activities, attendance in Japanese-language mass, and active role as members of the parishes.

It was also pointed out that the Core Group should be able to represent the concerns of Filipino communities to the Philippine government (through the Philippine Consulate in Osaka Shi) and to the Kyoto Diocese. It was proposed that there should be continuing dialogue with the officials of the Philippine Consulate about the problems faced by Filipinos (including problems related to the consulate operations) in Japan.

With regard to the Kyoto Diocese, it was suggested that the Core Group should define its role in helping the Church in Japan, since the country is faced with increasing population of old people and decreasing birth rate. The Core Group should also try to help make the Church in Japan maximize the opportunity provided by the large number of foreigners who are Catholics (particularly Filipinos) in sustaining the church in the future. Several suggestions came up to address the concerns: The Core Group can initiate

Fr. Tabamo expressed the need for the Core Group to define its vision and mission as way to clarify how it will address the needs and role of the Filipino communities within the Kyoto Diocese.

Other issues

The second part of the meeting focused on two presentations: caregiving work in Japan, and arrest and detention of foreigners who have no valid visa.

Ms. Fe Harada, the Co-Coordinator of the Core Group, presented her experience as a staff of a Japanese company that provides caregiving services to old Japanese. Prior to her presentation, the context of the caregiving issue in Japan was explained. It was pointed out that since Japan has increasing number of old people who need support, more caregivers would be in demand in the near future. Also, the Philippine government signed an agreement with the Japanese government on free trade (named Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement) which includes a provision on the entry of Filipino caregivers and nurses into Japan. But before the agreement gets implemented, Filipino residents in Japan have already started training, and for some working, as caregivers. Ms. Harada is an example of a Filipino who already has an experience as a caregiver (in Maizuru, Kyoto-fu). Using a powerpoint, she described her work as well as the challenges she faced in her job. She said that her job gives a positive image for the Filipinos as they interact well with the Japanese clients. After her presentation, questions were asked about the requirements and process of getting a license as caregiver. Ms. Harada also explained the need to have the appropriate level of ability to write and speak in Japanese language to be able to relate well to the clients. Her experience provided an example of work that Filipino residents in Japan might opt to do in the future considering the increasing demand for caregivers in the country.

Ms. Amelia Kohno of Kyoto Pag-Asa Filipino Community in Kyoto, a longtime interpreter in courts and government offices regarding cases foreigners on immigration issues, gave the second presentation. She explained the process of arrest, detention, and deportation of foreigners who have no proper visa to stay and work in Japan. She stressed the need to have appropriate assistance in language translation especially during police investigation and court hearings. Wrong translation might lead to heavier penalty from the court. After her presentation, several questions were raised. Discussions covered not only immigration law issues but other legal issues as well.

Members of the Core Group
(Yagi Church, Nara)

Next activity

The meeting ended with an agreement on the following:

a. Tasks to do:

  1. Develop the vision and mission of the Core Group
  2. Hold another dialogue with officials of the Philippine Consulate in Osaka regarding problems of Filipinos in Japan
  3. Hold a dialogue with Fr. Akira Yanagimoto of the International Cooperation Program of Kyoto Diocese regarding church program for foreigner-parishioners.

b. Identification of contact person from each community
c. Date and place of the next meeting: Either 17 September or 24 October 2007 in Matsuzaka church, Matsuzaka, Mie.

Report prepared by: Jeff Plantilla (Core Group Co-Coordinator)


1. The Filipino communities in the catholic Churches in Kyoto, Mie and Nara were represented in the meeting.
2. Srs. Eustella Garcia, Nora Jaurigue, Josephine Dugay, and Fausta S. Cabrillas, SFIC attended the meeting.
3. This agreement, signed on 9 September 2006 in Finland, has been ratified by the Japanese parliament but still to be discussed in the Philippine legislature as of end of 2006.
4. The following are the contact persons: Kyoto ? Mr. Roderick Bugador, Mie ? Ms. Marites Yamamoto, Nara South ? Mr. Jorge Takara, Nara North ? Jean Tanangonan, Shiga ? Sr. Altagracia Miguel (temporary).
5. The planned dialogue with officials of the Philippine Consulate will be held after the Core Group meeting in Mie.