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Philippine Embassy Honors Filipino Community Leaders at CFO’s Ugnayan sa Japan

Tomihari Ai

Photo Courtesy of Philippine Embassy, Tokyo

Ambassador Jose C. Laurel V and CFO Chairman Francisco P. Acosta with past awardees and nominees of the Presidential Awards for Overseas Filipinos, and Filcom leaders.

The Philippine Embassy honored Filipino Community leaders during a dinner event at the Philippine Embassy hosted by the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) as part of its “Ugnayan” initiative under the leadership of CFO Chairman, Justice Francisco P. Acosta (Ret.), on September 30.

Past awardees and nominees of the CFO Presidential awards as well as various Filipino Community organizations all over Japan attended the dinner, including Marie Bernabe Nihei (2004 Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino awardee), Anita Sasaki (2014 Banaag awardee) and Professor Wako Asato (2014 Banaag awardee).

In his welcome remarks, Ambassador Jose C. Laurel V underscored how CFO’s “Ugnayan sa Japan” embodies the spirit of bayanihan as it aims to reach out and touch base with the Filipino Community in Japan, and rally behind a common purpose – to contribute to nation-building wherever Filipinos are.

CFO Chairman Acosta, in his address, highlighted the honorees’ outstanding contributions to the Filipino community in Japan and thanked them for their selfless embrace as their mission the promotion of the interests and welfare of their kababayans in response to President Duterte’s call for a more inclusive society where no one is left behind.

The CFO further urged the Filipino community in Japan to participate in the 2020 Presidential Awards for Overseas Filipinos, which is now open for nominations.

The dinner is part of “Ugnayan sa Japan”, CFO’s initiative in harnessing ties with the Filipino diaspora in Japan, including through forums and consultations to discuss various ways of diaspora engagement that will promote their welfare and interests, and help optimize development in the Philippines. There are around 290,000 Filipinos living in Japan as of latest statistics.