Japanese group donates used clothes to islanders

CEBU, Philippines - Representatives of the Group of Itochu Trading Company in Japan arrived in Lapu-Lapu City last week to hand over used clothes to more than 400 families in barangay of Hilutungan, an islet in Cordova town.

Shinji Ozawa from the CISS Tokyo Office and Hiroko Kato of Osaka Office of Group of Itochu Trading Company arrived in Lapu-Lapu City with Takayuki Murata, founder and coordinator of JYPKO Foundation, Inc.

Murata said both Shinji Ozawa and Hiroko Kato have provided the foundation assistance for more than four years and the beneficiaries of which are the people in Lapu-Lapu City.

Murata with ten Japanese first visited Lapu-Lapu City to avail of a group tour offered by a travel agency sometime in 1984.

Of the ten, only Murata decided to return as he promised a friend to help the people of Lapu-Lapu City.

Sometime in the 1990s, Murata put up a foundation with the support and cooperation of the city of Lapu-Lapu during the administration of the late mayor Ernest Weigel, Jr. but became inactive for several years until Murata revived it.

He visited different barangays in Olango Island and recently visited the barangay of Pangan-an in Lapu-Lapu City and donated things.  (FREEMAN)