Learning about the Philippines

There are about 17 students enrolled in our seminar about Philippine Development Studies and 12 more in a class about Philippine History. This weekend, the Philippine Studies Forum for Graduate Students will also take place at Campus 2 of Toyo University in Bunkyo Ward in Tokyo.

 It always gives us much joy to have Japanese students eager to know more about the Philippines. Among those in our classes are those who have had the opportunity to visit the Philippines for a short period (about 2 weeks) or for a year. All others are students of the Regional Development Studies Program and are interested to know more about various countries, societies, and peoples all throughout the world. Learning about other countries encourages the construction of sturdier, more enduring bridges of cultural understanding and peace. Hence, the more students are interested in countries other than their own, the greater the hope that there will be more who will exert effort to forge deeper understanding and peace throughout the world.

 A male student shared his reading about environmental laws in the Philippines. He prefaced his oral presentation by sharing his previous visit to Cebu with his classmates. He said he was very surprised to observe so much pollution all over. He particularly noted the air pollution brought about by unregulated vehicles.

 Everyone in class who had visited the Philippines nodded their heads when water pollution was next mentioned. The first thing that hits foreigners who visit our country is stomachache, often caused by water. Even if they only use the water for brushing their teeth, a number of them develop stomach pains traced to the water quality!

 Then the waste strewn all over catch their attention and stay with them even after they have long returned to Japan. Why is there so much waste uncollected all over?

 There are existing environmental laws, in fact, many laws calling for the control and management of different types of pollution in the Philippines, he reported. However, he correctly pointed out that laws alone do not clear the pollution. Better implementation and people’s participation as well are important factors for resolving the problem of environmental pollution in the Philippines.

 Before him, his other group members discussed about several aspects of Philippine culture. The students were all smiles when they got to the discussion about fiestas, especially the month-long fiestas held in various provinces all throughout the country. They also learned that our fiestas are linked to our religion whereas they observed that Japanese festivals celebrate nature, the stars, the children, the coming of age of those who are 20 years old, among others.

 After culture, the next group focused on the Filipino Family. Pictures of happy, large Filipino families were shown.

 Many smiled when they learned that extended families go all the way to the relatives of just about anyone in the family. In stark contrast, the modern Japanese families are now nuclear, in fact, Japan is now faced with the problem of dwindling family size, zero population growth, young people either avoiding or delaying marriages with many couples not completely eager to have children due to the heavy responsibility of household work coupled with child and elderly care that usually falls on the shoulders of Japanese women.

 Discussion about similarities and comparisons related to concepts and practices about sex before marriage, abortions, divorces followed but had to be suspended as the class hour ended.

 One still heard extended discussion even while the students were leaving the classroom and heading for their next class elsewhere. We are all looking forward to a continuation of our deeper understanding and sharing about the Philippines and then we will move forward and analyze development issues affecting our society now.

 It is a simple step but a significant one to share and learn together about different societies. One gets to know one’s own society better by learning and understanding about other societies and cultures. Hopefully, all these learning moments sum up to a better, more peaceful world in the future.

***

Email: mailto:[email protected]