TFC Japan Rekindles Hope As It Remembers The Great East Japan Earthquake

March 1, 2012 - PRLog -- March 11, 2011 began ordinarily as one of those regular work days in Japan, until it took an eventful turn at exactly 1:46 in the afternoon (Manila Time, 2:46 p.m. Tokyo Time).
The grounds began shaking  wildly just as employees finished their lunch and as some were getting  ready to take their afternoon break.  According to abs-cbnnews.com, the earthquake also known as the Tohoku earthquake, went down in history as  the worst earthquake to have hit Japan and one of the five strongest in the world since 1900 when records have become available.  

The effects of the earthquake both destroyed and changed lives.  The Japanese National Police Agency reported 15,850 dead; 6,011 injured; 3,287 missing and 125,000 buildings damaged or destroyed.  With the meltdown of three nuclear reactors in Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant complex, government asked residents within a 20 km (12 mi) radius and a 10 km (6.2 mi) radius of the Fukushima II Nuclear Power Plant plus citizens located 80 km (50 mi) of the plant to vacate their homes.  

According to the Philippine Embassy in Japan, there are 220,000 Filipinos in Japan.  A total of 96 were repatriated because of the effects and aftershocks of the earthquake.

The effects are unimaginable.  But like true resilient Filipinos, our kababayans in Japan rose from the ashes of the tragedy.  Little by little, they literally picked up the pieces of what’s left from their destroyed homes if transfer was not an option.  In the Filipinos' efforts to restore their lives back to normalcy, TFC Japan did its part in more  ways than one.  

Through the kapamilya hotline, TFC Japan office employees hooked the survivors up with their loved ones back in the Philippines.  Through the ABS-CBN Foundation Sagip Kapamilya, donations were solicited, received and disbursed to various organizations.  TFC Japan turned over Yen1.2M to Japanese Red Cross Society and Yen123,000 to the Philippine Embassy during the Philippine Independence Day event 'Kalayaan and Kapatiran' last June 2011.  

On March 10, TFC Japan. joins the Catholic Tokyo International Center (CTIC) to remember this eventful day fittingly with a mass dedicated to those who lost their lives and as a thanksgiving for those who survived and want to move forward positively after the tragedy. Headed by Filipino priest Fr. Resty Ogsimer with his staff, a hundred participants from Fukushima are expected to join the holy mass.

“Indeed March 11, 2011 is a date that we will always remember.  I salute all the Filipinos who came together and joined forces to help not only the Filipinos, but our Japanese friends as well.  Mabuhay kayong lahat.” Says TFC Japan Managing Director, Enrique Olives.

Filipinos come together in the spirit of fun but most importantly, they unite in tragedy and find ways to help each other.  In all these, TFC Japan and ABS-CBN Foundation are always there to be of service.

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ABS-CBN Japan Inc. began broadcast in April of 2000 via Sky Perfect TV. In March 2006, ABS-CBN Japan Inc. was incorporated in Tokyo to deliver more broadcast and value-added services to Filipinos in Japan and their families back home. Through TFC and its own Star Studio Japan edition, ABS-CBN Japan Inc. keeps Pinoys in the major islands of the country connected to home. Through special events, ABS-CBN Japan Inc. brings these Filipinos closer to their kapamilyas with the appearance of the biggest stars. Most importantly, ABS-CBN Japan Inc. partners with ABS-CBN Foundation to do civic work, all in the service of Filipinos worldwide.