by Sally Cristobal-Takashima
My goodness, time has flown and it’s already the leafy month of June. The roses are in full bloom. Am I hearing a Potpourri tune?
Yes folks, this time of the year you can see me gathering rose petals in our small garden - neko no yona niwa desu. Our garden is like a cat’s forehead. It’s not that spacious but you should see my roses - so beautiful and fragrant. This is Rose Potpourri 101 so hang in there for your first lesson. First, gather the petals before they even start to turn brown. Lay the petals on a clean towel or a flat screen to dry turning them over gently once or twice When they are dried, sprinkle drying powder to preserve the petals and to make them less brittle. Ang mga talulot ng rosas ay maari din patuyuin malapit sa bintana kung saan may simoy ng hangin. Ingatan na hindi ito liparin ng hangin. Ang drying powder ay mabibili sa flower shops. Sabihin lamang na ninanais ninyo na gumawa ng potpourri or dry flower petals at malinaw na magkaka-intindihan kayo. Kung gusto mong magtipid ay simpleng ilagay sa isang magandang platito ang rose petals at hayaang matuyo. Next time na lang gumamit ng drying powder na tinatawag din na dessicant powder.
Posibleng ma-enganyo kayong gumawa ng rose petal potpourri taon taon dahil pinatatagal ang kasiyahan na naibibigay ng fresh cut roses. Ang mga dried rose petals ay maari ng gamitin sa paggawa ng pomanders para manatiling mabango ang mga closets. Sachets naman ang tawag sa maliit na supot na may lamang dry flowers. Kaya ayan meron na kayong pamimigay sa susunod na home party ninyo. One last advice - start making your rose potpourri before the rainy season.
June 12th, Tuesday marked the Araw ng Kalayaan 2012 and in Osaka, the leaders of the Philippine Community groups were invited to a Flag Raising Ceremony to commemorate the 114th Anniversary of the Declaration of Philippine Independence. Consul Jerome John O. Castro is the concurrent Acting Head of Post of the Philippine Consulate General in Osaka-Kobe. Madame Ma. Lourdes Ramiro Lopez has completed her term of office in Osaka and was recalled back to the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila. She will surely be missed by the Filipinos in Kansai. The theme for this year’s Philippine Independence Day Celebration is “Freedom: The Accountability of a Sovereign Nation of Responsible Citizenry” (Kalayaan: Pananagutan ng Bayan para sa Tuwid na Daan).
Binasa ni Vice Consul Dominic Xavier M. Imperial ang mensahe ng ating Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Honorable Albert F. Del Rosario. Ang panunumpa sa Watawat naman ay pinamunuan ni Vice Consul Michael Lyndon B. Garcia.
Tuloy din naman ang pagdaraos ng iba’t ibang pagdiriwang sa iba’t ibang panig ng Pilipinas sa buwan ng Hunyo kagaya ng Philippine Eagle Week sa Davao City upang suportahan ang Philippine Eagle Conservation Program or ang pangangalaga ng mga ibong Agila sa Pilipinas. Sa San Juan, Manila naman ay ipinagdiriwang ang Fiesta ni St. John the Baptist ng buwan ng Hunyo at tuloy ang water dousing or “Basaan”, ang boisterous street dancing. Pintados Festival naman ang kasayahan sa Tacloban, Leyte. It is a street pageantry and contest focusing on the Leytenos old custom of tattooing that signifies courage and status in the community. Talagang walang kasing saya sa Pilipinas. It’s More Fun in the Philippines Where the Sun Never Sets. Please tell all your Japanese friends and neighbors. Not only will they visit once but ALWAYS so they would be able to listen to the beat of different drums.
Isang babala na nais kong ibahagi sa lahat ng mambabasa ng Jeepney Press (Bringing Sunshine Wherever You Go). Isang pangyayari sa isang airport. Namili sa isang Duty Free Shop ang isang biyahero. Ang nais na bilihin ay isang karton ng sigarilyo at isang bote ng White Label Whisky. Nilagay ng salesgirl ang isang bote ng whisky, isang karton ng sigarilyo, at pangalawang karton ng sigarilyo. Nakita ng biyahero ang extra carton of cigarettes and thinking that it was a gift, he did not say a word. Tumahimik na lang siya at baka bawiin pa- libre na nga.Tama naman ang resibo at hindi siya na overcharged. Palagay niya ay napaka-lucky niya noon araw na iyon. Hindi pa siya nakakalayo ay may humahabol sa kaniya at siya ay inaresto. O, nahulaan na ninyo. Naging biktima siya ng isang frame-up, isang sabuwatan. Pinagbayad siya ng malaking halaga at nagkarekord pa siya. Nagmukha siyang tanga. Napahiya siya at hindi siya makapaniwala sa mga pangyayari. Na detain siya sa airport at suwerte naman at hindi siya naiwan ng aircraft na sasakyan ninya.
Nangyayari o maaaring mangyari kahit saang Duty Free Shop sa buong mundo. Mag-ingat po tayong mga pasaheros kung tayo ay mamimili sa Duty Free Shops. Tama ba ang bilang ng mga bagay na binili. Huwag na hindi patunayan o siguraduhin. Kung may gamit na name plate ang salesgirl ay tandaan. Alisto tayo at mag-ingat.
Now, for the latest news in Osaka. The Annual International Festival was held in the Tamatsukuri Church grounds. Various groups representing Korea, China, Philippines, Brazil, Japan. Portugal and Peru joined in the festival by offering their food delicacies, drinks and products.There were various musical programs to entertain the guests.
The Pentecost Missionary of the Church of Christ (Osaka) recently held the Search for Natatanging Ina 2012 at the Nishi Kuminkan. The title was won by Rhobie Pia who is an active member of PMCC and a young mother of two children. The Chairperson of Philippine Community Coordinating Council, Malou Sato and this writer had a glimpse of how active and focused are the Filpinas in this group. Thanks to Rosemarie Kasai for the invite.
Let me mention a young and budding young lady in her twenties who herself is carving a niche for herself in the world of fashion, commercial and TV drama as well from October this year. She is Yu Takahashi, daughter of Kyoto based Filipina Pen and Yutaka Takahashi and the second of four children. For pictures, please check out Pen Takahashi’s Album via Facebook. Oen shimasho.
The Filipinos in Kansai are wide awake dreaming of a place they can call My Home. Yes, the Filipinos in Kansai are “Homeless” and truly need a Tahanan where they can hold meetings, events as well as social, cultural and educational activities. The way things are right now, the tough reality is we have to “fight” for a space for Community Rooms to use. Affordable meeting rooms are not easy to come by because of the supply and demand.
The Singapore government offered a school for the Filipinos to rent for their various community activities. Filipinos in Hong Kong have their Bayanihan Center. The Filipinos in Hawaii worked hard to solicit donations to finally establish their own Bayanihan Center. You just have to google out the infos to check out where and what kind of Philippine Community Centers there are around the world.
When President Benigno S. Aquino visited Yokohama 2 years ago, a request for the government assistance to put up a Tahanan in Tokyo was presented. He replied that he will pass on this request to the Department of Foreign Affairs. Because of this request, we, the Filipinos in Western Japan want our Tahanan as well. It may take some time maybe years but hopefully this dream will be realized. We need all the help and best advice that we can get. We need a Feasibility Study, check out the Tax Laws and
probably apply for an NPO status to get tax exemptions. A lot of research has to be done and all the Filipinos in Kansai has in this project together. We welcome any comments, insights and most of all financial contributions. Please help us.
Sa muling pagniniig sa September-October issue ng Jeepney Press. See you all and take care.
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