3-11 Report

3-11 Report

Isang taon na ang lumipas ng tinamaan ng masaklap na lindol, tsunami at ang nuclear crisis ang bansang Japan noong Marso 11. Milyong mga tao ang apektado rito lalo na ang lugar ng Tohoku.

Maraming namatay, nawalan ng bahay at hanap buhay dahil nitong matinding trahedya. Handa at sinuring mabuti man ng mga Hapon ang pinsala ng dinudulot ng lindol at tsunami pero maraming leksyon pa rin ang natutunan nila sa mabagsik na pinsala noong nakaraang taon. Subalit unti-unting bumabawi ang ekonomiya ng bansa at handa na itong sumulong ulit.

Ang Jeepney Press ay nagpaunlak ng mga mamamasa na ibahagi ang kanilang mga karanasan at isipan ukol sa trahedyang ito.

Ano ang ginagawa mo noong kasalukuyang may lindol? Ano ang epekto nito sa iyong buhay?

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ALL SHOOK UP – March 11
MARCH 11, 2011. A lot has been heard, seen and shared about that dreadful day -- a day that literally shook all of us living here in Japan whether you’re 2, 20 or 200 kilometers away from the epicenter of that magnitude 9 earthquake.

For a gaijin, living with constant reminders and having earthquake drills is a part of life that we have to get used to. Participa-ting in the countless hinan kun ren, even got me thinking that Japanese are really prepared for what’s coming at them. But March 11 just proved me wrong! The scale of the devastation left me in awe and, for once, I felt genuine pity towards my host country and the people. Here is a powerful and technologically advanced nation with all its comforts to offer but became helpless by the unpredictable force of nature.

I cannot imagine the images that I saw, the stories that I heard and my own experience where I thought the earthquake seemed endless. This made me realize that it pays off to be prepared. I am still thankful to this day that when the big earthquake occurred, I was with the people who knew what to do in the most critical times. I admire them for their calmness and gracefulness dealing with the situation. The orderly queue of people waiting for their turn is another thing. I think this is a part of their culture showing respect to the other person when they allow a reasonable space between them.
The people whom I thought were indifferent were seen extending help to their fellows who needed help. For a society that treats charity work as a nuisance, I was relieved that they too felt the need to help their countrymen. I cannot help but feel proud for Filipinos extending their undying support and assistance. We learned to embrace the life and culture of Japan and were given the chance to give back to the country that has become a home to all of us the help they needed.

I know how Japan shook last March 11 quake that took away my senses which helped me see things in a newer and better perspective.

- Kareem Yonque
Asst. Language
Teacher, Kawasaki
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Sa naganap na triple disaster tragedy sa Japan noong nakaraang taon, malaki ang naging epekto nito sa economy, financial, social at in general--- sa pang-araw-araw na pamumuhay ng lahat.

Sa ganitong mga pagkakataon, di mawawala yung mga sentiments tulad nung sympathy at pakikiisa sa lahat. Halimbawa na rito ay yung isa sa ginawa namin ng aming grupo dito sa Shizuoka City- ang Philippine NAKAMA Organization, na bilang respeto at pakikiramay namin sa mga naging biktima at nasalantaan sa tragedy. Hindi namin pinagpatuloy ang aming yearly HANAMI picnic event noong nakaraang taon. Instead para doon sa mga magagastos namin for the event, we donated the amount for the victims. Gayun din, dahil kailangan din sa ngayon ang lalong pagtitipid sa energy- yung every year na pagde-decorate ko sa bahay ng illuminations for holiday season ay postponed sa taong ito dahil kahit alam kong maliit na bagay lang yon ay isang pakikisama na rin yon to save energy.

Ang triple disaster tragedy rin ang mas nagbigay sa akin ng more awareness sa pagiging mas lalong handa sa ano mang klaseng calamities. Lalo na dito sa Shizuoka City na sentro ng Tokai Earhquake na anytime ay ini-expect na magaganap. Mas naging aware ako sa mga possible measures at mga pointers kung ano ba ang mga dapat gawin bago maganap, kung magaganap at matapos maganap ang disaster at kung saan ba dapat tumakbo o mag-evacuate just in case the disaster occurs.

Nagpapasalamat din ako dahil aside sa mga prayers, may word ang mga Japanese which is one of my favorite- yung "ganbaru" na in times of trouble or crisis they really don't give up and they keep on trying.

- Melinda Yamashita
Filipino staff, Shizuoka City
Association for Multicultural Exchange
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The tragedy traumatized my kids. We're all in school and I just finished my last class sitting on my desk for 10 minutes. I was trying to fix my stuff before I left school when it shook. All the papers around the teacher’s room started to fall, emergency alarm started to ring and all students went out for evacuation. I was crying then seeing all the students around me screaming and water overflowing from the swimming pool. My head was full with going back home to pick my kids up but I can't move my whole body because I was trembling and praying for the safety of my kids. It lasted almost 15 minutes. I drove back to pick my youngest daughter. She ran to me crying. When we both arrived home, my two other kids were waiting outside crying and thankful we're all safe. Furnitures were broken and messed up. On the other hand, I was still thankful because I still pity those who suffered and died during that nightmare as I call it.

We are much aware now and the pack of emergency kit is always on the doorside. We eagerly learn to save on utility like electricity and water. With the exaggerated news expounded on the danger of the nuclear power plant, it made me think of leaving Japan but is also difficult to think because I have spent half of my life here with the kids.

- Rizalyn Pascual
Asst. Language Teacher,
Ibaraki
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Nakakalungkot po ang trahedya ng March 11 kasi bumagsak talaga ang sales ng kumpanya. Dahil madami ring kliyenteng may business na sari-sari stores, shops na nagsara dahil humina ang market nila.

- Thess Carreon Tagle
Sales Manager, Tokyo
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Jasmin Vasquez
Part-Timer, Nagano

MARCH 11, 2011...isang hindi inaasahang kalamidad ang dumating sa bansang Hapon. Ng mga oras na yun kasalukuyan kaming nagtatrabaho at bigla kaming napatigil sa aming ginagawa. Matapos ang ilang minuto sa halip na palabasin kami ay inutusang ipagpatuloy ang aming ginagawa. Wala ni isa man sa amin ang may ideya kung ano na ang nangyayari sa ibang lugar katulad ng nangyari na tsunami. Pagsapit ng alas 5 ng hapon, doon lang namin napag-alaman na marami pala ang pinsalang dinulot ng nasabing kalamidad. At sa di inaasahang pangyayari kabilang din pala kami sa apektado. Kinabukasan pag pasok namin, lahat kami ay nalungkot noong sinabi ng aming mga leader na ihihinto na ang ginagawa sapagkat wala ng communication at hindi ma contact ang kompanya sa Fukushima na siyang may order sa aming ginagawa.

Malaki ang naging epekto sa akin sapagkat ilang buwan akong hindi nakapaghanapbuhay. Ang balak kong maka-ipon para makauwi ng December to January ng Pilipinas mula pasko, bagong taon at kaarawan ng aking anak ay hindi natuloy. Anim na taon na akong hindi nag papasko at bagong taon sa Pilipinas. Awang-awa ako sa aking anak ngunit wala akong magawa. Ang tanging inisip ko na lamang at ipinaliwanag sa kanila ay mas mapalad pa rin kami kumpara sa mga nakatira sa Fukushima. Nagpapasalamat pa rin ako sapagkat unti-unti at sa tulong na rin ng panalangin at pag-tawag sa Diyos ay hindi pa rin nya kami pinapabayaan. Hindi man ako nakauwi ng nakaraang Pasko alam kong maiintindihan ako ng aking anak.

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Ai Ofelia Kaneko
Office Lady, Tokyo

March 11 last year!!! Malakas ang lindol dito sa Japan. It was about 2:45 pm. Nasa trabaho sa
opisina nung biglang lumindol. Tumakbo kami ng mga officemates palabas. Nakita namin na gumagalaw ang mga daan. Ang mga tao nag-papanic at
nakikita naming nag-we-wave ang Shinjuku building at akala namin matutumba.

Yung ibang “pasokon” natumba. Mga trains nag stop at wala ring masakyang taxi sa gabing yon. Hindi rin naka uwi ang mga kasamahan ko sa trabaho kaya sa opisina nalang sila natulog. Ang malupit pa sa TV namin napapanood yung tsunami!

The effect of March 11 to me? Yappari kawatta! Nagiging alert and ready na rin ako. Maraming biniling stock na pagkain tulad ng kanzume. At kapag lumilindol, yun ang nasa isip ko lagi. Kahit mahina lang, medyo kinakabahan na. Medyo natatakot. Lumalabas na ako ng bahay kasama ang aking “neko” ko. Yun ang nasa isip ko lagi.

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Leslie Matawaran
Asst. Nurse, Nagano

Last year po kasi during ng tragedy dito sa Japan, nasa Pinas po ako. Isang buwan po ako mahigit sa Pinas noon, e. Kaya sa news and net ko lang din nalaman na lumindol nga at nagka tsunami. Nakakagulat at nakakatakot nung makita ko po sa TV. Hindi ko naman po masabi na apektuhan ako sa wala nga po ako dito. Pag balik ko po ng Japan yun mga napinsalang lugar na may mga pabrika like Meiji, hindi sila makagawa ng product that time kaya po yun branch dito sa Nagano bigla pong nag hire dahil dito po pinasa yun
ibang products at nagkaroon po ako ng chance maka pag “arubaito” sa Meiji Nagano branch sa loob ng 3 buwan. At paminsan-minsan pag lumindol po parang balewala na lang po. Parang hindi na bago. Pero ganoon pa man nagdadasal po agad pag nararamdaman ang lindol.

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Marialyn Komatsu
Housewife, Yamagata

March 11 was a very unforgetable day for me. We suffered two days of black-out, panic buying everywhere and a very long line in gas stations. Can't sleep at night because of the after shocks every minute.

It's almost a year now, but still feels that it happened only yesterday. Hoping and always praying that it won’t happen again. But always be ready all the time.