A country in crisis, an opportunity for charity and learning

CEBU, Philippines - On the afternoon of March 11, 2011, an earthquake of extreme intensity hit the Eastern coast of the island of Honshu in Japan, moving the island 2.4 meters East and shifting the Earth on its axis by around 10 to 25 centimeters. As if the magnitude 9.0 was not enough, more than 1,200 aftershocks of lesser magnitude ranging from 4.0 to 7.0 were felt months after the major quake.

The six-minute earthquake also resulted in a massive tsunami with waves reaching 40-meters causing major damage to essential infrastructures and releasing hazardous chemicals into the atmosphere further endangering people close to the area.

Analysts estimate the damage to cost around US$300 billion, making it the most expensive natural disaster in history. However, more than the damage to buildings and infrastructure, the most devastating effect of this nature-instigated calamity is its impact on the people of Japan.

Death toll has reached 15, 969, and there are 4,666 people still missing. Statistics on injuries is also pegged at 5,715 individuals. This left around 300,000 people homeless. As of end July, the evacuees numbered at 87,603 with 12,905 in temporary shelters while around 19,918 stay in hotels and inns. The rest either remain homeless or live with relatives in places not affected by the calamity.

Despite its reputation as one of the world’s richest, this crisis was still able to shake its economy, as it forced companies to close leaving people not just homeless but also jobless.

An email from a Japan-based friend prompted Negros Oriental Representative Jocelyn “Josy” Limkaichong to think of a project that would not only help the Japanese people in their time of need, but would also serve to teach young people the value of charity and at the same time extend the province’s (and the country, for that matter) gratitude to the Japanese government for its contribution to the province.

“I was deeply touched by Thelma’s (Watanabe) message that I did not want to dismiss it without doing something,” Josy said. “And then it hit me. Why don’t I ask the Sangguniang Kabataan to come up with a project that has the potential of creating an international impact?”

“Being one of the mentors of our province’s chapter of the Sangguniang Kabataan, I saw it fit to involve them in the project, hoping that they would learn from this experience, especially on the subjects of internationalism and charity,” Josy added.

It was then that the idea of the coin collection came out.

“It was a brilliant idea because it would not only involve the young people in our province, but it would also give them the chance to learn the impact their one-peso would have on global affairs,” Josy said.

“I know that what we may collect would not create a dent on the extent of the need of Japan at this time, but it’s the gesture that matters,” she said, adding that she has received emails from her Japanese friends already extending their gratefulness for the thought.

“This could open the door for a sister town or sister province agreement with the town of Shichigahama or with the Miyagi Prefecture,” she said with excitement.

Josy revealed that her friend and high school classmate, Katsutoshi Furukawa, who is extending help to the refugees of Shichigahama will personally link the province with the local government in Japan in order to make the donation official, and ensure that it will be used to benefit the victims of the twin natural disasters.

Since April, canisters were distributed to different public elementary and secondary schools all over the province, in the hope of encouraging children to share a little amount to help the Japanese people in their effort to recover.

“I am pleased with the cooperation that the Department of Education has given us, under the leadership of the Provincial District Supervisor Ma. Milagros Velez,” said Josy. “After we sent a letter to her asking for her support, she immediately disseminated a district-wide memo informing the different schools in our province of the project and encouraging them to be involved in filling the canister.”

Josy, however, clarified that the idea was not only to limit the collection to students but also to involve the whole community. Schools were encouraged to bring the canisters to other places in their locality where members of the community could drop their contributions.

“This is indeed a province-wide grass roots movement, and I am pleased,” she said.

By late August, the initial collection will be given to Mr. Furukawa who will be coming to Dumaguete City for the Foundation Anniversary of Silliman University. The rest of the collection will be coursed through the Organization for Industrial, Spiritual, and Cultural Advancement (OISCA) International, who maintains an agricultural facility in Canlaon City. OISCA is a Japanese-funded project that promotes environmentally-responsible agriculture.

“We don’t expect to collect much from this project,” Josy said. “But I am hoping that through this project we would be able to build a strong government-to-government partnership with the town of Shichigahama or the Miyagi Prefecture and at the same time empower our children to become responsible world citizens.”