June 2012 Charity Walk For Migrant Detainees in Ushiku, Japan

According to one account, last week, there were about 44 Filipinos detained in various parts of Japan. Most were undocumented – those who overstayed, those without the proper visa, those whose spouses (Japanese or Filipinos with permanent or other long-term visas) did not agree to their visa extension in Japan.

With the new resident registration system for foreign residents to be implemented by July 9, 2012, the number of foreign detainees in Japan, Filipinos included, are expected to rise.

While at detention, many do not get to be visited at all by their family, relatives, and friends. Most being irregular migrants, the likelihood is very high that their family, relatives, and friends are also irregular. Hence, the possibility of arrest and detention being high for them as well, kin and friends “disappear,” from the view and life of detainees. There are those who have been in detention for two years or more who have never at all been visited by kin and friends.

Aside from psychological and spiritual support, detainees also need other necessary items such as toiletries, writing pads, some even needing clothes and underwear, among other material necessities.

Authorized phone cards are the detainees’ bridge to the outside world. Many detainees when arrested, however, do not carry phone cards with them. In fact, many detainees, who get complacent, having survived surveillance and arrest for years, are so unprepared for their unexpected arrest that they end up losing their belongings, even their money and salaries, to those who take advantage of their absence and detention. There are those, of course, who have long prepared for their eventual arrest or voluntary surrender, who have made prior arrangements with trusted friends and kin to take care of their personal effects, salary, including plane ticket for returning home.

To ensure that they can be cared for, to assure them that there are those who care and remember them, each year, the Tsukuba Catholic Church embarks on a Charity Walk, especially for the detainees at Ushiku Detention Center. The intention is to raise funds to meet the detainees’ needs and to support those who have the time and the heart to share their time and attention with the detainees.

For the Charity Walk, there are sponsors and donors who share some amount of their choice for the detainees. Others share their concern by serving as walkers for those who want to help the detainees but do not have the energy or the time to walk eight kilometers, from church to two parks and back. Since the participants from various nationalities walk by groups, there is so much camaraderie all throughout the 8-kilometer hike. At the end of the walk, the participants are treated to free drink, sandwiches, or Japanese onigiri (rice balls).

The more participants, the more detainees can be assisted and supported. With the increasing number of detainees, however, the funds from the Charity Walk are never ever enough for all. Still, the Charity Walk participants of this event of the Tsukuba Catholic Church continue to proceed in faith to have their love reach out to as many detainees as possible, year in, year out.

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