Docu Projects

My videographer and blogger friend Jing Villareal and I am planning to make short documentary segments featuring various stories of Filipinos living in Japan. Of course these are all proposals and it really depends whether we can get funding.

I have always had an interest in photography and video making after taking courses during my university days. Now I have a new sensei to teach me! Hehe.

Here are the proposed stories which will be made into 5 min. segments:


"Bilog" - The story will revolve around the experiences of real-life "bilog" T. Hernandez a migrant worker and community leader here in Japan. A "bilog" is the term used by Filipinos here in Japan to refer to undocumented migrant workers, of which hundreds are now languishing in Japanese detention centers.

"A is for Apuru" - With the increase of demand for English teachers, many Filipinos find themselves working as Assistant Language Teachers (ALT) in various elementary and middle schools in Japan. These Eigo Senseis discover the challenges and rewards of teaching regardless of their previous backgrounds.

"20 min Visit" - Fr. Serate together with Lay Missionary N. Codog of the Urawa Open House has been visiting and counseling Filipino detainees in various detention centers while they await their migration hearings. Although they are only allowed 20 minutes, their visits always bring stories of sadness, despair but also hope.

"Furusato (Hometown)" - "Philippine Zanryuu Nihonjin" refers to the children of Japanese who were left behind in the Philippines after the Second World War. Facing discrimination and the constant fear of retaliation by Filipino guerillas, they hid their Japanese identity. After several decades, they are now finally visiting the land of their fathers to rediscover their heritage and to appeal to the Family Courts for their citizenship.

"Ballads in Wood" - E. Robles is a visual artist, musician, and cancer survivor currently doing a sculpture art concert called "Ballads in Wood". Having lived in the Philippines, the US and Japan, she is in a constant search for inspiration and ideas. Although targeting mainly a Japanese audience, she is reaching out to the Filipino community -showing that Filipino art is beyond Adobo and Tinikling.

"Tagalog Hanasanai (Can't Speak Tagalog)" - children of the Filipino diaspora face many challenges in Japanese schools. For those who just came from the Philippines, learning Nihongo is difficult. Equally problematic for Filipino kids who have been living and studying in Japan, is speaking Tagalog. This segment explores the dillema of multi-lingual families and the role of the children's spoken language to their identity, dreams, and aspirations.


What do you think? Hehehe.