0

ee
Fr
January 2015
Issue 25

Brad
Pitt
Hits Tokyo With

Logan
Lerman

Bacolods
Masskerade

Exclusive:

Bea Rose
Santiago

Looks Back
On Her
Miss International
Reign

Philippines
Gears Up For

Pope
Francis

2015 Apostolic
Visit

Toni Gonzaga

On Top of Her Game

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C ONTENTS

2015

January

6
8
9
12

Cover Story
Toni Gonzaga: On Top of Her Game

13
14
16

FilCom Watch
Philippine Jazz Concert and Culture & Tourism
Seminar Held in Tokyo

17

In Focus
Philippines Gears Up For Pope Francis 2015
Apostolic Visit

18

Happenings Around Town

Filipino Film Bwaya Wins Tokyo Filmex Grand
Prix

Spotlight
Exclusive: Bea Rose Santiago Looks Back On Her
Miss International Reign
Celebrity News
Brad Pitt Hits Tokyo With Logan Lerman
Embassy News
Secretary Del Rosario Lauds Japans 60 Years of
Development Assistance

Keyakizaka Street in Roppongi Hills, Tokyo sparkles with light displays

during its annual Artelligent Christmas. (Photo by Din Eugenio)

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dang010@yahoo.com or filjapmagazine@
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at actual print size. Please include
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and captions.

Philippine Adventures
Bacolods Masskerade
Faces
Jolina Reunites With Marvin in ABS-CBNs Drama
Series Flordeliza

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Publisher: Yonei Toshikazu
Editor-in-Chief: Florenda Corpuz

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in focus

Philippines
Gears Up For

Pope
Francis
2015 Apostolic Visit

Another Pope is about to visit the Philippines to bring his message of mercy and compassion.
Photo courtesy of Korea.net/Korean Culture
and Information Service (Jeon Han)

wenty years after Pope John Paul II

visited the Philippines for the 1995
World Youth Day, Pope Francis is
set to visit the country from Jan. 15
to Jan. 19. No less than Manila Archbishop
Luis Cardinal Tagle confirmed His Holiness
visit whose main highlight is his trip to
Tacloban to meet the survivors of super
typhoon Yolanda that hit the country last
year claiming thousands of lives.
Pope Francis is expected to arrive in
Manila from Sri Lanka on Jan. 15 at around
5 oclock in the afternoon and will go on
a motorcade to his residence in Manila.
The following day, he is set to meet with
President Benigno Aquino III and members
of the diplomatic corps in Malacaang
Palace.
Malacaang welcomed the news, the
Philippines being a Roman Catholic country.
Presidential Communications Operations
Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said that
the government will do its best to provide a
safe and meaningful visit for Pope Francis.
The government joins the Filipino
people in welcoming the Vaticans
announcement confirming that His Holiness
Pope Francis will make an apostolic visit to
the Philippines Pope Francis visit marks
the 20th anniversary of the celebration of
World Youth Day Manila that was presided
over by now St. John Paul II, Coloma said.
Filipinos will most certainly afford
to Pope Francis the warmth of their
hospitality and manifest the fervor of their
faith as they welcome the first pontiff from
4

South America, he added.

On Jan. 17, Pope Francis will head to
Tacloban to visit some areas devastated by
typhoon Yolanda and will have lunch with
the poor and survivors of the calamity. He
will also bless the Pope Francis Center
for the Poor and visit the Cathedral of our
Lords Transfiguration, both in Palo, Leyte.
On Jan. 18, Pope Francis will spend the
day with a meeting with religious leaders
and will meet the youth at the University
of Santo Tomas and then will go on a
motorcade for the Concluding Mass at the
Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park. He will
leave the country on Jan. 19.
Archbishop
Socrates
Villegas,
president of the Catholic Bishops
Conference of the Philippines (CBCP),
asked the Filipino people to prepare
themselves spiritually for the coming of
His Holiness whose apostolic visit will
carry the message of pastoral love, mercy
and compassion.
I invite you all, my fellow Filipinos,
to extend a hearty and warm welcome
to our Pope. But most importantly let us
open our hearts to the message he will
bring and, even now, extend the love,
mercy, compassion and kindness that he
practices to one another, that he may find
in our country a blessed, kind, and grateful
people, Villegas said.
Let us all work and act together to make
his visit a moment of grace for us and our
country. When Pope Francis comes, he will
show us the face of God. When the Pope sees

FILJAP MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2015

us Filipinos, may he see the living God in us,

he added.
Here is the official itinerary:
Jan. 15, Arrival from Sri Lanka
Villamor Air Base Motorcade to the
Apostolic Nunciature Taft Avenue, Manila
Jan. 16, Welcome Ceremony
Malacaan Palace, Manila Motorcade to
the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate
Conception (Manila Cathedral) Mass with
Bishops, Priests and Religious CathedralBasilica of the Immaculate Conception
(Manila Cathedral) Motorcade to the Mall of
Asia Arena, Pasay Encounter with Families
Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay
Jan. 17, Departure for Archdiocese
of Palo Villamor Air Base Arrival at
Tacloban Airport Holy Mass Tacloban
Airport Lunch with the Poor and Survivors
of Calamities at Gonzagahaus (Residence
of the Archbishop of Palo) Palo, Leyte
Blessing of the Pope Francis Center for
the Poor Palo, Leyte Meeting with the
Priests and Religious at Cathedral of Our
Lords Transfiguration (Palo Cathedral)
Palo, Leyte Departure for Manila Arrival at
Manila Villamor Air Base
Jan. 18, Brief Meeting with the
Religious Leaders and Encounter with
the Youth Pontifical University of Santo
Tomas, Espaa, Manila Motorcade to Rizal
Park, Manila Concluding Mass, Rizal Park,
Manila
Jan. 19, Motorcade from the Apostolic
Nunciature Departure for Rome Villamor
Air Base

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Cover story

oni

Photos courtesy
of Star Cinema

gonzaga

r
e
G
ame
H
f
o
p
o
nT

She first hogged the spotlight when she screamed

I love you, Piolo in a softdrink commercial that had everyone imitating it. It had
such a good recall to the public that when she looks back, she would probably
tell herself that the said commercial started it all for her.

FILJAP MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2015

ifteen years later, she is now

known as Toni Gonzaga the
versatile celebrity who sings,
hosts, acts and makes the
viewing public laugh. Currently, she
is one of the busiest Kapamilya stars
hosting showbiz-oriented show The
Buzz and reality singing competition
The Voice of the Philippines,
performing in ASAP, promoting
her seventh album Celestine, and
recently, she starred in the movie hit
Starting Over Again opposite Piolo
Pascual and Iza Calzado.
Toni has an impeccable showbiz
track record. In 2002, she joined the
longest-running noontime show Eat
Bulaga that became her playground
in hosting. It was also where the
public first had a glimpse of Tonis
effervescing personality and that shes

gifted with comedic timing that not all

possesses.
She surprised the showbiz world
when she made the big move by
transferring to GMA-7s rival network,
ABS-CBN, to pursue new changes
and challenges for her career. Many
naysayers would say that leaving the
number one and most loved noontime
show would be Tonis downfall.
But they were wrong.
Tonis career went full swing with
one project after the other that always
sits well with the viewing public. She
reaped praises for her Pinoy Big
Brother (PBB) hosting stint, made
movie hits such as Four Sisters and
a Wedding, This Guys In Love With
U Mare!, My Amnesia Girl, Ang
Tanging Pamilya, My Big Love and
You Are The One.
Her newest album Celestine,
which was named after her real
name, has shown the singersongwriter side of her where
she wrote two songs This
Love is Like, and Awit ni
Ginny.
The
songs
in
my album are more
personal and closer
to my heart. It
shows who I
really am as a

singer, as an artist.
My real name, Celestine, means
heavenly. And like my name, I believe
that this album is a great gift from
heaven. It took a while for it to be
finished but Gods timing is always
perfect. This is the best album Ive ever
done, she said.
Aside from This Love is Like and
Awit ni Ginny, songs in the album
include Got You, Finally, Sweetest
Song, Oh Boy, Di Ba Halata, Kahit
Na (Remix), and Starting Over Again.
She
topbilled
a
successful
concert, Celestine, at the SM Mall of
Asia Arena last October as a way of
celebrating her 15th year anniversary
in the business.
And the biggest lesson she has
learned in her 15-year career?
I think it is very important that
you have faith in yourself first because
nobody will trust you or believe in you
if you dont believe yourself. It starts
within yourself because whatever you
believe, you become what you believe.
Your words will bring you where you
want to go 90 percent I read this in
one of the books. 90 percent of who
you are today is because of the words
you uttered when you were a kid, she
shared in her interview with Rappler.
No wonder shes called the
Ultimate Multimedia Star.

FILJAP MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2015

SPOTLIGHT

Photos courtesy of Miss International Beauty Pageant

IVE
EXCLUS

Bea Rose Santiago

Looks Back On Her Miss International Reign

TOKYO, Japan Before passing the crown to her successor last November 11, Miss International 2013 Bea Rose Santiago
granted our request for an email interview, where she talked about her humble beginnings, experiences during her reign,
future hopes and aspirations.
FILJAP: You started as a fashion
model, how did you get into the pageant
world?
Bea Rose: They scouted me when I
moved to Canada, I was walking downtown
Toronto. My mom sent my Myspace selfies
to Ford Torontos website, we signed a
week after.
FILJAP: Why did you choose to
represent the Philippines instead of
Canada in the pageants that you joined in?
Bea Rose: Because Im a Filipino by
heart. I chose to represent a country that is
proud of every candidate they send. I want
to be a part of that loving, supportive and
proud community.
FILJAP: How was it like competing in
Miss International 2013 and eventually
winning the crown?
Bea Rose: I seriously had the best time.
I prepared for the pageant and I came to
Japan to win. I really had no option B, which
was scary! I left my whole life in Canada for
a mission to be a beauty queen.

FILJAP: How do you feel now that youre

passing the crown to your successor?
Bea Rose: Its a bittersweet,
overwhelming feeling. I feel important with
the crown. Im scared and excited now for
the new journey.
FILJAP: What kind of a year has it
been for you? What has been the most
outstanding moment of your reign?
Bea Rose: Thereve been good times
and bad times. You cant have it all. Winning
the crown made me realize that everybody
is pleased and will try to ride with your
fame. Not everybody is your friend. But
being named a Filipino pride and a street
named in my honor its the best feeling
in the world!
FILJAP: One of the responsibilities
of any beauty queen is to be a role model
for young women. What have you brought
to this role and for what would you
particularly be remembered?
Bea Rose: I work with the United
Nations and Im leaning towards working

FILJAP MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2015

with them further. We have a campaign

called Iam. Watch out for it. I will also
continue working with NGOs involve in
women and youth empowerment.
FILJAP: Japan is a big part of your
reign. How do you find the country and its
people?
Bea Rose: I love Japan!!!! I want to
live in Tokyo! I think every human being
should learn from the Japanese! They are
behaved, well-mannered, respectful and
hardworking people.
FILJAP: Whats next for you after Miss
International?
Bea Rose: Im hoping for more hosting
jobs and to work with many charities. I love
being Miss International because I get to
work and live up my dream.
FILJAP: Lastly, what is your message
to aspiring beauty queens out there?
Bea Rose: Always give your 100
percent. In that way, you will never regret
anything.

celebrity news

Brad Pitt Hits Tokyo With Logan Lerman

TOKYO, Japan Hollywood a-lister Brad Pitt arrived in the Japanese capital together with young heartthrob Logan
Lerman on Nov. 14 to promote their latest film Fury, which hit theaters in the country on Nov. 28.

Photos by Din Eugenio & Florenda Corpuz

he two handsome actors were

welcomed by hundreds of
Japanese fans who held their
cameras and smart phones aloft
to take pictures of them at the Tokyo
International Airport. Pitt acknowledged
them with a cheerful tip of his fedora
hat while his co-star Lerman, simply
waved to the crowd.
The following day, Pitt and Lerman
spoke at a news conference in Tokyo
Midtown Hall.
Its great to be here again, Pitt
greeted the press.
The Fury actors narrated their
experiences while filming scenes inside

a tank.
The tank theres nothing
ergonomical or comfortable about it
But what was remarkable to me is that
the men, they lived in that space, they
had their meals there, they slept there,
they fought there, they went to bathroom
there. We need to think what the men
went through during those times under
these conditions. Its pretty heroic, Pitt
said who played Sgt. Don Wardaddy
Collier, a hardened tank commander.
Fury is such a unique experience
to film. We spent four months before
filming, living together, trying to bring
authenticity to the story. And on the set,

there were no breaks. We were trying to

bring honesty to the story and we really
gave 100 percent of ourselves in the
scenes. This is definitely the film I am
most proud of, the 22-year-old Lerman
confessed.
After the press conference, Pitt and
Lerman suited up to hit the red carpet
premiere of their film at TOHO Cinemas
in Yurakucho, where they were seen
signing autographs and posing for
pictures with ecstatic fans.
Fury is a dramatic war film about
a platoon of tanks and its five U.S.
soldiers fighting against the Nazis in
World War II.

FILJAP MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2015

10

FILJAP MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2015

FILJAP MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2015

11

embassy news

Secretary Del Rosario

Lauds Japans 60 Years of
Development Assistance
Photos by Florenda Corpuz

TOKYO, Japan Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario said on Nov. 17 that the Philippines and Japan, as strategic
partners and close friends, should continue to pursue an inclusive growth agenda that effectively put our peoples at
the center of development.

peaking
at
a
Symposium
commemorating
the
60th
anniversary of Japans Official
Development
Assistance
(ODA) programs, Secretary Del Rosario
thanked Japan for six decades of
steadfast support and contribution to
the Philippines development efforts, as
a genuine development partner of the
Philippines.The Secretary called for a refocus of Japanese ODA on strengthening
institutions and governance and building
disaster resilient communities. For
Japans ODA program to effectively
craft a people-centered development
response to emerging global challenges,
grant programs should concentrate on
innovation, science and technology, and
human capital development to increase
the skills, knowledge, and productivity of
Filipinos. For the next 60 years, he urged
Japan to continue its adherence towards
self-help and country ownership and to
keep up its efforts in fighting poverty, even
in middle-income countries.
For countries such as the Philippines,
Secretary Del Rosario stressed that ODA
can be used to upgrade and modernize
public institutions and the entire civil
service through institutional capacity12

building so as to make them attuned to

21st century governance. Indeed, the
program benefits become substantial when
strong institutions exist to implement ODA
projects.
We
therefore
welcome
more
innovative program partnerships with the
Japanese Government that will ensure the
irreversibility of our reform agenda, the
Secretary remarked during the Symposium
attended by over 500 participants at the Iino
Hall in Tokyo.
Secretary Del Rosario invited Japan
to invest in innovation and human capital
development because this strategy
becomes an imperative as the Philippines
enters its so-called demographic sweet
spot in 2015, when majority of its
population, with a median age of 22 years,
enters the workforce. In this connection, he
said that more grant programs that focus
on Science and Technology education must
be promoted.
On peacebuilding, particularly in
Mindanao, Secretary Del Rosario said
the Japan-Bangsamoro Initiative for
Reconstruction and Development (J-BIRD)
advanced the Mindanao peace process by
directly addressing poverty challenges and
development gaps in Southern Philippines.

FILJAP MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2015

To ensure that we continue to generate

peace dividends, we welcome Japans
recent initiatives under the Comprehensive
Capacity Development Project for the
Bangsamoro, he added.
At the panel discussion following his
remarks, the Secretary pointed out that
Japan has greatly contributed to peace and
development and thus for the next decades
the ODA should concentrate on training
new, young, and morally upright leaders
for peace-building and development,
particularly in Mindanao under the proposed
Bangsamoro Political Entity. He added that
given the challenge of mega disasters as
the new normal, the need to have a disaster
resilient country must be acknowledged
and to this end, there is therefore the need
to embed disaster resilient financing as an
element in ODA.
Japan celebrates this year the 60th
anniversary of its ODA initiated by its
accession to the Colombo Plan in 1954.
Under the theme; Growth and Poverty
Reduction: The Role of Japans ODA, the
Symposium provided the opportunities to
look back 60 years of Japans cooperation
and examine its fruits and values, as well as
to discuss the role of Japans international
cooperation in the new era.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario is welcomed by Japanese

Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida prior to their bilateral meeting in Tokyo.
Japan is the Philippines foremost
bilateral development partner. As of June 2014,
Japan has provided US$3.63 billion worth
of ODA representing the largest share (28.6
percent) of the Philippines total ODA portfolio.
Japanese ODA has directly contributed to

Philippines development efforts across

a wide range of priority areas, including
irrigation, flood control, education, health care,
earthquake detection, rural road network
construction and improvement, water supply,
and livelihood programs. In the aftermath of

Super Typhoon Yolanda, Japan was among the

first to provide emergency assistance to the
Philippines, continues to play a major role in
the reconstruction effort through the Yolanda
Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Recovery
Plan.

A nn o uncement
The Philippine Embassy in Tokyo will be closed on
December 23, 2014 until January 4, 2015 in observance of
Philippine and Japanese holidays.
The Embassy will open on January 5, 2015.

Thank you.
FILJAP MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2015

13

Bacolods

Masskerade

PHILIPPINE ADVENTUREs

Text and Photos by

Arlene Donaire

Look back, and smile on

perils past. -- Walter
Scott
The Pista sang Masskara
or Masskara Festival of
Bacolod City is an annual
cultural tradition that
celebrates life amidst adversities past, present
and foreboding, with an
endearing, charming, and
unmistakably everlasting
smile multiplied a thousands folds.
14

FILJAP MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2015

he word Masskara
was coined by the
late Filipino artist,
Ely Santiago from the
words mass (a multitude of
people) and the Spanish word
cara (face), thus forming
MassKara (a multitude of
faces). A predominant feature
of the festival is the use
of colorful and intricately
designed
smiling
masks,
worn by dancers and revelers
alike. The masks, which are
locally made by artisans and
craftsmen, have over the years,
acquired distinct characters
and identity of specific locales,
i.e., the barangays or schools
within the city, through specific
colors, raw materials and
motifs.
Held every third weekend
of October or closest to the
19th, the Masskara Festival
is city-wide commemoration
that features street dancing,
beauty pageant, drum and
bugle corps competitions,
food festivals, sports events,
musical concerts, agriculturetrade fairs, and garden shows
among others. It is one of
the most popular festivals in
the Philippines, with visitors
growing in numbers each year.
The Masskara Festival
pays tribute to the Negrenses
steadfast
character
and
symbolizes what the people
of the City of Smiles do best:
putting on a happy face when
confronted with challenges.
When the festival first began
in 1980, it was set against
a backdrop of a socioeconomic crisis and tragedy
that adversely affected the
city. The festival became a
vehicle for the citys artists,
local government and civic
groups to band together, with
the intent of reinvigorating
the community. The inaugural
festival was a show of force,
a declaration of strength and
faith that Bacolod City would
endure and rise up from the
slump.
Make your next Philippine
adventure be a charming one,
join the Masskerade in Bacolod
City!

*http://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/MassKara_Festival
* h t t p : / /
itsmorefuninthephilippines.
com/masskara-festival/
FILJAP MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2015

15

FACES

ABS-CBN is set to release another TV masterpiece soon via the heartwrenching

family drama series Flordeliza, which features the highly anticipated
return of the 90s iconic Kapamilya love team of Jolina Magdangal and
Marvin Agustin, who are both bound to reveal to the audience their more
mature and more dramatic roles.

Text and photos

courtesy of ABS-CBN

Jolina Reunites With Marvin

in ABS-CBNs Drama Series Flordeliza

olina and Marvin are known

for their romantic-comedy
projects. But over the years, we
saw them grow as individual
actors and both of them earned awards
of their own. And here in Flordeliza, they
will take their loveteam to the next level.
Both of them will take on serious roles
and perform heavy dramatic scenes, said
Master Storyteller Wenn V. Deramas, who
conceptualized and directed the reunion
project of the MarJo tandem.
Our series is a touching tale about
two families. It focuses on two mothers
and their respective daughters, who will
be drawn closer by love but torn apart by
one sad truth, Direk Wenn explained about
their series that will remind TV viewers
about the important role of the family in
molding the hearts and minds of children.
The title Flordeliza is based on
the names of the lead characters Florida
(Jolina) and her daughter Flor (Ashley
Sarmiento), and Elizabeth (Desiree
del Valle) and her child Liza (Rhed
Bustamante).
Flordeliza is one project that you
cannot turn down because of its beautuful

16

story, great director and talented cast,

said Marvin. The viewers will see a new
Marvin and Jolina tandem, who like our
characters in the series, are also parents
who always put their childrens welfare
first above all else.
Unlike before, our romantic moments
now have depth. Because in Flordeliza,
the stars are not just me, Marvin, Desiree
and the kids, but also, more importantly,
our story itself and the concept of family,
said Jolina.
Completing the Flordeliza cast are
Carlo Aquino, Elizabeth Oropesa, Tetchie
Agbayani and Juan Rodrigo. It is also under
the direction of Tots Sanchez-Mariscal IV.
Marvin-Jolina Love Team
Marvin and Jolina were last seen
together as Kapamilyas in the 1999
blockbuster hit movie, Hey Babe, and
on TV via the top-rated romantic comedy
series, Labs Ko Si Babe, that aired from
1999 to 2000.
It feels so good that even before the
official announcement about Flordeliza,
a lot of people were already expressing

FILJAP MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2015

their delight over our reunion project on

ABS-CBN. Many of them even reminisced
about how they loved our tandem since
the beginning and until today, said Jolina
about the unexpected social media buzz
caused by the MarJo reunion updates.
Im really amazed with the intense
reaction of the people on social social
media. Its heartwarming to know that they
miss the chemistry that Jolina and I have
as a tandem, said Marvin.
Despite being well-known for their
wholesome and romantic-comedy films
and TV series, Jolina and Marvin assured
the TV viewers that Flordeliza will be a
project like no other.
Aside from our first love scene, the
viewers will be shocked with my role and
the relationship that she has with Marvins
character. Im sure that this is something
youre not expecting to see us in, said
Jolina about the upcoming Kapamilya
teleserye directed by master storyteller
Wenn V. Deramas.
Flordeliza is a heartwrenching
family drama series that demonstrates the
important role of the family in molding the
hearts and minds of children.

Philippine Jazz Concert

FILCOM WATCH

and Mini Culture & Tourism Seminar Held in Tokyo

Be
Be
Published

o you have the knack

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have something in
mind that you want
to Share? This is your
chance to be heard!
FilJap Magazine is
inviting you, our valued
readers, to submit
informative, entertaining
and interesting articles
(must be written in 300-500
words, MS Word format)
and photos (should be in
high resolution, 100 dpi
at the minimum), which
are original and never
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Announcements of events
are also welcome.
You can send them to
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We want to
hear from

YOU!

he ASEAN-Japan Centre organized a Jazz

Concert & Mini Culture & Tourism Seminar
on Nov. 8 at the ASEAN-Japan Centre in
Tokyo.
Around 40 people attended the seminar
on Philippine culture and tourism, while roughly
100 people participated in the concert headlined
by Charito, Warren De Luna and Jazz Ramirez,
and graced by Ambassador Manuel M. Lopez and
Madame Maria Teresa L. Lopez.
Popular Philippine dishes and sweets like
chicken adobo, fish sisig, pichi-pichi and dried
fruits were served to the guests. Edaya, a jewelry
brand, exhibited some of their items.

Photos courtesy of ASEAN-Japan Centre

Caught in the Act!

Michelle

Maria Cristina Colico

English Teacher

Freelance Actress/Model

Submit your best

pose to the editor
at dang010@
yahoo.com or
filjapmagazine@
yahoo.com.

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readers!

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Jelyn, Jerome, Joshua and Jennifer

(Futamatagawa, Yokohama)
FILJAP MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2015

17

HAPPENINGS AROUND TOWN

Facebook Photo/Francis Xavier Pasion

Francis Xavier Pasions Bwaya was awarded the

Grand Prize at the closing ceremony of the 15th
Tokyo Filmex, held Nov. 22-30 in Tokyo.

Photo by Din Eugenio

Major League Baseball (MLB) players Hector

Santiago from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
and Jerry Blevins from the Washington Nationals
visited Kabuki-za Gallery in Ginza on Nov. 16 to
learn Japanese traditional culture through kabuki.
Kabuki actor Ichikawa Somegoro welcomed them.
Santiago and Blevins were in Japan for the 2014
Suzuki All-Star Series, a friendly five-game series
between Samurai Japan and MLB All-Star Team.

Facebook Photo/Japan Food Festa 2014

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

succesfully held the Japan Food Festa 2014, an event that
provides enjoyment of the Japanese national selection of
food, at Marunouchi Naka-Dori in Tokyo last Nov. 1 and 2.

Submit an Event
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organizations to send us
your event announcements
for possible publication.
Please send them to
filjapmagazine@yahoo.com.

Facebook Photo/Tokyo Harvest

To get everyone excited about autumn harvests,

the Tokyo Harvest Committee, which was set up
to express respect and gratitude for farmers and
fishers, held the Tokyo Harvest last Nov. 8 and 9 at
Roppongi Hills Arena in Tokyo.

18

FILJAP MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2015

Photo courtesy of PRAP JAPAN

The Washoku and Rice Reception for Foreign

Media in Japan was held last Nov. 10 at the
Foreign Correspondets Club of Japan to highlight
not only last years designation of Washoku as
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, but also
the growing foreign interest in Japanese food, as
well as drawing foreign attention to the appeal
of Japanese rice as the foundation of Japanese
dietary cuisine.

Facebook Photo/Tokyo Nail Expo 2014

The Japan Nailist Association held the Tokyo Nail

Expo 2014 last Nov. 16 and 17 at Tokyo Big Sight,
where presentations introducing the latest colorful
nail trends of spring/summer 2015 alongside
fashion, as well as workshops, demonstrations
and more were made by top nailists.
The Nail Queens and King 2014, were Miki
Ando, Mirei Kiritani, May J, Youn-A, Rola, Naomi
Kawashima and Matsuya Onoe.

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