Registration of Fil-Jap children starts August 1
All Japanese-Filipino Children (JFC's) living in Western Visayas are called upon to register starting August 1 this year in the registration initiated by the Center for Japanese-Filipino Children's Assistance (CJFCA) and the Development Action for Women Network (DAWN).
As of 2006, there are 1,217 Filipino spouses and other partners of Japanese nationals recorded in the region. The figure comprised 1.6 percent of the total number of Filipino spouses and other partners of Japanese nationals in the country.
The National Capital Region posted the highest number with 46,733 or 60.1 percent of Filipino spouses and other partners of Japanese nationals. However, the figures provided by the Commission on Filipino Overseas do not contain the number of JFCs. JFCs are new Nikkeijins, a Japanese term that refers to people of Japanese descent living outside Japan.
Nevertheless, the CJFCA estimated that there are already 100,000 to 200,000 JFCs in the country. JFCs are those born out of marriage or relationships between Filipinos and Japanese. Most of them are born after the 1980s as a result of the migration of Filipino entertainers to Japan.
The registration which will start on August 1 to September 2007 aims to get a socio-demographic profile of JFC in the entire country. The registration will likewise determine the JFCs whereabouts, situations and their needs. Possible interventions coming from the non-government organizations and from the Philippine and Japanese governments are also being eyed.
The registration will be at the regional consular offices of the Department of Foreign Affairs and CJFCA in Metro Manila.