The Japanese government is just one of the international supporters who are helping in the relief and aid efforts of various countries from around the world. One of the workers sent by Japan is a fluent Tagalog (Filipino) speaking aid worker who is currently deployed in Tacloban City.
Watch the interview of Matsuda, Japanese Aide Worker:
The deputy team leader of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Shigehiro Matsuda, is a fluent speaker of our very own Tagalog or Filipino language. Matsuda used the word “resilient” in describing the Filipinos characters when disaster strikes.
He was quoted as saying, “May mga ngiti pa sa mukha nila, so medyo relieved na ako,” he said. (There are smiles on their faces so I’m a little relieved now.) The former student of the University of the Philippines also added that “Malakas kasi ang relasyon ng Hapon at Pilipinas, siguro wala kaming choice na hindi pupunta, hindi tumulong sa kaibigang Filipino,”) Matsuda stated during an interview with Rappler.
The team of JICA arrived in the Philippines last Thursday, November 14, 2013, by Friday they were already conducting medical services and delivering relief goods to the areas in Samar and Leyte provinces.
Shigehrio Matsuda also revealed during his interview that he has been to Tacloban City before and he knows what it looks like and he was saddened with the current state of the City after Yolanda.
