Press Release
September 11, 2007

PIMENTEL PRODS DFA TO WORK OUT AGREEMENT WITH TOKYO
TO TAKE CARE OF CHILDREN LEFT BY JAPANESE PARENTS

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Nene" Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) today called on the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to take the initiative to negotiate a bilateral agreement with the Japanese government to address the plight of Filipino children who have been left behind by their Japanese fathers.

Pimentel lamented that the future of about 200,000 "abandoned" children of Japanese parentage - sometimes called "Japinoys" - is uncertain unless efforts are made to find their real fathers to take care of their needs.

"It is better to immediately raise this issue as a concern of the government of the Philippines by directly talking with the foreign office of Japan and suggesting that we should have some agreement to help these children of Japanese parents in the Philippines," he told a gathering of Japinoys at the Traders Hotel Ballroom on Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City.

The affair was graced by the presence of three Japanese Senators - Shiina Kazuyasu, Nomura Tetsuro and Yamauchi Toshio - who visited the country to get a first-hand information on the condition of the Japinoys and to explore ways to alleviate their difficulties.

Pimentel said that since the mothers of these abandoned children are Filipino citizens, they are considered Filipino citizens under Philippine laws.

He promised to help them secure the necessary papers with the National Statistics Office (NSO) to establish their birth and nationality.

Pimentel asked for the names of the children and the places where they come from so that he can refer them to the NSO to facilitate their registration and their recognition as Filipino citizens.

He expressed his appreciation to Japanese Senators Kazuyasu, Tetsuro and Toshio for journeying to the Philippines to help the Japinoys.

Pimentel described the children of Japanese and Filipino parents as among the most beautiful people on earth because they represent a combination of Filipino idealism, and Japanese practicality, dedication and discipline.

"These are the ingredients that will turn these young people into the most productive citizens of the land where they are living," he said.

He said these children should be proud that Japanese blood is in their veins because the Japanese people are a distinguished race in the world.

"It is the Japanese people who have shown that we, Asians, are not behind the Westerners. The Japanese people have proven that and since you have the blood of the Japanese, you should also be proud of that accomplishment," Pimentel said.

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