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My Dream House

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Little House on the Prairie

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Open the windows and let the sun in.

Oh, listen how sweet the birds sing;

The bond of winter has broken away,

It's time to rejoice and greet spring.

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Hillsides are lovely in green once again

And blossoms appear on the trees.

Flowers are waking aroused by spring's kiss

And lilac scent drifts on the breeze.

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Earth now is bursting with joy and rebirth.

Oh, how can a soul fail to sing!

After life's winter comes comes heart - peace and hope

All part of God's promise called spring.

"A kind word gives encouragement to the despondent heart, and a cruel word makes others sob their way to the grave."

Filipinas Magazine Editorial

When the Government Is a Pimp

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In an attempt to curb human trafficking, the Japanese government passed new legislation that will require Filipino entertainers, mostly women, to undergo at least two years of formal training in a performing arts institution, or have a minimum of two years performing experience in an entertainment venue outside of Japan. Tokyo's action is in response to a report from the United States citing Japan and the Philippines "as countries on the verge of losing its war against human trafficking," although only 27 cases of human trafficking involving Filipinos were reported from 1999 to 2002. The Philippines is not the only country affected by this new law. Filipino entertainers, who work as dancers, singers and musicians, make up 60 percent of foreign artists in Japan.

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The Confederated Association of Licensed Entertainment Agencies (CALEA) says that the new hiring rule will pose a problem because there are not enough training institutions in the Philippines. There are about 300,000 Filipinos working in Japan, and 94 percent are entertainers or overseas performing artists (OPA); 95 percent of OPAs in Japan are women. This new law will displace around 80,000 workers deployed yearly to Japan. The Philippines (as of this writing) is still trying to get some concessions from Japan "as a sign of friendship" between the two countries. After all, it will lose some P15.86 billion in remittances annually from those entertainers.

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The economic benefits OPAs bring to their families, recruiters, government, employers and customers are unquestionable. It is perhaps becauseof these financial gains that everybody is turning a blind eye to the real plight of the women. No matter how you mask it, prostitution is prostitution and the Philippine and Japanese governments cannot feign ignorance. The Philippine government has, in effect, acted as the PIMP by allowing and encouraging women to be "entertainers" in Japan (or Japayukis as they are often reffered to). In return, the remittances flow and the government doesn't have to be bothered with finding jobs for them at home. Japayukis are not hired for their performing talents but for how many customers they can lure every night. Although the women are initially employed as legitimate entertainers, eventually they are forced to engage in sexual acts. Women admitted in a recent survey that they never filed charges against their Filipino recruiters or Japanese employers for abuse because they were not aware of their rights or the terms of their contracts, including the salaries they were supposed to receive.

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The women are not the only victims. There are now thousands of abandoned Japanese-Filipino children. According to the Commission on Filipino Overseas, some 6,000 Filipino women marry Japanese men in the Philippines every year. MALIGAYA HOUSE, established in 1998, helps Filipino mothers locate and contact their Japanese partners to negotiate for the recognition and financial support of their children. Unfortunately, in many cases, when the fathers are located they are unable to provide support for the child because they have many debts, are already married, remain uncooperative or deny fathering the children.

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Mizuho Matsumoto, a volunteer at Maligaya House, says, "As a Japanese, I feel ashamed. There are so many irresponsible fathers in Japan... Job opportunities here are hard, I understand this, but when I think of the problem of the Japanese-Filipino children, I think they (the Japanese Embassy) should really limit giving visas as it affects the image of the Filipinos. They think of Filipino women entertainers going to Japan as prostitutes."

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Matsumoto and the rest of us see the real picture. Why can't the Philippine government? Why can't they stop the exploitation of our women? -- MLY

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(Filipinas Magazine Editorial, March 2005)

Each Day With You (A Valentine)

Flowers for you on this lovely evening

Though they have no words they share my feelings

As we walk along the avenue (CPG?)

Pardon me, I just cant help staring at you.

* * *

When I look into those sparkling eyes

I float in the air and wander in paradise

You give my heart a source of inspiration

Your beauty is beyond imagination.

* * *

You are the one, the only one I desire

When we touch, when we're one, you light the fire

The seasons we share hand in hand

There seems to be no time

Each day with you becomes a valentine!

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Time must go on and so must we

Moments slip away but not the memories

One day as we look back we'll always treasure

Candlelight that shines beyond forever...

You

You give me hope, the strength, the will to keep on

No one else can make me feel this way (char!)

And only you can bring out all the best I can

I believe you turn the tide

And make me feel real good inside

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You push me up when I'm about to give up

You're on my side when no one seems to listen

Now if you go you know the tears can't help but show

It'll break this heart and tear it apart

Then suddenly this madness starts...

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It's your smile... your face... your lips that I'll miss

Those sweet li'l eyes that stare at me and make me say

"I'm with you through all the way."

Cause it's you who fill the emptiness in me

It changes everything you see

When I know I've got you...

With me!