Name: Mylene de Joya Garcia-Albano
Title: Ambassador of the Philippines to Japan
URL:
Hometown: Davao
Years in Japan: 1
What was your first connection with Japan?
Davao has had a large Japanese population since the 1920s, and people came for the production of abaca (a banana-like plant harvested for its fibers). I had Japanese classmates in grade school, and I remember how we used to exchange stickers and stationery, and that was really my first connection to Japan. We didn¡¯t think of it as a cultural thing in those days; it was very natural and childlike, but I knew these were my friends and that they came from another culture!
Since coming to Japan, what are your favorite aspects of life here, and what do you miss most about the Philippines?
Things are so clean and orderly here, and people are so polite. Of course, what I miss most is my family back home! My husband remained back in the Philippines, where he is the governor of the province of Isabela. However, my son came with me to Tokyo and is taking a Japanese language class here. Other than that, I love what I am doing and I find it very rewarding.
What are some common points between the two countries?
The Philippines and Japan share the fact that we are very vulnerable to natural disasters, so we have been working together, learning from Japan about the best way to deal with the effects of climate change and disasters. We are also looking forward to learning from Japan¡¯s smart agriculture and how we can do things in a more sustainable way.
Do you have a motto in life or some idea that has inspired you?
I¡¯ve always tried to do the best that I could, wherever I was and whatever I was doing, and then later I find that all the hard work has led to something that I could never have imagined. I naturally gravitate towards reaching out to people. It connects to my background as a legislator. I don¡¯t wait for them to ask; I try to figure out the issues they may be experiencing and try to identify solutions.
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