| Date |
| 2/1/2010 |
| By |
| Evangelina G. Lawas, Ces. Elig |
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| Welcome! |
| Message |
The ASEAN-Japan Friendship Programme that has been started in 1984 by the then Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone has been through five (5) phases and in 2007 renamed Training of Young Leaders. The duration was reduced from one (1) month exposure to Japan into eighteen (18) days full training. But whatever name you call it, and for how long one stays in Japan, still the Japan fever and the friendship is still in the air no matter how many years had passed, no one can deny that a sparkle can be seen in our eyes every time someone mentions about the Japan experience.
Many members are abroad, some are already dead and others are now occupying high positions either in the government and private sectors or have businesses of their own.
Japan has been successful in influencing our personal and professional life and even some of our hobbies and sports.
We need to continue to be as one family, keeping in mind that we are just one of the selected and lucky few who were given the privilege and the chance to be exposed to its people, culture, tradition, economy and simply its place.
This website was designed solely for the members of the Philippine ASEAN-Japan Friendship Association for the 21st Century, Inc and now extending the invitation to the past participants of the Training of Young Leaders who is also a part of the JAPAN's family.
Any noble suggestion, constructive comments or productive and related featured articles you may want to contribute are most welcomed !
My warm personal regards to all !
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| Date Reported |
| 4/22/2012 |
| Reporter |
| Brix Igcasenza and Mayor Carla |
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| THE RICHNESS OF THE ASEAN HERITAGE AND CULTURE (Bridging Friendship Among Nations) |
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Having gone to a remarkable and marvelous place for the first time is such a refreshing experience and much more so when remembering great moments spent with great people. Not an exception to this is our trip to Indonesia as I took part at the 17th ASEAN-Japan Friendship Association (AJAFA) Regional Leaders Forum 2011 themed “Protecting and Promoting Culture & Cultural Heritage to Enhance Friendship and Mutual Understanding among the People of ASEAN & International Community”.There, a great opportunity to discover other’s culture and establish linkages with other nationals and leaders have opened for me.
It was November 15 when our group from the Philippines set foot at Amaris Hotel located at Yogyakarta, the place considered as the heart of Java, Indonesia. The group consist of dynamic and vibrant individuals coming from diffrent regions and diverse industries: Mayor Loreto Uy (Leyte), Mayor Carla Galvez Tan (Bulacan), Dr. Joey Lateo (Malabon), Nerivi Martinez (Nueva Ecija), Rommel Amihan (Bacolod), Alfredo Mutia (Agusan), Bianca Lawas (Manila), Karina Tabuzo (Bicol), Mary Ann Tajaal (Bicol) and Bernie Igcasenza (Rizal). Meeting new acquiantances is always atop of all the great experiences that we were about to savor in the duration of the conference. There, our journey to some great experiences commenced.
The second day, November 16, was full of learning on leadership skills acquistion processes and an introduction to what shall we have all thoughout the conference through the opening program and succeeding two sessions and discussions related to the aforementioned theme. The day was filled with great opportunity to learn more about the host country and opened possibilities of adopting new ways of promoting culture and cultural heritage to the international community as equipped with proper managerial and leadership skills. Indeed, learning new things has always been so interesting.
On the next day, we did a tree planting activity together with the teachers and students of SMAN 3, a secondary school at Yogkarta. The school ambiance is an epitomy of not just a place conducive to learning but an environmental friendly campus as well. This could be a good resemblance of a learning environment in our schools in the Philippines. Then we visited the famous Prambanan Temple. This is the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia and considered one of the majestic temples in Southeast Asia being also proclaimed as a UNESCO world heritage site. I have observed in this temple not just the religion of the Indonesians but more so, their culture and the transition of their cultural heritage. Then on, we realize that preserving like places in our country is one way of showcasing to the world- our great cultural begginings that laid to our societal foundation at present. We ended that day with a trip toi the center of silver and craft or Batik through which we witnessed the marvelous craftmanship of the Indonesian folks.
The succeeding day gave us another opportunity to explore and tour around Indonesia. Our first destination was the Yogyakarta Sultanate Palace, the center of Java/Yogyakarta cultural heritage. There we experienced the marvel of the Indonesian heritage as seen in their history. We found a wider array of understanding about their culture and ways of living seeing the representaions of their humble begginings. Within the grounds of the Sultanate Palace is a place they call Tamansari which we later found out means ‘taman’ (garden or park) and ‘sari’ (beatiful or flower).I had a sense of the well off living of their highness during those ancient times.
Our last destination was another UNESCO world heritage site, the Borobudur Temple. This is a Buddist temple and is considered the greatest Buddist monuments in the world. According to the history, this sanctuary was exposed to volcanic eruption and other ravages of nature and was neglected for years but was eventually restored to credit the richness of its history as part of the campaign of the government to preserve like sites for the next generation to see where their civilization uprooted did. There’s no greater opportunity to learn history than to get a close encounter to our preserved historical sites.
Having payed visit to those historical and remarkable sites, I had a profound realization of the importance of our culture and cultural heritage not just for our own nationals but for the international community as well. From these, we could learn and might as well discover the things that helped our ancestors ensue with their undertakings in the past and those that helped them ensue with the future. Then, I gave an affirmation to myself that as a leader in our community, I must take the first step to preserve and develop our cultural heritage as symbols and foundation of our rich history and a progressive community. KAPPIJA-21 Indonesia-Thank you for the unforgettable experiences and the learning. Now, we appreciate more the culture and our heritage...MABUHAY!!
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| Date Reported |
| 4/22/2012 |
| Reporter |
| Doc Pam and Doc Joey |
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| Balik Berde, Balik Sigla: PAJAFA 21 Medical Mission |
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The Philippine ASEAN – Japan Friendship Association for the 21st Century, or PAJAFA-21 as we know it, in cooperation with the City Government of Bulacan and the Brotherhood of Medical Scholars (BMS) of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, held its yearly medical mission last October 8, 2011, in Brgy Saop, Marilao, Bulacan.
This year’s medical mission aimed to lessen the burden of fellow Filipinos who suffered during the rampage of Typhoon Pedring, which heavily hit and brought damages to Central Luzon and Metro Manila.
The mission, which commenced in the morning, officially started with Ms. Evangelina Lawas delivering the welcome speech in behalf of PAJAFA-21. Ms. Gladys C. Sta. Rita, the Director General of Liberal Party, member of the Board of the Philippine Oil Commission and an active member of PAJAFA-21 likewise gave a speech to commend the selfless dedication of PAJAFA-21 in heeding their call for a medical mission.
The medicines were donated by Puwersa Ng Bayaning Atleta headed by Mr. Ramnick Sta. Rita a former Philippine delegate to the Youth International Exchange Program in Hokkaido, Japan; Child Hope ASIA-Philippines, with the courtesy of Dr. Harvey Carpio; MGA GAWA Acts Foundation with its President Dr. Tan Cho Chiong; KAMANGGAWA of GMA 7; and Ms. Rhea Sta. Rita of Gawad Kalinga. The Barangay Leaders of Brgy. Saog under the stewardship of Brgy. Captain Froilan Angeles also bought urinalysis and blood strips for the urine and cholesterol examination.
Many residents of Bulacan went to the medical mission inspite of the bad weather. The PAJAFA-21 doctors and nurses and BMS doctors and other volunteers joined hands in attending to the medical needs of the people. Aside from free medical check-ups, other services offered during this activity included free ECG and urine examination. Free medicines and vitamins were also provided to those in need of them.
The mission ended at around 1:00 PM, after which a hearty lunch was served to all the volunteers in the Municipal Hall.
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| Date Reported |
| 4/22/2012 |
| Reporter |
| Evangelina G. Lawas, Ces Elig. |
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| LEADERSHIP TRAINING “Leading Myself and Others Towards a More Meaningful Life” |
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In line with the thrusts of PAJAFA-21 to continuously upgrade the leadership capability of its members, a Leadership Training was held at the 22nd floor, Executive Lounge of the Makati City Hall, Jose P. Rizal Avenue, Makati on September 3, 2011.
Members coming from Iloilo City, Benguet, Batangas, Bicol, Laguna, Pampanga and Metro-Manila attended the said training. We had as our Resource Person Ms. Serely Geraldine Alcaraz, a renowned international human resource development expert, and proudly to mention as one of our active members, shared her skills and knowledge to the participants. Around forty (40) members of PAJAFA-21 participated, together with Ms. Mary Anne Bakisan. Program Officer from JICA Philippine Office, enjoyed and learned so much from the activity.
The participants requested for more training of this kind in the future activities of PAJAFA-21.
Below were the learning we got from the training:
10 STEPS TO SUCCESS:
1. Take 100% responsibility for your life
2. Build self-esteem and remove roadblocks
3. Clarify your purpose, missions and vision.
4. Set specific, measurable goals. Clarify “how much” and “by when”.
5. Visualize and affirm your desired outcomes. Use the Law of Attraction.
6. Create an action plan for how you will achieve your goal.
7. Take massive action
8. Ask for and respond to feedback
9. Persevere. Never give up
10. Reap the rewards, celebrate your successes, and have an “attitude of gratitude”.
9 WAYS TO EFFECTIVELY DEAL WITH NEGATIVE PEOPLE AND SITUATIONS:
1 Stay away/avoid hem
2 Don’t take them too seriously
3 Visualization (fountain) /anchoring
4 Reframing and Positive Self-Talk
5 Focus on solutions and opportunities
6 EFT-Emotional Freedom Technology
7 Releasing Exercise, meditate, pray
8 Motivational programs and having a coach
9 Help/support others to improve.
ON HAPPINESS:
“ Look for reasons to be unhappy and you will find them. Look for reasons to be happy and you will find them. You find what you look for” Andrew Matthews
HOW TO HANDLE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK:
1. Don’t get angry at the person.
2. Don’t cave in and give.
3. Don’t close yourself off to feedback. Don’t be defensive.
4. Listen to it. Thank the person for telling you and decide if you want to do anything about it.
5. It’s OK to be off-course on your way to success. Just get back on-course and keep on going. Be willing to risk and listen.
• You have to give up ALL : Blaming, Complaining, Justifying, Defending, Making Excuses.
• Essence of the Secret of Law of Attraction: Think, imagine, feel, act and focus on what I want positively (not what I don’t want) and attract more of that in to my life.
• Practice persistence: “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always try just one more time”. Thomas A. Edison
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