Bayaning Pilipino sa Japan 2015

INDIVIDUAL CATEGORY

Rita A. Kita (Country Winner)

• Sendai, Japan

Fourteen years ago, Rita Kita came to Japan and settled in Ibaraki Prefecture.  She worked as a part-time English teacher, before she and her husband decided to move to Sendai.

She and her husband are both active members of the Philippine Committee of the Hyakunincho Church, which was created by the church to look after the welfare of Filipino migrants in Japan, especially Japanese-Filipino children who were abandoned by their Japanese father.

Rita also works as an active volunteer counselor of KAFIN MIGRANT CENTER (KMC) providing counseling to distressed and disadvantaged Filipinas who are mostly victims of domestic violence and other labor and immigration-related issues.  She regularly facilitates workshops and act as trainer in various KMC events that are aimed at empowering migrants, especially women to cope with issues and problems confronting them every day.  She eagerly joins negotiations to settle labor problems and disputes taking on the side of migrants who have been treated unfairly at their workplace.

She also founded the Migrante Tohoku Advocacy Center utilizing a small space offered by a member who own a small snack bar in Sendai City.  The space offered serves as office and counseling, meetings and other smaller events for Filipinos in the morning.

Rita also stands as an adviser to young Filipino scholars called “KAPATIRAN” & “DAMAYAN” who are both based in Sendai.  An organization composed of mostly married migrants, KAPATIRAN & DAMAYAN provides shelter at night for Filipino scholars, space to gather for core group meeting, birthday celebrations and other special events.  She made this as a venue to listen to their personal problems & challenges using her vast experience as a social worker & counselor.

Her desire to help is relentless and her passion to service is truly admirable.  Rita, like many Filipinos around the world is a proof that the Philippines is truly a nation of heroes.

COUNTRY FINALISTS

1. Jenavilla B. Shigemizu - Tokyo, Japan
2. Helen Naig Hanzawa - Chiba, Japan