Sunday, April 10, 2011

Philippines offers Japan calamity victims a place to stay


As more uncertainty grows in the devastated Tōhoku and Kantō regions of Japan following the trio disasters of earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis, plus the recent powerful 7.1 magnitude aftershock that had so far killed five people, many Japanese fear they might soon leave the country.
Good news is that the Philippines is offering a place to stay.
Davao City, which is located in the Mindanao Island, is welcoming Japanese disaster victims to temporarily reside in the southern province while rehabilitation is being done in their villages, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported.
Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said that his province can accommodate the entire population of the areas affected by the triple calamities.
In the first batch, at least 20 Japanese senior citizens are expected to arrive anytime in Davao, Duterte said earlier this week while reassuring that visitors will be treated well.
"The best that we can do is to help them, after all Filipinos are treated very well in their country. We look forward with hope for the Japanese people.
"I don't mind how many of them will be coming over, as long as they behave well while they are in Davao. They can even be as many as thousands."
Davao City is the largest city in Mindanao with a population of 1.36 million (2007). Its seaports and international airport are one of the busiest in the country.
Awarded by the tourism department as the Most Livable City in the Philippines in 2008, the City of Davao has no typhoons because of its location and has no clear-cut wet and dry season.
It has a tropical temperature that ranges between 20 and 32 degrees Celsius. The average annual rainfall reaches 2,000 mm.
Author's note: Check out the five photos of my visit to this lovely city in 2007. I enjoyed staying there. The fruits and local dish were delicious. The marine life is vibrant. The place is safe.
Details of this report here.
allvoices

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