The members of Batch 2000 were Mr. Naotaka Kawamura (third visit), Ms. Mayuka Nakahira (second visit), Ms. Kayo Nagazono, Ms. Taeko Ikeda, and Mr. Takashi Nishitate.

The group mainly undertook the Balangiga Historical Tour, to retrace places and landmarks associated with the "Balangiga Massacre" and the bloody aftermath of that famous defeat of the U.S. military during the Philippine-American War at the turn of the century. Other places visited include Tacloban, Palo and Sta. Fe.

Addendum: Nearly one year after the tour of Batch 2000, Mr. Nishitate submitted another paper containing additional reflections, including his observations during a second visit to the Philippines (around Metro Manila) in August 2000. The title of his expanded reflection is The Unforgettable Philippine Study Tour 2000.

This is my third time to participate in historical tours prepared by Prof. Rolando Borrinaga of UP-SHS. And every time, I am forced to reconsider the importance of politics.

Like it or not, our daily life is very much influenced by the political situation around us. This is my hypothesis that was proven by experience during the three tours.

In 1997, I had a chance to climb Hill 522 (in Palo), a historical place of World War II. Many Japanese and Americans were forced to fight each other on this hill more than 50 year ago. They surely had their own lives in their countries. However, they had to participate in military action because of the political situation at that time.

In 1999, I went to Biliran Island and met an old lady who had a Japanese fiance during World War II. They fell in love but had to be separated from each other (and never to meet again) because of the political situation at that time.

This time in Balangiga, I was so impressed by a love story between an American soldier and a native woman. If the United States had not invaded the Philippines and the Philippine-American War had not occurred, the two (lovers) would not have met each other and also did not have to fight (for their respective causes later).

In reality, the U.S. decided to dispatch soldiers to the Philippines and to Balangiga. This was needed to satisfy their national interests, both economic and geopolitical. This meant that the pure, serious and sad romance (in Balangiga) was produced by the political situation at that time.

Until now, Balangiga is influenced by the political situation. The U.S. has not given any kind of development project in this area because of the massacre (of U.S. soldiers by local freedom fighters in 1901).

I am also in politics. I was born in 1975 in a small town in the rural part of Japan. After World War II, Japan was positioned by the U.S. as a wall against the communist countries. Because of this political situation, Japan could accomplish economic development and kept (itself) out of (involvement in) war. Thanks to that, I could finish my education from pre-school to college without poverty or death.

So, if we are always influenced by politics, it is very important to understand how politics works around us. What kind of power is effective or ineffective? Politics for peace. Politics for ordinary people: ourselves. This is what we should pursue, what we should learn from experience in the tours.

I have studied a lot of things during this tour. I would like to write my opinion on two points:

1. About the Balangiga bells

   During the Balangiga Historical Tour, I found out the differences in historical perception between America and the Philippines and the publics (peoples) of these two countries. I could understand the (tension) in the relationship between America and the Philippines through the Balangiga bells (issue).

   In visiting (Balangiga), I could meet some people who live very close to their history.

   The Philippines, especially Leyte and Samar Islands, are kind of a small space in this world. But in these areas have taken root a people's history that was deeply (influenced) by the invasion of Spain, America, and Japan.

   There are differences in historical recognition between country and people because Filipinos rely on American support for their development. As part of international society, the Philippines (is supposed to be) independent from America. In (reality), it is not. The Philippines calls on America before it does something.

   America is at the top of the world, as world police and NATO army. So he won't return the bells (of Balangiga).

   What I mean is after the Japanese invaded here, the American army came here again as releaser (liberator) of the Filipinos. But the result is, America did not come as releaser (liberator). She just spread her rule over this country, and the situation has not changed till now. (America) just changed her style from the way of war to the flow of capitalism.

   You can understand this very well through the Balangiga bells (issue).

2. Responsibility as a Japanese

   Last year, I came to Leyte. I realized a heavy guilt and started to (assume) responsibility as a Japanese.

   After I went back to Japan, I tried to find out how I can accomplish this responsibility. But I am just a student, and so I was helpless at that time.

   This time, we found out a way to accomplish my/our responsibility through an understanding of the history of the Balangiga Massacre.

   We will make a report as Japanese (whose forebears during the war also conducted) massacres in this country. In the report, which shall include (World War II), we will find out and make sure something in common as same peoples (human beings) could be achieved (through recommended collaborative activities).

   This might be one way of making a peaceful world.

Here is my simple poem:

On the whole, this study tour gave me these five impressions:

1. Development with Minimum Basic Needs (MBN)
2. New view about Japan
3. New view about America
4. Local management
5. New era

1. I felt inconvenienced by the water supply system. Water is one of the minimum basic needs. In Japan, we are not worried about water, electricity, telephone, and so on. But in the Philippines, the minimum basic needs are not adequately supplied.

2. During the war, the Japanese were regarded like devils. When I walked up Hill 522 (in Palo), I felt the war was a losing (proposition) for both the soldiers and the people who lived there. I had regarded Japan as bad, but I felt during the tour that the Japanese were also a victim (of the war). I suppose seeking the truth and revealing the background on why the war broke out so that this would never happen again is expected of us.

3. I confirmed again the power of America in Balangiga. It seems to me that Balangiga lacks support for minimum basic needs (MBN) because of their history. Filipinos attacked American soldiers and the "kill and burn" revenge happened. I suppose this is the reason why Balangiga remains poor.

4. When I visited Sta. Fe (in Leyte), I found the place one good example of a well-doing town. The mayor knows very well what they could do for themselves and what to ask for. The mayor managed to meet people's needs and (the town is) actually improving year by year.

5. What we can do is most important for me. I feel there are actually some things we can do. We can continuously support (by providing more books to) the SHS Library and by helping sell art works (of the Atitipalo artists of Palo) in Japan. In a sense, our seminar (can act like) an NGO.

Lastly, I feel a new era is coming. People in the Philippines are generously trying to understand Japan and the Japanese.

I felt many impressions during the Balangiga tour.

It was difficult for me to understand and feel the Balangiga massacre. I could only imagine. I did not know what meaning I could get from visiting Balangiga and (what meaning the local residents could get) from Japanese coming to their place.

But then we met Mrs. (Aurea) Amano accidentally. She was very kind to us regardless of our meeting for the first time.

I felt the importance of history and the flow of time. I thought the past was linked to the present, the world (global) connects to the local, and the past influences the present.

I realized that knowing the real history enables us to respect other countries, other cultures, and other peoples.

We went around and saw many places. I felt the Philippine atmosphere very much. I can't write (all of) what I felt, what I saw, what I experienced, what I knew. I will (process) them after I go back to Japan.

I don't forget your song. (Listening to it) made me feel peace.

I got a big hint for my future.

Aside from a theory for nation and entrepreneurs, it is the viewpoint of ordinary people that we need to put (importance on) as human beings sharing this earth. One of the key points of the ordinary people's viewpoint is how people meet their basic needs and improve their life standards.

The theory of nation always tries to promote national interests to achieve its goals, (oftentimes) disregarding the ordinary people's interests. Likewise, the theory of entrepreneurs is generally just (focused on earning) profits for survival.

Because economic factors are very important for the nation to achieve its goals, the nation and the entrepreneurs frequently tie up with each other. As a result, the lives of ordinary people are often sacrificed behind their interests.

In this context, our seminar activities, including the Philippine Study Tour, are significant in order to improve the life standard of ordinary people. We put the viewpoints of ordinary people (in a position) of utmost importance in the study of International Politics.

As a consequence, we create person-to-person interactions (among) people from different countries, especially Filipinos and Japanese, in order to make a (more) humane society for ordinary people, and even to maximize each people's national interest.

Government and entrepreneurs work very well for making roads, industries and so forth, but hardly approach these projects to benefit the grassroots people. This is our concern.

Our seminar is one of main actors in the field of International Politics, especially on the relationship between the Philippines and Japan.

In this reaction paper, I will first discuss the meaning of our seminar activities, especially the Philippine Study Tour. Then I will view the message of Balangiga to the world. Finally, I will conclude with future perspectives for our seminar activities and Philippine-Japanese relations.

Through my learning in Leyte and Samar, some factors made me think our seminar activities are meaningful in making a humane society for ordinary people. These are about official development assistance (ODA) and the development of municipal communities.

One problem related to Japanese ODA is they seldom work to meet people's basic needs. This I realized through learning in Leyte and Samar.

One example is the lack of medical instruments, (money for medical) expenses and medicines. When I stayed one night at the hospital in Quinapundan (town), I was surprised by the shortage of (these items).

The other example is the lack of irrigation systems in Western and Eastern Samar, and maybe in Northern Samar. Effective irrigation systems are essential for agriculture. Needless to say, food (sufficiency) is a vital issue for the people.

Japan's ODA and even JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) have not been successful is (addressing) these problems.

ODA seemed to have worked well in infrastructure (projects) such as roads, (but not) in (addressing) basic needs. In addition to the political reason and the problem of ODA distribution, one of the main reasons for this (tendency) is that national and local governments and both domestic and foreign companies do not find meaning and profit in working for basic needs. They love big projects such as making dams and roads, which offer (bigger) profits.

This is the typical (application) of the theory of nation and entrepreneurs.

In contrast, our seminar activities can help people meet their basic needs from the viewpoint of the ordinary people. We do this indirectly though. We have donated royalties from publications to SHS and UP, where many young students study to improve the living standards of the poor. Mr. Kawamura from our seminar is involved in Aqua (ACA-Aqua, the Asian Community by the Asians, a Japanese NGO) to (help alleviate) poverty in the Philippines. The grant to the Atitipalo Group of Artists (of Palo) greatly helps in its activities to (promote) peace in the local communities.

Thus, our seminar activities are (attuned to the) needs of ordinary people. There are meaningful products of the Philippine Study Tour since 1996.

One more thing that we should note here is that the (rational) use of ODA is one of the main indicators for determining the credibility of Japan's foreign policy. In Japan, there is no mature checking system for ODA. Until we came here, I did not know that the roads constructed by Korean and Filipino (contractors) using Japan's ODA have a kind of bad reputation among local people.

In this sense, our seminar activities and grassroots-level interactions can (help) change the situation not only in Japan, but also in the Philippines. In particular, our publications have messages for people in Japan and the Philippines (after the English version would have been published) as they focus on the importance of the ordinary people's viewpoints in the field of International Politics.

Our seminar activities are also getting involved in the improvement of municipal communities, but indirectly. The economic problems are most difficult for municipalities, although they are gradually successful in producing skilled human resources from within, like what SHS and UP have done.

Because of the lack of economic performance, wonderful human resources cannot be used very well in strategies for improvement. Good political leadership may also (suffer).

In such situation, what we have done and will (continue) to do is to (contribute to) the Peace Develoment Fund (PDF, an emerging NGO) and donate computers, video (equipment) and so on. I really hope these things can help the strategies for improvement. Then I can also learn something from the achievement of the municipalities every time I return here.

The meaning of the Balangiga Historical Tour lies in the answers to the question: "Why did we come here all the way from Japan?" I have three answers:

1. To know the real or hidden history of the Philippine-American War.

   We never learn the real history of this war from our official education in Japan.

2. To think what we can do to (help) improve the living standards in Samar.

   Human history is a dialogue between the past and the present. Because of its political history, Samar is (among) the poorest islands in the Philippines. Although I am still thinking of the resolution of the problems in Samar, I will continue to study the proper steps to be done from the ordinary people's point of view, (but) always considering International Politics.

3. To seek ways to (establish) good relations between the Philippines, the US and Japan and all over the world for a global society.

Considering these three points, I really want to publish a book, working together with UP. This publication can mean a milestone towards the next generation for a humane society all over the world. It may have a big impact on US foreign policy, and then can bring to Samar a humane society whose basic needs have been met.

Certainly, the Philippine Study Tour is like a bridge for Philippine-Japan relations and for multinational relations in the future.

Using this bridge since 1996, many kinds of people and things have crossed over from Japan to the Philippines such as Prof. Shitaba and our seminar students, Mr. Kawamura working for Aqua, our donations and so forth. And every time, we could learn many things from each other.

In the near future, we really hope Prof. Borrinaga, the mayor of Sta. Fe and other wonderful people will also cross this bridge for a firmer understanding and more meaningful discussions and learning from each other.

We hope this effort would result in a successful humane society in the next century.

Thank you very much.

I really appreciate your kindness and cooperation.