Philippine Embassy Launches “Guidebook For First Time Filipino Mothers”
Philippine Ambassador to Japan Mylene J. Garcia-Albano led the launch of the first edition of the “Guidebook for Filipino First-time Mothers in Japan,” on 28 March 2025, to cap the Embassy’s celebration of National Women’s Month 2025.
Tokyo, 01 April 2025 – The Philippine Embassy in Japan launched the first edition of the “Guidebook for Filipino First-time Mothers in Japan” on 28 March 2025, marking the culmination of the Embassy’s celebration of National Women’s Month 2025. The event, led by Philippine Ambassador to Japan Mylene J. Garcia-Albano, introduced the guidebook, which aims to offer practical and accessible guidance to Filipino new mothers as they navigate postpartum life in Japan.
Dr. Ariane Macalinga Borlongan, Associate Professor of Sociolinguistics at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS) and founder and Head of The Migration Linguistics Initiative at the TUFS, delivered remarks at the launch event on behalf of the Filipino community team that supported the development of the guidebook.
Ambassador Garcia-Albano reiterated the Philippine’s commitment to promoting gender and development, stating that “Through this Guidebook, the Philippine Embassy aims to address the need to provide gender-sensitive services for Filipinos in Japan, in line with one of the goals of the Gender and Development Agenda (GAD) 2023-2028 of the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines.”
Together with the Embassy’s GAD Implementation Team, the following individuals contributed to the content and design of the Guidebook:
- Dr. Maria Hannah Martin, content writer;
- Dr. Ariane Macalinga Borlongan, coordinator and editor;
- Dr. Raquel Sison-Buban, Associate Professor, De La Salle University, for the Filipino translation;
- Mr. Kenichiro Kurusu, Lecturer, TUFS for the Japanese translation;
- Mr. Jayson Donor Zabala, Assistant Language Teacher, Takikawa City Board of Education through The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme, for the lay-out and design;
- Mr. Elmer Borlongan for contributing his signed artworks in the book design;
- Mother’s Tree Japan for the pointing board included in the guidebook; and
- Embassy personnel and family members, namely, Consul Thomas Philip C. Aquino and Mrs. Ana Erika Christina C. Aquino, and Ms. Julie Ann Gumaru and Mr. Yuri Gumaru.
Dr. Ariane Macalinga Borlongan shared that the Guidebook is available in English and Filipino, the two official languages of the Philippines, emphasizing the role of language in migration.
Ambassador Garcia-Albano with Acting Consul General Mary Joy Ramirez (2nd from right), Dr. Ariane Macalinga Borlongan (4th from right), and the Embassy’s GAD Implementation Team.
The event was attended by guests from the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, the Takikawa City Board of Education, the Minato City Government, the Ambassador’s mentees from the J-Win Executive Network Mentoring Program, and Embassy personnel.
The guidebook, which has English and Filipino versions, is available free of charge at the Consular Section of the Embassy. The digital copy may be downloaded by scanning the QR code below.
