Ambassador Lopez Welcomes Launch of Edu-tainment Drama Series “Halo Halo House” on Japan-Philippine Culture Understanding for Broadcast in the Philippines Thru PTV4
17 December 2015, Tokyo ̶ Ambassador Manuel M. Lopez welcomed the production of the 8 ̶ episode drama series “Halo Halo House ~ Jose’s Nippon Diary”, an educational program to promote understanding of Japan and Philippine cultures, that will be aired in the Philippines over the government station People’s Television 4 during the weekends of 16 January to 07 February 2016.
Amb. Lopez congratulated the cast, director, production staff and crew of Halo Halo House and officials of the partner agencies in Japan who made a courtesy call and briefing at the Embassy on the drama series produced by the Nippon Television Network Corporation (NTNC) with funding support from the Japanese government.
The NTNC conceptualized and produced the drama series “Halo Halo House ~ Jose’s Nippon Diary” to feature Japanese culture and language through the eyes of a boy ̶ next ̶ door Filipino played by Paul Alvin, a Filipino fashion model based in Japan. Paul plays the role of 22 year old Jose De Asis, a university student in Manila who has a fascination for Japan. He comes to Japan to find the 22 year old Erika Yamaguchi, a girl he befriended as a child. The story line on the cultural interaction of Jose with the Japanese cast revolves around the residents of the “share house Haru” owned by the 68 year old Haruku Kawasaki.
“Halo Halo House ~ Jose’s Nippon Diary” was produced in collaboration with the City of Ichinomiya, the setting of the drama series; the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications; Ax ̶ On Production, Kumon Institute of Education Co. Ltd., and Avance Corporation. The first of the eight episodes of “Halo Halo House~ Jose’s Nippon Diary” will be aired over PTV 4 on 16 and 17 January 2016 (Saturday and Sunday) from 5:00 to 5:30 p.m. and on the succeeding weekends until 07 February 2016.
The drama on Japan and Philippine cultural interaction would be a much welcomed television drama prior to the visit to the Philippines of Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan from 26 to 30 January 2016 and as part of the events to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Philippines ̶ Japan diplomatic relations in 2016.
Amb. Lopez accompanied by Cultural Officer Angelica Escalona and DCM Gilberto Asuque (seated 1st and 2nd from left) congratulated lead actress Ms. Sayaka Akimoto (seated 2nd from right), a Filipina (Cebuana mother) ̶ Japanese, who is the Philippine Tourism Goodwill Ambassador; Mr. Alvin (seated 1st from right), Mr. Masayasu Nakano (seated 3rd from right), Mayor of Ichinomiya City in the Aichi Prefecture; and the production crew (standing) led by Ms. Mikiko Nishiyama, Senior Director, International Business Development, Nippon Television.
The cast and production crew of “Halo Halo House ~ Jose’s Nippon Diary” and Mayor Nakano will visit Manila from 11 to 14 January 2016 for the promotion of the drama series and of Ichinomiya City including a visit in PTV 4 for the inaugural broadcast. Ichinomiya City, the location for many of the scenes in the drama series, is part of Aichi Prefecture where a large Filipino population is second only to Tokyo. “Halo Halo House~ Jose’s Nippon Diary” would provide an opportunity to further enhance the links between the Filipinos in Japan with local Japanese communities.
