By Cyrus A. Natividad
Japanese guests with College of Engineering faculty and students.
A group of Japanese executives visited Central Philippine University on February 24 to March 4, 2020 to meet with students and visit the University laboratories particularly the laboratories in Packaging Engineering of the College of Engineering and the Appropriate Technology Center (ATC) of the College of Agriculture, Resources and Environmental Sciences. Moreover, the Japanese team, hosted by the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies Dr. Rowena M. Libo-on, Dr. Anna May Yap-Zerrudo, Acting Director for International Relations and Cooperation, the College of Hospitality Management and the Senior High School Department, had the opportunity to see other university facilities as well.
The guests included Dr. Masahiro Abiru and Mr Shobu Mochizuki from Fukuoka University; Ms. Asuka Fujishita Kawanabe and Minako Kawanabe from Fujishita Co. , Ltd.; Mr. Hide Kawanabe from Kawanabe Corporation; and Mr.Hitoshi Iwamoto from Fukuoka Language College.
The visitors made a courtesy call with CPU President Dr. Teodoro C. Robles at 2:00 PM in his office and proceeded to meet the students at the Engineering Audio Visual Room 200 at 4:00 PM. College of Engineering Dean Dany C. Molina and Agriculture Engineering Department Coordinator Dr. Aries Roda Romallosa hosted a lecture about Japan and its Culture with Dr. Abiru as the Resource Person.
(from left) The author and Dr. Aries Roda Romallosa meeting Mr. Hide Kawanabe and Ms. Asuka Fujishita Kawanabe.
On the next day, the Group met with the College of Hospitality Management faculty and about 30 students at the La Azotea of the CHM Building, after which they were given a tour of Iloilo City by their CHM Host. Ms. Fujishita Kawanabe, on Wednesday, February 26, met with 59 interested On-the-Job Training (OJT) students taking up Mechanical, Chemical and Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering respectively with Dean Molina, Engr. Cangrejo and Dr. Romallosa and discussed the profile of her family’s company Fujishita Co., Ltd based in Nagasaki, Japan. Engr. Bernie Cangrejo, Chairperson, Department of Packaging Engineering, and Dr. Romallosa also welcomed the visitors to the CPU Packaging Laboratory and the Appropriate Technology Center (ATC). Ms. Asuka Fujishita Kawanabi and Minako Kawanabe discussed with the three CPU Heads in the afternoon, the ongoing proposal preparation for their Potato Sorter at the ATC.
On February 28 in the afternoon, it was Mr. Kawanabe’s turn to present the profile of his family’s Fukuoka-based waste collection company with potential OJT students as well. Engr. Neil Ravena, the Head of the Solid Waste Management, Office of the City Government, was also invited to share the status of Iloilo City’s collection and waste management systems.
Mr. Mochizuki and Dr. Rowena M. Libo-on, Dean of CPU’s Graduate Studies, facilitated a lecture about entrepreneurship with the Senior High School on March 2. There have been several technical and educational exchanges between Central Philippine University and Institutions in Japan like Fokuoka University. The visitors made a tour to other parts of Iloilo before their departure to Japan on March 4.