Government personnel attend to the two Japanese women. | Contributed photo
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu- Two Japanese women were rescued by the Lapu-Lapu City Government after they were found sleeping on the sidewalk in Sitio Mustang in Barangay Pusok.
The two women, a mother and her daughter, had been staying on the sidewalk for around two weeks now and were exposed to elements, according to Mayor Junard Chan.
After a series of negotiations, the two agreed to accept the city’s offer to transfer them to an isolation facility that is being run by the city’s rescue team.
Chan said they will stay at the isolation facility until such time that they are able to finally determine what the city would do with the two women.
“Ako nabalaka lang ko isip amahan sa siyudad sa Lapu-Lapu, bisan uroy ug Japanese national sila pero ato pod nang responsibilidad nga naa pod sila diri sa atong lugar,” the mayor said.
Temporary shelter
The plight of the two women was brought to Chan’s attention on Wednesday, Oct. 11.
Chan said the two were staying in a condominium in Mandaue City since 2021, but recently vacated their unit.
He was told that the daughter, who had mental concerns, would enter nearby units which earned the anger of their neighbors.
“Mangabli ug mga silingan nga mga kwarto, unya nahadlok sab ang mga tawo ug basin dunay nasulti nga dili mao. Basin pod sa iyang istorya nga duna pod silay religion nga mag-ampo sila, so komprotable man gud ni siya nga mag-ampo ilawom sa kahoy maong nag-stay sila didto.”
The two came to Lapu-Lapu City and had been staying on the sidewalk of Barangay Pusok for at least two weeks now.
Chan said he personally went to see the two women on Wednesday, but he had difficulty communicating with them.
“I tried to communicate nila, pero ang mother dili man makasabot ug english. Ang anak kasabot unta pero murag dunay mental problem,” Chan said.
He said that the two also refused his offer to temporarily accommodate them at the city’s isolation facility that is located near the Hoops Dome in Barangay Gun-ob.
They also did not want to go back to the condominium unit that they used to occupy.
Negotiations
Wanting to facilitate better interaction, Chan called a Japanese friend to speak to the two women.
“Dili man gyud sila mokuyog. Adto raman gyud kuno sila, rain or shine,” the mayor said.
Uncertain, Chan said he agreed that they stay in the area on Wednesday and gave orders to provide them with food, water, and other essentials that they could use.
Both women expressed their gratitude to the mayor.
On Thursday, Chan said he returned to Barangay Pusok with Consul General Satoshi Goto so he could speak to the two women.
After their negotiation, the two agreed to transfer to the city’s isolation center.
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