Filipino entertainers in Japan

Yesterday, I chanced upon entertainers rehearsing their numbers prior to leaving for Japan come September. I was with a friend working for a talent agency hurrying the talents for the opening of a club in Kyoto (I think) on September 3. I thought we would be there briefly but it turned out my friend had to be there until the end of the rehearsal.

A quick observation first: These entertainers, contrary to popular notion that you may have of them, really do take their numbers seriously. You probably think they just improvise and be haphazard in their numbers, but no, they actually rehearse and as far as I saw were absolutely earnest in their desire to put up a good show. Professionals.

They were practicing until almost midnight. My friend, who had to supervise the rehearsal, and I had to eat our dinner at past midnight. The gaudy colorful costumes come straight from Kuya Germs and Belle Dancers� tailors, and one of the big bosses of the agency was particularly exacting in her sartorial standard. Shoulder pads had to be added to the shirts of the male entertainers to make their shoulders fuller. The bra top of one okama (gay transvestite) had to be tightened to better highlight his (or is it her?) ample bosom. And in a flash of great immodesty, one okama, questioned by the big boss on how to better highlight his breast, took off his bra top so that anybody passing on the street fronting the dance studio could have perfectly seen the display. My friend said the okamas are particularly proud of their breasts so they flaunt them every chance they get. Well, I guess if they aren�t real why be modest about them? Besides they look real and even look better than some of the real things. I am, of course, just guessing about the comparison.

It is easy to be dismissive of the work Filipino entertainers do in Japan. For one, their massive presence in the Land of the Rising Sun (which, incidentally, is no longer in the rise) effectively makes them the de facto ambassadors of our country--whether we like it or not. Most Japanese with any modicum of contact with the Philippines would have had the acquaintance with Philippine culture through an entertainer. And the dancers I saw at the rehearsal are all highlighting the hackneyed aspects of our dance culture from bamboo poles for their faux tinkling production number to a Tagalog song which sounds awfully reminiscent of the American group that sang the YMCA (the name escapes me presently). Besides, the Japanese government has not yet formally apologized for the crimes perpetrated by the Kempetai forces against our women during the Second World War.

But I guess those entertainers are simply doing their jobs. Surely there�s no harm in trying to earn a living. With our dear country in such a shitty state of affairs, it is almost a sin to begrudge our young people the chance to move up the social ladder in any way they can.

I wonder though how our entertainers in Japan could possibly contribute to Jessica Zafra�s grand plot to rule the world through our domestic help network, those bagong bayani dusting the seats of power in almost every country in the world. Our domestic helps are present in the houses of world leaders. I don�t know if the clientele of our japayukis and hostos include the party bosses of Japan�s ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Hmmm, that should be a big enough thought to last me a day at least.