Fire Prevention Month And The Gifts From Nanjo City, Japan!

I was awakened one morning with loud music coming from the city plaza. There must be an event, I thought. 

But seeing a fire truck with Japanese characters written on its side near the plaza, and the Japanese flag flying alongside that of the Philippines on the right of the stage, I thought of only one thing: we had visitors from the Japan and the fire truck must have been a present!

I was right!

From where I was standing, I was initially impressed that the tricycles and a Ceres bus passing by the plaza stopped to respect the Philippine national anthem being played. But I cringed when those vehicles simply continued on even when the national anthem of Japan was playing. The city officials obviously forgot to remind the traffic enforcers posted along the highway to halt all vehicles when the two national anthems played. 

Well, the traffic enforces and the drivers of those vehicles were only familiar with the Philippine national anthem, and weren't really aware that the second song was the national anthem of the city's honored guests!

Embarrassing! 

I hope the city officials of Nanjo City in Okinawa, Japan, who were standing on the stage with their right hand resting on their right chest as the Japanese national anthem played, didn't mind this boo-boo at all. 

Anyway, after all the speeches were delivered, another delivery happened: the ceremonial turnover of the fire truck and a raft. A fireman tested the fire truck by hosing water in the plaza. Even though this might have been a second-hand fire truck, it was probably made in Japan, which means it's reliable. Did it come with a warranty? Kidding.

So, arigato-gozaimasu to the officials and the citizens of Nanjo-shi in Okinawa, Japan, for their gifts. 

Although it's Fire Prevention Month and we don't exactly wish for any accident, these gifts would be helpful in times when Victoriahanons would really need it.