By: Atty. Marlo T. Cristobal
Today, December 30, the family vacation’s daily frolic made a sudden shift from the crowded cities’ streets and shopping malls and stores of Japan to its contrasting quiet ground when we decided, together with friends, to visit its snow-covered vast group of mountains of the famous Yusawa KogenSki Resort in Niigata, about two and a half hours car ride away from Shinjuko where we were billeted.
Our trip was made possible through the courtesy and guidance of Japan’s KOJC of Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy whose local congregation sent its van and 3 workers to guide us, namely, Kristine Tasi, and the husband-and-wife tandem of Alvin and Guina Cortez. These three are quintessential Christians since they unselfishly displayed the virtues of their faith — absolutely without any taint of insincerity: politeness, gentleness, patience, service and doing good to fellowmen, generosity, and honesty. Their walk of the faith is downright contagious and intimidating. And so, on behalf of my family and friends, l send them my immense thanks.
Going to Niigata entails passing through at least 3 long tunnels (pardon l really lost count) that had to be drilled through the mountains to give way to car passage, the way to Niigata being dotted with mountains.
The longest tunnel is the last one that abuts the border of Niigata where at the end of this tunnel is put up the big sign, “Welcome to Niigata.” I may not have the exact measurement of the length of this tunnel, but this is my first time to experience that our van galloped at about 80 kilometers per hour on a wet road to negotiate the tunnel and complete its traverse only after about a period of 5 minutes under the masterful grip of Alvin on the van’s steering wheel. This should give us the reason to conclude that it is indeed a long tunnel. Though long, nonetheless, it is half walled by what appeared to be 6″ by 6″ glistening white tiles all throughout.
It is an illustration again of the globally known and acknowledged Japanese legendary engineering skill, and we could have attained similar grandiose projects for the deserved benefits of our countrymen in the Philippines were it not for what the Japanese term as “dorobos” in the government service who have access to government funds which are openly and callously channeled or dissipated to satiate their personal gains. It is no wonder that our country finds itself at the bottom rank among our immediate Asian neighbors. And we will continue to have this tragic fate because we have God’s curse. (Please refer to Proverbs 14:34, 28:12, 29:2)
As we entered Niigata, we were met by snow with all its might and fierceness as we negotiated a road sandwiched by snow of about 2 meters high. Like Moses parting the sea, the Japanese famed engineering legend was also parting the thick snow totally covering the road, by installing small sprinklers that spurted boiling water underneath the voluminous snow. These sprinklers were lined up at regular intervals in both sides of the breadth and length of the road going to Yusawa Kogen Ski Resort and beyond, and by constantly squirting hot water on the road, the thick snow melted, and the road was cleared of snow to allow the passage of cars. Another smart Japanese public works technology that could inspire a Japanese technology to address the Philippines perennial flood problems. But sad to say, we don’t have the funds anymore for this purpose, and only the “dorobos” in government know where they were illegally channeled. We have to endure our perdition as we deserve God’s curse for being plain “bakero” citizens.
As we drove through the road, l saw some houses whose roofs were burdened with snow that had unduly accumulated therein by more than one foot thick and made the houses look weird as the accumulating snow was just an unwanted imposition of nature or unwelcomed structure on the roofs but seemingly wanted to be part of the house by settling on the roofs against the will of the house owners. In due time though this roofs snow collapsed because of its weight. Just like the corrupt who want to be part of either house of congress, they will self-destruct as they are merely an unwanted imposition and unwelcomed structure in the great institution that is the bicameral Congress, because their open and scandalous roguishness have made them too heavy a burden to be part of that honorable institution our Constitution conceives.
We finally reached the famous Yusawa Kogen Ski Resort, and we lost no time ascending a very steep climb to reach the Ski Resort through a big cable car that could accommodate a maximum of 166 passengers at a time. As the climb was steep the cable car could only proceed slowly, and it took it a total of 7 minutes to reach the Ski Resort on top of a mountain where the Ski ground is laid. The climb is so high that you feel a tingle in your ear, the same experience you feel when your aircraft is ascending the sky from the airport, and you could see the people below like small ants moving about.
As we climbed, l saw the vast snow in its pristine, virginal state along the way untouched by humans and animals that it glistened like a glass when it reflected the sunlight. And l felt the elation of my spirit and soul as the purity and whiteness all around impinged on them. And at this juncture, l couldn’t help but think of many politicians in both houses of our Congress full of darkness in mind and heart, since they were all set to serve their own selfish interest and lie and rob the government funds in the process, not the people’ interest, and when this darkness is transported into the glistening pure white of the snow, horror instead will strike the souls and spirits of the cable passengers, as it does to the Filipinos’ in the country.
When we reached the mountain top and proceeded to the Ski ground, my body suddenly froze and l became speechless as l began to process mentally the grandiosity and vastness of nature in all its splendor and absolute tranquility that was unfolding before me and l conjured that l was in the heavens as l saw all white around me as far as my eyes can see. And then my spiritual mind recalled that the towering image of nature proves the power and existence of God. (Please refer to Romans 1:20).
I was told that while Yusawa Kogen Ski Resort is a world fame, the Ski Resort in Hokkaido is a world class. Now that l have experienced one of the world’s famous ski resorts, my burning desire to visit Europe for skiing is suddenly doused by the cold snow water of Yusawa Kogen Ski Resort.
The following day, December 31 we also visited the world-famous Japanese tourist spot Mount Fuji, about two-hour car ride from Shinjuko . We were lucky that its majesty and splendor was not covered by clouds that day which more frequently they do. This Mount, which is nestled on a tranquil lake on its base known worldwide as Kawaguchico and reaches up to the height of the clouds, exudes a solid, compact, stiff and unyielding aura, descriptive of the obeisance of the Japanese to the majesty of their laws. In the Philippines, the law implementation partakes of the nature of request among the rich, but an instrument of tyranny against the poor!
