June 21, 2025

Katherine Cauilan Sulit is the first Filipina nurse to pass the Japanese Licensure Examination for Nurses in the Shiga Prefecture. Her journey to Japan started in 2010 when she was selected as one of the recipients of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) on the recruitment of nurses and caregivers for deployment to Japanese healthcare institutions through the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA). She attended several language courses and did self-review while working at a hospital. Currently, she is a hemodialysis unit nurse in an outpatient clinic.

Marvi Joy Somorostro Buico is the owner and founder of The Real Maluho (Maluho Godo Kaisha), a luxury goods boutique in Osaka that resells authentic designer bags, apparel, watches, shoes and jewelry. Success did not come overnight for Marvi who first came to Japan to be with his mother in 2015. He worked as a sugarcane harvester, bread factory worker, bartender, restaurant worker, an English navigator and English teacher before discovering his skills and passion in selling pre-loved bags, eventually striving to establish his own boutique.

Maria Luisa Kondo (aka Doña Louisa De Onor) is the President and Founder of One Network Co. Ltd., a multimedia and events company that has successfully led the staging of major festivals, community events and creative initiatives celebrating the strength and resilience of the global Filipino. Her company’s core belief, ‘We Connect As One’, continues to create platforms that bring the Filipino community together through culture, service and shared identity. Her work goes beyond production – it is an enduring commitment to ensure that every Filipino in Japan feels seen, supported and proud of their roots.

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