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Bento lunches donated to CHCC, COVID-19 Task Force
Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. CEO Esther Muña, front, alongside Japanese Consul Ryoji Takagaki hold up a lunch bento donated by the Japanese Society of the Northern Mariana Islands yesterday morning in appreciation of CHCC and COVID-19 Task Force staff. (LEIGH GASES)
The Japanese Society of the Northern Mariana Islands donated 200 Japanese lunch bentos to the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. and the COVID-19 Task Force yesterday.
Prior to handing out the lunches, CHCC CEO Esther Muña thanked the Japanese Society of the NMI chair Mamoru Watanabe and Japanese Consul Ryoji Takagaki, saying “we definitely appreciate you even thinking about the work that they do. It’s been a very busy several months of service that these guys have provided. We also thank the consul general for providing this… First of all I [was] very shocked but at the same time very grateful for [this].
Muña alluded to the newly reopened United Airlines Narita- Saipan route, saying that it was a way of “being able to make sure that we can continue to connect, so this [donation] is just another way of connection between Saipan and Japan, so domo arigato.”
Takagaki then addressed those in attendance and said “today we would like to present our bento [to] express our appreciation and you protect people including our Japanese community here from COVID-19. So, please enjoy our bento.”
Also in attendance for the bento donation were Consulate Office of Japan staff James Sakamoto and CHCC representatives from different departments.
The lunch bentos were donated by two Japanese-owned restaurants on the island, Himawari and the newly opened Tokyo Mart, both located in Garapan.
