Filipino News 166
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23<br />
YEARS<br />
in print<br />
&<br />
online!<br />
Issue <strong>166</strong>: WAITANGI DAY 2023<br />
TE WAKA PIRIPINO MANENE<br />
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WHY WE CELEBRATE<br />
WAITANGI DAY<br />
pg 4<br />
pg 13<br />
pg 11<br />
pg 10<br />
WORST STORM<br />
THIS CENTURY<br />
THE<br />
QUAINT<br />
SULTANATE<br />
As one<br />
door<br />
closes,<br />
another<br />
opens<br />
Tres Marias closes its<br />
iconic grocery store to<br />
shift the focus to its<br />
growing balikbayan service<br />
and expanding import,<br />
export and distribution<br />
business.<br />
“We just want to thank our loyal customers<br />
for supporting our business for more than 20<br />
years," said Mercy Catoto. "We loved serving<br />
not only <strong>Filipino</strong>s, but anyone who wanted to<br />
try <strong>Filipino</strong> products. Now that we are in our<br />
70s, for me and Oscar, that will be enough."<br />
This outstanding duo is looking forward to<br />
their retirement and to spending quality time<br />
with their grandchildren.<br />
“Thank you for being a part of Tres Marias'<br />
journey!”<br />
pg 8 & 9<br />
Tres Marias Trading<br />
Limited,was founded<br />
by Oscar and Mercy<br />
Catoto in 1991 as a<br />
small family-run<br />
business.<br />
ASIAN WOMEN<br />
GETTING BREAST<br />
CANCER EARLIER<br />
AKLD CAB<br />
ON COUNCIL<br />
CHOPPING<br />
BOARD pg 5<br />
The 7th <strong>Filipino</strong>-Kiwi Hero Awards - 17th June 2023, Auckland<br />
The nationwide search is on for <strong>Filipino</strong>-Kiwis who are outstanding in their fields of endeavour and also<br />
have a passion for community service. If you would like to nominate an individual, group or organization<br />
please contact <strong>Filipino</strong> <strong>News</strong> NZ at email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz or text: 027 495 8477<br />
7TH FILIPINO-KIWI HERO AWARDS 2023
BUHAY<br />
NZ<br />
02 ISSUE <strong>166</strong> 7th HERO AWARDS | www.filipinonews.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | www.pinoynzlife.nz | MOB: 027 495 8477<br />
www.filipinonews.nz : North Island Edition - 22nd Anniversary | www.pinoynzlife.nz : South Island Edition. Print and Online!<br />
Advice for renters about<br />
requirements for warm,<br />
healthy homes<br />
As winter sets in, and<br />
leaks and mould appear in<br />
homes around the country,<br />
the Citizens Advice Bureau<br />
wants renters to be aware of<br />
what can legally expect from<br />
their landlord.<br />
Even though it's landlords<br />
who hold the power, especially<br />
in the current rental<br />
market, tenants are being<br />
forced to chase them up for<br />
fixes, says acting CE<br />
Andrew Hubbard.<br />
“Tenants are being relied<br />
on to know that there's a<br />
problem, know that the landlord,<br />
try and remedy it with<br />
the landlord and take them<br />
to the tenancy tribunal,” he<br />
tells Kathryn Ryan.<br />
Tenants with houses that<br />
are substandard tend to fall<br />
into two groups, Hubbard<br />
says - those who have no<br />
idea what they can expect<br />
from their landlord and<br />
those who know their rights<br />
but struggle to have them<br />
honoured.<br />
Either way, it shouldn't be<br />
up to the tenant to take<br />
action in these cases.<br />
“If you're struggling to<br />
make ends meet, the hassle,<br />
concerns about the implications<br />
(of requesting fixes)<br />
for your relationship with<br />
your landlord… all of those<br />
things are incentives not to<br />
take action.”<br />
The impact of poor housing<br />
on health and wellbeing<br />
is now well known, Hubbard<br />
says, and New Zealand landlords<br />
have had plenty of<br />
time to familiarise themselves<br />
with the Healthy<br />
Home standards introduced<br />
in July 2019.<br />
It makes no sense that in<br />
the case of tenancies that<br />
began before 1 July 2021,<br />
landlords can legally ignore<br />
these standards for another<br />
two years, Hubbard says.<br />
“If you're in a pre-existing<br />
tenancy from before that,<br />
your landlord doesn't need to<br />
comply until [1 July] 2024,<br />
which is a crazy amount of<br />
implantation time.”<br />
So what are landlords<br />
legally required to provide?<br />
1. An efficient source of<br />
heating in the main living<br />
area<br />
2. Adequate floor and ceiling<br />
insulation<br />
3. Adequate ventilation in<br />
every habitable room and<br />
extractor fans in kitchens<br />
and bathrooms<br />
4. Adequate drainage<br />
facilities and protection<br />
against moisture<br />
5. Adequate protection<br />
against draughts<br />
If you're in a rental property<br />
that needs work, start by<br />
trying to have a constructive<br />
conversation with your landlord<br />
to the effect of ‘Hey<br />
look, we're worried about ..<br />
what can you do about it?’,<br />
Hubbard suggests.<br />
If you're more comfortable<br />
talking in person, follow up<br />
the conversation with an<br />
email so you have a record.<br />
If nothing happens, you<br />
can then look at issuing a<br />
Notice to Remedy, which<br />
gives the landlord 14 days to<br />
act.<br />
For help communicating<br />
with landlords, issuing formal<br />
notices and, if necessary,<br />
taking them to the<br />
Tenancy Tribunal, Hubbard<br />
suggests contacting your<br />
local Citizens Advice<br />
Bureau, community law centre<br />
or tenant's organisation.<br />
These organisations,<br />
although understaffed and<br />
underfunded, can also help<br />
to outline your rights as a<br />
renter and the landlord's<br />
obligations, he says.<br />
The Citizens Advice<br />
Bureau also recommends<br />
checking with Work and<br />
Income on whether you're<br />
eligible for any financial<br />
support with your heating<br />
bills.<br />
- Reproduced with special<br />
permission from RNZ<br />
Production<br />
Workers<br />
Receptionist /<br />
Housekeeper<br />
Experienced<br />
Residential<br />
Painters<br />
Blind Assembler<br />
Roofing<br />
Geotechnical<br />
Driller<br />
Leading Hand<br />
Carpenters<br />
Aluminium<br />
Installers<br />
Hammer Hands<br />
Carpenters<br />
Skilled<br />
Upholsterer<br />
www.trababo.nz
ISSUE <strong>166</strong> FILIPINO-KIWI HERO AWARDS | www.filipinoheroes.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | www.filipinonews.nz | 03 BUHAY<br />
www.filipinoheroes.nz : Over a 120 <strong>Filipino</strong> Kiwi Heroes have been recognised over the years by <strong>Filipino</strong> <strong>News</strong> NZ.<br />
NZ<br />
Community rallies to confront an alarming<br />
spike in the <strong>Filipino</strong> suicide rates<br />
By Ricky Matthew<br />
AUCKLAND - The<br />
<strong>Filipino</strong> suicide figure doubled<br />
in 2021, despite overall<br />
suicide numbers falling<br />
since 2017. This led to a<br />
hastily organised response<br />
from communities and<br />
agencies late last year to<br />
raise awareness of the disturbing<br />
suicide statistics<br />
and to take a closer look at<br />
the wrap around services<br />
that are currently available.<br />
Information obtained<br />
recently by Migrant <strong>News</strong><br />
from the Ministry of<br />
Justice reveals that <strong>Filipino</strong><br />
suicides rose in<br />
2020/2021 to six, up from<br />
three in 19/20, a doubling<br />
of the figure. The figure<br />
then eased back to four in<br />
21/22. Comparatively, in<br />
21/22 there were 8 Indian<br />
suicides, 7 Fijian Indian<br />
suicides and 5 Chinese suicides.<br />
Asians made up 32 of the<br />
538 New Zealanders lost to<br />
suicide in the 21/22 financial<br />
year, with a rate of 3.8<br />
per 100,000 Asians in NZ.<br />
This is relatively low compared<br />
to Maori (15.9 per<br />
100,000), European (10.1<br />
per 100,000) and Pacific<br />
(9.9 per 100,000).<br />
However, <strong>Filipino</strong>s surpassed<br />
their Asian counterparts<br />
with a suicide rate<br />
of approximately 5 per<br />
100, 000 <strong>Filipino</strong>s in 21/22<br />
(based on the census figures).<br />
So, what is the reason we<br />
are unable to stamp out<br />
suicide and depression in<br />
the <strong>Filipino</strong> community?<br />
Loneliness? Lack of wrap<br />
around services? Or lack<br />
of funding?<br />
According to the New<br />
Zealand Asian Wellbeing<br />
and Mental Health Report<br />
2021, <strong>Filipino</strong>s have the<br />
highest level of satisfaction<br />
with life in NZ among the<br />
Asian ethnicities surveyed<br />
(97%). They also have the<br />
highest level of feeling that<br />
life is worthwhile in NZ<br />
(91%).<br />
But on the flip side,<br />
<strong>Filipino</strong>s are third most at<br />
risk of depression (after<br />
Koreans and Indians), are<br />
more likely to express stigma<br />
from mental illness<br />
around being less worthy,<br />
have difficulties in accessing<br />
language and/or cultural<br />
support and are more<br />
likely to feel stigma and<br />
low confidence in the<br />
mainstream mental health<br />
and addiction services.<br />
The alarming rates within<br />
the <strong>Filipino</strong> community<br />
led to a community and<br />
agencies' response with a<br />
Hui on the 19th of November<br />
2022 at Three<br />
Kings, Auckland. The<br />
objective of the Hui was to<br />
create awareness of the<br />
alarming rates of suicide in<br />
the <strong>Filipino</strong> community<br />
and the wider community.<br />
Guest speakers at the<br />
Suicide Awareness and<br />
Prevention Hui included:<br />
Dr Geraldine Anne Lobo,<br />
child and adolescent psychiatrist,<br />
Jordyn Johnston,<br />
suicide prevention postvention<br />
coordinator and<br />
guests from the Mental<br />
Health Foundation, Youth<br />
Line, New Zealand Police,<br />
the Ministry of Health and<br />
<strong>Filipino</strong>s working in mental<br />
health.<br />
Speakers at the event<br />
informed the community<br />
about the warning signs of<br />
people at risk of committing<br />
suicide, the impacts of<br />
suicide on families and<br />
highlighted the services<br />
and professional help that<br />
are available.<br />
When Father Mario<br />
Dorado, a Capuchin Friar,<br />
was asked his views about<br />
the <strong>Filipino</strong> community<br />
organised Hui he said: “It<br />
is a beginning. Whatever<br />
families are going through,<br />
we must let them know<br />
that they are not alone.”<br />
To elaborate on this<br />
point, in the 21/22 financial<br />
year an estimated 72,630<br />
people have been affected<br />
by the 538 suicides. This<br />
includes the families of<br />
those who took their own<br />
life.<br />
“We are always here to<br />
help as much as possible<br />
and we are trying our very<br />
best to prevent this kind of<br />
thing from happening,”<br />
added Father Mario.<br />
He drew attention to the<br />
fact that. “We are not in<br />
New Zealand just to make<br />
money or to work, but also<br />
to be happy and to have<br />
peace; that is our purpose<br />
in life.”<br />
Another speaker at the<br />
Hui, Constable Ding<br />
Capunitan, 55, of the NZ<br />
Police, agreed. “My advice<br />
is for us to be aware of<br />
what’s happening in our<br />
community and to watch<br />
out for signs of depression<br />
PINOY POLIS: Constable Ding Capunitan, CAPUCHIN FRIAR: Father Mario Dorado<br />
SUICIDE PREVENTION OFFICE: Matthew Tukaki<br />
amongst our family and<br />
our friends.<br />
“This is not only happening<br />
to <strong>Filipino</strong>s, but to<br />
everyone in New Zealand.<br />
If we don't try to help these<br />
people, then things might<br />
end tragically.<br />
“If you know of anyone<br />
who is depressed or very<br />
worried and anxious,<br />
please report their plight<br />
right away to the Police. If<br />
not the Police, then you<br />
can refer them to other<br />
agencies that can help<br />
them.<br />
“When you report to the<br />
Police, we visit them and<br />
talk to them and refer<br />
them to agencies or mental<br />
health services – even if the<br />
person is just thinking<br />
about suicide.”<br />
According to the<br />
Ministry of Health, some<br />
* This article discusses suicide and<br />
mental health.<br />
of the risk factors associated<br />
with suicide are<br />
bereavement by suicide,<br />
access to means of suicide,<br />
a sense of isolation, a history<br />
of mental illness, addiction<br />
or problematic substance<br />
abuse, previous suicide<br />
attempts, experience<br />
of trauma and exposure to<br />
bullying.<br />
Matthew Tukaki, Director<br />
of Suicide Prevention<br />
Office said: “There are a<br />
few signs to watch out for<br />
if you’re worried about a<br />
member of your whanau<br />
or a friend.<br />
“You might have noticed<br />
changes in their behaviour,<br />
sleeping patterns or mood.<br />
They might have started to<br />
withdraw socially or stay<br />
home from work or school.<br />
Their eating may have<br />
changed or they’ve stopped<br />
eating completely. Often<br />
they start talking about<br />
wanting to die or a plan to<br />
kill themselves, or are<br />
reading or posting online<br />
about death and they may<br />
start to give away things<br />
with personal meaning to<br />
them.<br />
“If you think that someone<br />
might be at risk of suicide,<br />
trust your instincts<br />
and ask them directly if<br />
they’re okay. It could save<br />
their life. Listen to them<br />
without judgement or distraction<br />
and then help<br />
them find support. There<br />
are a number of services<br />
that can help.<br />
Lifeline – 0800<br />
543 354.<br />
Youthline –<br />
helpline for<br />
Kiwis aged<br />
between 12-24<br />
years. Free call 0800 376<br />
633. You can also text 243<br />
to chat or email talk@<br />
youthline.co.nz<br />
If you think they’re in<br />
immediate physical danger<br />
to themselves or others,<br />
call 111.<br />
Victim Support is the goto<br />
place for the following:<br />
help with support for emotional<br />
issues, safety, information<br />
and advice, dealing<br />
with the justice system,<br />
financial issues, advocacy,<br />
or referral to specialist<br />
agencies. Phone 0800 842<br />
846, 24/7.<br />
Some other services that<br />
provide support to those<br />
who are at risk of suicide<br />
or who have lost a loved<br />
one to suicide are:<br />
1737 – free text 1737 to<br />
talk to a trained counsellor<br />
or peer support person<br />
24/7.<br />
Suicide Crisis Line –<br />
0508 828 865 (0800 TAU-<br />
TOKO).<br />
Kenzie’s Gift – supports<br />
the mental health of<br />
tamariki and has grief and<br />
loss resources for children.<br />
Adhikaar – rainbow support<br />
for the South Asian<br />
community.
04 ISSUE <strong>166</strong> CYCLONE GABRIELLE | www.filipinonews.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | www.trabaho.nz | Facebook: <strong>Filipino</strong> Migrant <strong>News</strong><br />
MIGRANT NEWS - www.migrantnews.nz : New Zealand’s first Migrant community newspaper. Published since 1991. Print. Online. Social Media.<br />
PM praises the “community driven response” to<br />
the worst storm this century<br />
By RICKY MATTHEW<br />
Photo: Jaymin McGuire<br />
Photo: Jaymin McGuire<br />
AUCKLAND, Henderson<br />
– Prime Minister Chris<br />
Hipkins has praised the<br />
“community driven response”<br />
to Cyclone<br />
Gabrielle as a National<br />
Emergency is declared –<br />
for only the third time in<br />
the country’s history - to<br />
cope with the worst storm<br />
New Zealand has seen this<br />
century.<br />
As this unprecedented<br />
weather event poses a real<br />
threat to the lives of New<br />
Zealanders, the government<br />
has unveiled a $11.5<br />
million package for community<br />
groups and<br />
providers responding to<br />
the crisis.<br />
Addressing media at the<br />
Trust Arena in West<br />
Auckland, Chris Hipkins<br />
said that West Auckland is<br />
one of the worst hit spots<br />
by the cyclone. The Trust<br />
Arena is one of numerous<br />
shelters in the area that are<br />
offering displaced members<br />
of the community a<br />
place to sleep and food to<br />
eat.<br />
Hipkins said: “I want to<br />
acknowledge the situation<br />
that New Zealanders have<br />
been waking up to this<br />
morning. A lot of families<br />
displaced, a lot of homes<br />
without power, extensive<br />
damage done across the<br />
country.”<br />
The Prime Minister later<br />
added that 2,500 people<br />
have been displaced,<br />
including 1,000 people in<br />
Hawkes Bay alone.<br />
Additionally, 225,000 people<br />
are without power. This<br />
hasn’t been seen since<br />
Cyclone Bola in 1988.<br />
The Prime Minister<br />
praised what he called the<br />
“community driven response”<br />
and said that: “The<br />
volunteer response around<br />
the country has been a<br />
phenomenal one. We have<br />
seen community groups<br />
coming together to support<br />
their fellow Kiwis who<br />
have been in need and I<br />
really want to thank<br />
them.”<br />
This praise comes after<br />
an announcement on the<br />
13th of February by Hon<br />
Carmel Sepuloni, Minister<br />
for Social Development<br />
and Employment, about a<br />
much-needed increase in<br />
funding for community<br />
groups that assisted in the<br />
Auckland flood response.<br />
Sepuloni said that a<br />
$11.5 million package for<br />
community support has<br />
been rolled out, $2 million<br />
of which has been allocated<br />
to grants for community<br />
groups to support the flood<br />
response. The amount that<br />
community groups can<br />
receive under the fund will<br />
be capped at $3500.<br />
The additional funding<br />
will be important for supporting<br />
the numerous<br />
migrant community<br />
groups that were assisting<br />
in the Auckland flood<br />
response and who are now<br />
likely to be called upon for<br />
the Cyclone Gabrielle<br />
response.<br />
Many migrants who had<br />
just begun to steady themselves<br />
after the floods were<br />
faced by a new threat and<br />
had to turn back to the<br />
very community organisations<br />
and agencies that had<br />
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins<br />
assisted them to getthrough<br />
the floods.<br />
These groups have, in<br />
the past, provided shelter,<br />
food, cultural support,<br />
counselling and financial<br />
support to the migrant<br />
communities in Auckland.<br />
One of these organisations<br />
is the Supreme Sikh<br />
Society NZ. “So far, we<br />
have provided over 5,000<br />
hot meals and food parcels<br />
to flood victims.<br />
“Our aim is to serve<br />
humanity without knowing<br />
their culture, religion, cast,<br />
creed, or gender.”<br />
The Chairperson of the<br />
Ethnic Women’s Trust,<br />
Fadumo Ahmed said that<br />
her team was concerned<br />
about those who are facing<br />
a language barrier when<br />
trying to access support.<br />
“It is really hard to go<br />
through the system for<br />
some. They are victims<br />
once they’ve lost their<br />
house.<br />
“They feel as if they need<br />
more help and they feel<br />
isolated. Each person has a<br />
different culture and different<br />
food and clothing<br />
needs; we respect that.”<br />
The Ethnic Women’s<br />
Trust has 3500 people<br />
Photo: Jaymin McGuire<br />
ready to help, many are<br />
women and all are<br />
migrants.<br />
They are providing<br />
emergency shelter, food,<br />
and bedding to support<br />
Muslim women and children<br />
who have been<br />
impacted by the flood.<br />
Meanwhile Ikhlaq Kashkari,<br />
President of the New<br />
Zealand Muslim Association,<br />
said that his group<br />
has “opened its mosques<br />
across Auckland as emergency<br />
shelters for people<br />
affected by the floods and<br />
the cyclone.<br />
“Separate areas will be<br />
dedicated to men and<br />
women.”<br />
Rohan Jaduram, Community<br />
Resilience Manager<br />
for Auckland Emergency<br />
Management, conveyed<br />
his appreciation for<br />
the community shelters<br />
that groups such as the<br />
Ethnic Women’s Trust<br />
provide.<br />
“I really want to thank<br />
people who shelter families<br />
and individuals - whether<br />
its in their homes, whether<br />
its in a community shelter,<br />
school, or an early childhood<br />
education shelter. I<br />
thank you so much. You<br />
make our job so much easier,<br />
especially within a<br />
response of this scale.”<br />
When asked if the government<br />
will commit additional<br />
funding to support<br />
the cyclone recovery, the<br />
Prime Minister said: “We<br />
will do what we need to do<br />
in order to support New<br />
Zealanders through this.<br />
“Our focus right now is<br />
on the immediate response,<br />
it’s on making sure people<br />
have a roof over their<br />
head, that they have a<br />
meal, that their families<br />
are well cared<br />
for. That’s the<br />
immediate focus.<br />
“The recovery<br />
effort is something<br />
that we<br />
will absolutely<br />
be placing at the front and<br />
centre of the government’s<br />
program over the next few<br />
weeks and months.<br />
“We know that this<br />
won’t be an overnight<br />
recovery, it’s going to take<br />
a while, some people are<br />
going to be displaced from<br />
their homes for an extended<br />
period of time and we<br />
will need to support them<br />
through that.<br />
“Businesses will continue<br />
to feel the tail end of this<br />
for some time and we will<br />
need to support them<br />
through that as well. We’ll<br />
work out in the next few<br />
days and week how best to<br />
do that.”
ISSUE <strong>166</strong> FILIPINO-KIWI HERO AWARDS | www.filipinoheroes.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | www.filipinonews.nz | 05 BUHAY<br />
www.filipinoheroes.nz : Over a 120 <strong>Filipino</strong> Kiwi Heroes have been recognised over the years by <strong>Filipino</strong> <strong>News</strong> NZ.<br />
NZ<br />
Asian Kiwi women getting<br />
breast cancer younger<br />
A report by the Breast<br />
Cancer Foundation found<br />
the median age for invasive<br />
breast cancer diagnoses<br />
for Asian Kiwi<br />
women was 52 - the lowest<br />
among all major ethnic<br />
groups.<br />
The findings were based<br />
on analysis of data<br />
between 2003 and 2020.<br />
The study also found<br />
that compared to other<br />
ethnic groups, Asians had<br />
the largest proportion of<br />
diagnoses in the premenopausal<br />
age group<br />
between 45 and 54.<br />
The Breast Cancer<br />
Foundation's research<br />
manager Adele Gautier<br />
said more needed to be<br />
done to understand breast<br />
cancer among diverse<br />
Asian populations in<br />
Aotearoa.<br />
She said despite Asians<br />
overall higher survival<br />
rates, it's important to<br />
understand where the<br />
pockets of risks were.<br />
"We do know Asian<br />
(right): An Asian lady consulting with<br />
a mammologist. Photo credit: Dreamstime<br />
women have much better<br />
survival, but we need to<br />
know which ones don't<br />
have such good survival<br />
and why that might be,<br />
and so now we can<br />
start breaking down<br />
some of that data, to<br />
understand.<br />
"Because in each<br />
population there<br />
are still sub pockets<br />
that have a<br />
higher risk than<br />
others, and those<br />
are the people you<br />
really want to talk<br />
to," she said.<br />
Gautier said Asians<br />
were the ethnicity least<br />
reported on in breast cancer<br />
studies in Aotearoa,<br />
and that there needed to<br />
be more research into patterns<br />
and changes the<br />
group was facing.<br />
She said recent international<br />
studies were showing<br />
an increase in rates of<br />
breast cancer<br />
for Asian women living<br />
in western countries.<br />
Meanwhile, the report<br />
also showed Asian Kiwi<br />
women had the lowest<br />
breast screening rates,<br />
with just over 60 per cent<br />
participating<br />
in screening<br />
pre-pandemic, and less<br />
than half of Asian women<br />
with breast cancer being<br />
diagnosed through<br />
screening.<br />
Aucklander Sara Chin<br />
was diagnosed with grade<br />
By Lucy Xia of RNZ<br />
(published with<br />
special permission from RNZ)<br />
than any other ethnic group, report shows<br />
2 breast cancer at age 31.<br />
Her diagnosis came<br />
about after she noticed a<br />
lump in her breast and<br />
got checked at a general<br />
practice.<br />
Chin said she was fit<br />
and healthy at the time<br />
of her diagnosis, and<br />
was encouraging<br />
young women to be<br />
vigilant and get<br />
checked if they're<br />
concerned.<br />
Breast cancer survivor<br />
Lyn Wayman<br />
was just 32 when she<br />
first got diagnosed in<br />
the Philippines, before<br />
she migrated to New<br />
Zealand.<br />
Wayman, now 73, had<br />
been through surgery<br />
three times.<br />
She said people should<br />
get checked if they notice<br />
something abnormal,<br />
even if they're of prescreening<br />
age.<br />
Wayman said she hoped<br />
the screening age in New<br />
Zealand could be lowered<br />
to include younger<br />
women.<br />
Currently, all women<br />
between 45 and 69 were<br />
eligible for a free mammogram<br />
once every two<br />
years to check for breast<br />
cancer.<br />
Meanwhile, Te Whatu<br />
Ora did not give specific<br />
answers to RNZ's questions<br />
on whether there<br />
would be any targeted<br />
campaign towards<br />
younger Asian women<br />
about breast cancer<br />
symptoms - given the<br />
younger trends.<br />
A spokesperson said<br />
they're aware of the low<br />
screening coverage for<br />
Asian New Zealanders,<br />
but couldn't answer<br />
specifically what would be<br />
done to help lift participation<br />
for Asians.<br />
They said the 2021<br />
budget included $55.6<br />
million to replace<br />
BreastScreen Aotearoa's<br />
information and communications<br />
technology system<br />
over the next four<br />
years, which was expected<br />
to reduce barriers to<br />
screening and improve<br />
equity of access.<br />
- RNZ
BUHAY<br />
NZ<br />
06 ISSUE <strong>166</strong> BOOK REVIEW | www.filipinonews.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | www.pinoynzlife.nz | MOB: 027 495 8477<br />
www.filipinonews.nz : North Island Edition - 22nd Anniversary | www.pinoynzlife.nz : South Island Edition. Print and Online!<br />
WELLINGTON –<br />
Mark Paguntalan, more<br />
commonly known by his<br />
pseudonym ‘Oliver<br />
Dace’, began writing his<br />
debut novel, The<br />
Wellington Alternate, on<br />
19 August 2014 when he<br />
looked outside an airplane<br />
window and imagined<br />
giant fish swimming<br />
underneath the streets of<br />
Wellington.<br />
It is a contemporary<br />
New Zealand Magical<br />
Realism novel about a girl<br />
who wants to be an academic<br />
because she was<br />
eaten by an egg.<br />
Oliver describes how he<br />
aims to allow the reader<br />
to see what they are reading.<br />
“I aim for my writing<br />
style to be lyrical. I want<br />
the sentences in the book<br />
to, quote-and-unquote,<br />
taste good.”<br />
Due to his full-time day<br />
job, music became an<br />
integral part of his writing<br />
process. So much so<br />
that he designated a<br />
theme song for each chapter<br />
and each of the four<br />
main characters –<br />
Merinette, Mandy,<br />
Josefina and Arissa –<br />
have their own playlist.<br />
The Wellington<br />
Alternate may be a<br />
Magical Realism story,<br />
but it is ultimately a character-driven<br />
novel.<br />
The story centres<br />
around a young woman<br />
named Merinette Dace<br />
Nadean who, despite<br />
wanting to focus on her<br />
studies rather than working<br />
in the family business,<br />
has a tendency to be selfish.<br />
Oliver says that he<br />
wanted to challenge himself<br />
to write authentic<br />
characters that can stand<br />
outside the plot of the<br />
novel. It works, as<br />
Merinette’s relationships<br />
and interactions with the<br />
other characters were<br />
more engaging than the<br />
surreal was.<br />
The book is also relat-<br />
“… I would like to showcase<br />
Philippine creativity through the<br />
creation of original creatures<br />
and authentic characters,”<br />
reflects Oliver Dace.<br />
OLIVER DACE<br />
THE<br />
WELLINGTON<br />
ALTERNATIVE<br />
able on another level<br />
because a major character<br />
in the book is a<br />
Filipina - Josefina Santa<br />
Maria Franken y Jaena,<br />
the rival of Merinette.<br />
Josefina hails from<br />
Iloilo, but was sent to New<br />
Zealand after a tragic<br />
family incident. The only<br />
way she can go home is to<br />
work alongside Merinette's<br />
aunt.<br />
“Josefina was created<br />
as a result of homesickness<br />
and represents my<br />
home region of Iloilo,”<br />
shares Oliver.<br />
This novel is centred<br />
around Oliver’s intrigue<br />
or even addiction to the<br />
Magical Realism and<br />
Horror Genres.<br />
Oliver explained in a<br />
recent interview that he<br />
enjoys writing Magical<br />
Realism because it allows<br />
him to spice up reality.<br />
Instead of using fantasy<br />
creatures such as elves,<br />
dragons or goblins, the<br />
novel features floating<br />
stars, colour-eating fogs,<br />
sentient roads and underwater<br />
fires.<br />
Oliver hails from Iloilo<br />
in the Philippines where<br />
he attended a private<br />
school that urged the students<br />
to speak English<br />
and only English.<br />
“I entertained the idea<br />
of becoming an English<br />
teacher in the Philippines<br />
Book Review<br />
By RICKY MATHEW<br />
A SURREAL<br />
STORY THAT<br />
SEEMS SO<br />
RELATABLE<br />
or of teaching creative<br />
writing in the Philippines,”<br />
he recalls.<br />
“However, for the<br />
moment I am focused on<br />
honing my writing and<br />
establishing myself as an<br />
author.”<br />
He moved to Wellington,<br />
New Zealand, in<br />
2007. And not only does<br />
Oliver reside in<br />
Wellington, but so does<br />
the protagonist in his<br />
novel - Merinette Dace<br />
Nadean.<br />
Founder: Jade-Ceres Munoz<br />
FB: filipinochildrenslibrary<br />
“I enjoy writing Magical<br />
Realism because it allows<br />
me to spice up reality.”<br />
- Oliver Dace<br />
SYNOPSIS:<br />
The Wellington<br />
Alternate is a magical<br />
realism story set in the<br />
capital of New Zealand.<br />
It is a story involving<br />
floating stars, family,<br />
friendship and the<br />
extraordinary ordinary.<br />
Ever since an egg had<br />
devoured her, eighteenyear-old<br />
Merinette Dace<br />
Nadean has wanted to<br />
escape her destiny.<br />
She longs to be an<br />
academic instead of<br />
continuing her family’s<br />
century-old position<br />
maintaining the various<br />
surreal entities called<br />
Fiction.<br />
She would become<br />
only a glorified maintenance<br />
worker. That life<br />
is a chore.<br />
So Merinette, as stubborn<br />
as she is, refuses,<br />
However, in the novel<br />
we are introduced to a<br />
new alternate dimension<br />
eager to prove that she<br />
is more than the talents<br />
she was born with.<br />
She wants to turn her<br />
love for books into an<br />
alternative way to help<br />
her family, rather than<br />
confronting the Fiction<br />
head-on. And, when an<br />
opportunity arises in a<br />
dingy car park,<br />
Merinette will do anything<br />
to achieve her<br />
goal.<br />
The author’s style is<br />
all his own; it mesmerizes<br />
and fits the story<br />
well.<br />
Even if it is inspired<br />
by anime, the style is<br />
much more literary<br />
classic. It reminds you a<br />
bit of books like Jane<br />
Eyre and Emma, in the<br />
way that sentences<br />
move and the mood is<br />
introduced.<br />
to the Wellington that we<br />
all know.<br />
Such is the style of his<br />
“Over the last few years we've put together a<br />
project of collecting <strong>Filipino</strong> books for children<br />
and young adults in order to help migrant kids<br />
re-learn our language and culture,” reports<br />
Jade-Ceres Munoz.<br />
“It has been pretty successful so far. We've<br />
worked with the Philippine Embassy in New<br />
Zealand and with several publishers and<br />
authors in the Philippines.<br />
writing. Oliver has intertwined<br />
the realities of<br />
Wellington with the fantastical<br />
aspects of the<br />
novel’s world.<br />
The inclusion of iconic<br />
Wellington settings such<br />
as the Wellington<br />
Waterfront, Island Bay,<br />
Mt. Victoria and quite fittingly,<br />
the Wellington<br />
Library, are examples of<br />
how The Wellington<br />
Alternate introduces<br />
readers to a new alternate<br />
Wellington that we all still<br />
recognise.<br />
The thing that separates<br />
Oliver Dace from<br />
the rest is his originality.<br />
He has avoided using<br />
well-known mythical<br />
creatures such as zombies<br />
or vampires and has<br />
instead taken inspiration<br />
from the New Zealand/<br />
Maori culture, with the<br />
use of red-headed fairies<br />
and of course, Wellington.<br />
While his love for New<br />
Zealand is clear throughout<br />
the book, Oliver has<br />
said that he ultimately<br />
wants to write a novel set<br />
in his home region, Iloilo<br />
City, a novel that he hopes<br />
will inspire future generations<br />
of writers in the<br />
Philippines. His love for<br />
writing was spurred on<br />
there and one of his main<br />
characters – Josefina<br />
Franken y Jaena – was a<br />
homage to Graciano<br />
Lopez Jaena.<br />
The good news is that<br />
he is already preparing to<br />
write a second book,<br />
which is titled ‘Kiwi<br />
Pinas: A Magical Realism<br />
travel guide to the<br />
Philippines’.<br />
It is a contemporary<br />
magical realism novel<br />
involving two cousins who<br />
will have their heritage<br />
set in Iloilo. They met for<br />
the first time and will go<br />
to the Philippines for the<br />
first time.<br />
More details about this<br />
book can be found on<br />
Dace’s official website.<br />
Meanwhile, to purchase<br />
your copy of The<br />
Wellington Alternate,<br />
visit Dace’s website:<br />
writeoliverdace.com/shop<br />
, The Underground<br />
Bookstore, The Writer’s<br />
Plot, or Marsden Books.<br />
The Ebook is available on<br />
both Kobo and Amazon.<br />
It is also available to<br />
loan from libraries in<br />
Wellington, Christchurch,<br />
Vigan, Manila,<br />
Baguio and Iloilo.
ISSUE <strong>166</strong> FILIPINO-KIWI HERO AWARDS | www.filipinoheroes.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | www.filipinonews.nz | 07 BUHAY<br />
www.filipinoheroes.nz : Over a 120 <strong>Filipino</strong> Kiwi Heroes have been recognised over the years by <strong>Filipino</strong> <strong>News</strong> NZ.<br />
NZ<br />
WAIKATO - <strong>Filipino</strong><br />
Kiwi Hero Award winner<br />
and New Zealand Dairy<br />
ed to come here just to<br />
visit my sister and my<br />
brother in law. Basically,<br />
before I got the opportunity<br />
to manage a farm. It<br />
was very hard for a<br />
shock.<br />
But second, it’s the isolation.<br />
Basically, you are<br />
From Farm Assistant to<br />
Manager of the Year<br />
about dairy farming. You<br />
can be a vet, you can be a<br />
plumber, a carpenter and<br />
all sorts of other things.<br />
Of course, Kiwis always<br />
have a big thing for recommendations.<br />
trying to move up the<br />
ranks.<br />
One of the biggest<br />
things to get people to<br />
trust you here in New<br />
Zealand is through recommendations.<br />
That is<br />
By Ricky Matthew<br />
Manager of the Year 2021,<br />
Christopher Vila, shares<br />
his story of moving up the<br />
ranks from a farm assistant<br />
to winning the top<br />
prize in dairy farming in<br />
New Zealand.<br />
A story involving<br />
switching both countries<br />
and career. A story that is<br />
echoed in the lives of<br />
other migrants like him.<br />
What was your occupation<br />
in the Philippines and<br />
why the dairy industry?<br />
I was a licenced veterinarian<br />
back home and<br />
when I first finished uni I<br />
worked for a multinational<br />
company as a farm consultant<br />
and as an area<br />
manager of a big firm<br />
which is concentrated<br />
mostly on swine and poultry.<br />
After a year and a half<br />
of working there I decid-<br />
their whole family had<br />
started dairy farming.<br />
They asked me, why not<br />
try it? It was related to<br />
my profession anyway. So<br />
that is how it all started<br />
thirteen years ago.<br />
With all of your awards,<br />
what are your success<br />
secrets?<br />
There is no secret to<br />
having a successful<br />
career. You just need to do<br />
your work, have passion<br />
for it, do the best you can,<br />
stick to your principles<br />
and have a goal. That is<br />
very important, to have a<br />
goal, because if you have a<br />
goal, then you are going to<br />
do the right things to<br />
achieve the goal.<br />
How long did it take to<br />
rise up the ranks from<br />
farm assistant to farm<br />
manager?<br />
It took me about six<br />
years. I went to about<br />
three different farms<br />
Christopher Vila (left) receiving the<br />
the ‘Dairy Farmer of the Year’<br />
award at the <strong>Filipino</strong>-Kiwi Hero<br />
Awards in Auckland.<br />
The official awards website is at:<br />
www.filipinoheroes.nz<br />
migrant like me, even<br />
though I have the CV to<br />
back it up, to have a management<br />
role back then.<br />
So it took me six years<br />
and about another six<br />
years or so to give me the<br />
courage to enter the<br />
industry awards.<br />
What are some of the<br />
challenges for an immigrant<br />
entering the dairy<br />
industry?<br />
First and foremost, the<br />
culture. It is a big culture<br />
in a<br />
farm<br />
a n d<br />
you are very isolated.<br />
And thirdly, it’s the<br />
thing they call the Kiwi<br />
way of farming. New<br />
Zealand has a different<br />
way of farming compared<br />
to other countries.<br />
Even as a trained vet it<br />
was hard for me, because<br />
you are not only focused<br />
on one thing, but you are<br />
focused on everything<br />
When you are starting<br />
out you do not have the<br />
right network. I have<br />
been dairy farming for<br />
about 13 years and it is<br />
only now that I<br />
have this much<br />
of a network<br />
in the industry.<br />
This is a big<br />
help, especially<br />
when you are<br />
really one of the biggest<br />
factors; it’s just networking.
08 ISSUE <strong>166</strong> BUSINESS NEWS | www.filipinonews.nz | filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | mob: 027 495 8477 |<br />
www.filipinonews.nz : Headline <strong>News</strong>. Videos. Migrant <strong>News</strong>. And more. | www.trabaho.nz : The <strong>Filipino</strong> Job Board. mob: 027 387 7680<br />
GO NEGOSYO<br />
By Mel Fernandez<br />
AUCKLAND – Tres<br />
Marias Trading Limited,<br />
a <strong>Filipino</strong> grocery store in<br />
Panmure, Auckland, has<br />
served the local <strong>Filipino</strong><br />
community since 1999.<br />
Founded by Oscar and<br />
Mercy Catoto in 1991 as a<br />
small family-run business,<br />
Tres Marias Trading<br />
Limited has since become<br />
a well-established import<br />
and distribution company,<br />
specialising in a wide<br />
range of home brands<br />
from the Philippines such<br />
as popular sauce mixes,<br />
condiments, snacks and<br />
beauty products.<br />
The retail shop operation<br />
was strategically<br />
located in close proximity<br />
to a large <strong>Filipino</strong> settlement<br />
in the Mt Wellington<br />
area.<br />
Tres Marias Trading<br />
Limited was the first<br />
<strong>Filipino</strong> grocery store to<br />
ever open on a high street<br />
in New Zealand and it<br />
quickly became popular<br />
among <strong>Filipino</strong>s and non-<br />
<strong>Filipino</strong>s alike.<br />
In an interview with<br />
<strong>Filipino</strong> <strong>News</strong> ten years<br />
ago, Oscar and Mercy<br />
recalled how they went<br />
about launching their<br />
business.<br />
It was a family environment<br />
where the mantra<br />
was “everybody does<br />
everything”. “We started<br />
with frozen foods like longanisa,<br />
tocino, corned<br />
beef and bacon and I<br />
myself was making the<br />
food,” said Oscar.<br />
“We used our garage<br />
and a small extension in<br />
front of our house in Mt<br />
Wellington and that's<br />
where we started our little<br />
sari-sari store in 1994,”<br />
explained Mercy. “We<br />
also operated a 'rolling<br />
store' from 1994 to 1996,<br />
going door-to-door to<br />
supply Philippine products<br />
to customers,” reminisced<br />
Oscar.<br />
The next stage was to<br />
launch a dedicated<br />
import business to supply<br />
Philippine products to<br />
their outlet and the other<br />
Asian stores that kababayans<br />
frequented.<br />
By 2000 the company<br />
was experiencing rapid<br />
growth. “Lots of <strong>Filipino</strong>s<br />
started coming to the<br />
country from 2003<br />
onwards,” said Oscar.<br />
“This was the turning<br />
point,” said Mercy.<br />
“Before it was just knocking<br />
on the doors of<br />
<strong>Filipino</strong> homes to sell the<br />
products, but now people<br />
were looking for us. We<br />
realized that our determination<br />
and hard work<br />
had paid off.”<br />
As Tres Marias flourished,<br />
Oscar and Mercy<br />
branched into freight forwarding.<br />
Tranfex New<br />
Zealand Limited started<br />
in 2001, shipping balik-<br />
AS ONE<br />
DOOR<br />
CLOSES,<br />
ANOTHER<br />
OPENS<br />
Tres Marias closes its iconic<br />
grocery store to shift the<br />
focus to its growing<br />
balikbayan service and<br />
expanding import, export<br />
and distribution business.<br />
bayan parcels to the<br />
Philippines. Around this<br />
time a second store was<br />
opened in Hamilton,<br />
which was later sold to<br />
other <strong>Filipino</strong>s.<br />
In 2016 Oscar and<br />
Mercy Catoto received<br />
the prestigious <strong>Filipino</strong>-<br />
Kiwi Hero Award for<br />
Business Excellence in<br />
recognition of their<br />
courage, perseverance<br />
and hard work.<br />
24 years since they<br />
opened the doors of their<br />
Panmure store, Tres<br />
Marias Trading Limited<br />
is entering a new chapter<br />
of its existence.<br />
Sadly, at the end of<br />
February 2023, the<br />
Catotos are closing their<br />
retail operation.<br />
The company<br />
will now be focusing<br />
on its thriving<br />
import, export<br />
and distribution<br />
operation and<br />
Tranfex New<br />
Zealand Limited -<br />
their balikbayan<br />
box service, which<br />
is based in a warehouse<br />
in Pakuranga<br />
Heights,<br />
Auckland.<br />
"We just want<br />
to thank our loyal<br />
customers for supporting<br />
our business<br />
for more than<br />
20 years," said<br />
Mercy.<br />
“We loved serving<br />
not only<br />
<strong>Filipino</strong>s, but anyone<br />
who wanted to<br />
try <strong>Filipino</strong> products.<br />
“Now that we<br />
are in our 70s, for<br />
me and Oscar, that<br />
will be enough.”<br />
This outstanding duo is<br />
looking forward to their<br />
retirement and to spending<br />
quality time with their<br />
grandchildren.<br />
“Thank you for being a<br />
part of Tres Marias' journey!”<br />
DOWN MEMORY LANE ...<br />
Mercy Catoto and team exhibiting at<br />
Fiesta Filipinas at the Auckland Showgrounds.<br />
Oscar and Mercy Catoto at the Sharon Cuneta<br />
Concert ‘Meet and Greet’ function in Auckland.<br />
Joy Catoto and team promoting Mama Sita products at the Food Show<br />
held at the Auckland Showgrounds.
ISSUE <strong>166</strong> BUSINESS NEWS | www.filipinonews.nz | filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | www.pinoynzlife.nz | 09<br />
www.filipinonews.nz : Headline <strong>News</strong>. Vlogs. Migrant <strong>News</strong> (www.trabaho.nz : <strong>Filipino</strong> Job Board. trabaho@xtra.co.nz)<br />
Tres Marias Trading Ltd and Tranfex NZ Ltd:<br />
Transforming and recreating an<br />
iconic <strong>Filipino</strong> business powerhouse.<br />
By Mel Fernandez<br />
AUCKLAND - Tres<br />
Marias started from humble<br />
beginnings and for<br />
over 20 years the company<br />
has been able to capitalize<br />
on opportunities,<br />
reinvent itself and establish<br />
a comfortable niche<br />
in the marketplace.<br />
Today it is one of the<br />
most successful importer,<br />
exporter and distributor<br />
of Philippine products<br />
businesses in New Zealand,<br />
with warehouses<br />
located in<br />
Auckland and<br />
Christchurch.<br />
Joy Mead, the<br />
Managing Director<br />
and daughter of<br />
Oscar and Mercy<br />
Catoto, said: “We<br />
want to let the<br />
community know<br />
that it is the end of<br />
an era - for the<br />
retail store, but we<br />
are progressing to<br />
something bigger<br />
and better.”<br />
She further<br />
explained:<br />
“The retail<br />
store has<br />
been a focal<br />
point for a<br />
lot of migrants<br />
coming<br />
to New<br />
Zealand.<br />
“If you<br />
were a new<br />
migrant<br />
and you<br />
didn’t<br />
know anyone<br />
in<br />
Auckland<br />
you would come to Tres<br />
Marias and it would feel<br />
like home.<br />
“So I know that for a lot<br />
of migrants who have<br />
been here for a very long<br />
time it will be a bit of a<br />
nostalgic feeling for them<br />
to come back and see the<br />
retail store gone.”<br />
According to Stephen<br />
Mead, the Sales and<br />
Marketing Director of the<br />
company: “Previously,<br />
the retail store was the<br />
Joy Mead envisions a<br />
bright future for<br />
Tres Marias Ltd,<br />
because demand for<br />
their products and<br />
services is increasing<br />
exponentially due to<br />
the growth of the<br />
migrant population,<br />
driven by immigration.<br />
Tres Marias has a warehouse in Pakuranga Heights<br />
in Auckland (pictured here) and in May 2021<br />
opened a second warehouse in Christchurch.<br />
hub of the business, but<br />
now the focus is on<br />
Tranfex NZ Ltd and the<br />
import,<br />
export and<br />
distribution<br />
business.<br />
“ W e<br />
want to<br />
focus our<br />
time, energy<br />
and resources on growing<br />
these areas.”<br />
Joy Mead agrees. “For<br />
Tres Marias, our focus is<br />
now on import, export<br />
and wholesaling. We want<br />
to support <strong>Filipino</strong>s in<br />
business. We’ve been<br />
there and we know how<br />
challenging it can be, so if<br />
we can help other<br />
<strong>Filipino</strong>s start up a life<br />
here and have opportunities,<br />
then why not?<br />
“For Tranfex, we intend<br />
GO NEGOSYO<br />
"We opened a<br />
warehouse in<br />
Christchurch in<br />
May 2021 and we<br />
are trying to<br />
mainstream a lot<br />
of <strong>Filipino</strong>-loved<br />
items by putting<br />
them into the main<br />
grocery stores like<br />
Pak’nSave and<br />
New World." - Joy<br />
Mead<br />
to grow this business and<br />
offer more products and<br />
services that allow<br />
<strong>Filipino</strong>s to connect to the<br />
Philippines and vice<br />
versa.”<br />
Regarding the company's<br />
exciting plans, Joy<br />
revealed: “We opened a<br />
warehouse in Christchurch<br />
in May 2021 and<br />
we are trying to mainstream<br />
a lot of <strong>Filipino</strong>loved<br />
items by putting<br />
them into the main grocery<br />
stores like Pak’nSave<br />
and New World.”<br />
She further explains the<br />
logic behind this move.<br />
“Supermarkets are a onestop<br />
shop. If you want to<br />
make sinigang, you can go<br />
to Pak’nSave to get your<br />
veges and your meat, but<br />
you still need to go to an<br />
Asian store to buy your<br />
sinigang mix. Why don’t<br />
we put the sinigang mix in<br />
Pak’nSave to save <strong>Filipino</strong>s<br />
time? That is the<br />
thinking behind that.”<br />
The Meads envision a<br />
bright future for their<br />
company, because demand<br />
for their products<br />
and serv-<br />
Joy Mead, the<br />
Managing Director of<br />
Tres Marias Ltd and<br />
Tranfex NZ Ltd,<br />
with Oscar Catoto.<br />
ices is<br />
increasing<br />
exponentially<br />
due<br />
to the<br />
growth of<br />
the migrant population,<br />
driven by immigration.<br />
As Joy puts it: “Our<br />
objective is to make<br />
<strong>Filipino</strong> products household<br />
names in Kiwi homes<br />
so that they will ideally<br />
become like the Kikkoman<br />
brand; most<br />
households in New Zealand<br />
consume Kikkoman<br />
soy sauce. Why can’t it be<br />
like that for <strong>Filipino</strong><br />
brands? That’s our vision.<br />
“If you are interested in<br />
selling <strong>Filipino</strong> products<br />
or balikbayan box services,<br />
contact us on 09<br />
2747595 or sales@tresmarias.co.nz.”<br />
Pictured left is a small<br />
selection of the many<br />
food products from the<br />
Philippines which are<br />
imported by Tres Marias.
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JOB<br />
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The Auckland Citizens<br />
Advice Bureau could see<br />
its doors close permanently.<br />
Auckland Council will<br />
meet next week to consider<br />
making significant cuts to<br />
spending in the upcoming<br />
budget.<br />
The council wants to<br />
make $20 million of cuts to<br />
regional services, and axeing<br />
Auckland Citizens<br />
Advice Bureau would save<br />
it $2 million.<br />
Auckland Council<br />
Group currently faces a<br />
budget deficit of $295 million<br />
for the 2023-24 financial<br />
year.<br />
The Public Service<br />
Association (PSA) has<br />
urged the council to keep<br />
Citizens Advice Bureau<br />
Auckland Citizens<br />
Advice Bureau on the<br />
council chopping board<br />
open.<br />
PSA national secretary<br />
Kerry Davies said its message<br />
to mayor Wayne<br />
Brown and councillors was<br />
not to cut the services that<br />
help communities the<br />
most.<br />
Citizens Advice Bureaus<br />
provide essential support<br />
for residents, she said.<br />
The President of the<br />
Migrant Workers Association<br />
said closing Citizen's<br />
Advice Bureaus across<br />
Auckland do more harm<br />
than good.<br />
Anu Kaloti said many<br />
migrant workers rely on<br />
the Advice Bureaus to navigate<br />
New Zealand's difficult<br />
immigration laws.<br />
"With our immigration<br />
policies, the way they are<br />
set, people have had to<br />
apply for temporary visa,<br />
another temporary visa,<br />
another temporary and it<br />
takes years and years.<br />
"The immigration law,<br />
like all other laws, is not<br />
easily decipherable for<br />
these people."<br />
Kaloti said Citizen's<br />
Advice Bureaus provide<br />
much needed support for<br />
migrant looking for legal<br />
aid.<br />
Anyone can walk into<br />
the 32 bureaus in Auckland<br />
to get free and confidential<br />
legal advice.<br />
The final budget will be<br />
approved in June. - RNZ<br />
Lunar New Year: Year of the Rabbit<br />
When is Lunar New Year<br />
in 2023?<br />
In 2023, Lunar New Year<br />
begins on Sunday, January<br />
22 and ends on Sunday,<br />
February 5. In China, this is<br />
a 15-day span that lasts from<br />
the new moon to the next<br />
full moon. The first day of<br />
the festival is called Spring<br />
Festival, and the final day is<br />
the Lantern Festival.<br />
Lunar New Year is celebrated<br />
in many Asian cultures,<br />
including Chinese,<br />
South Korean, Vietnamese,<br />
Singaporean, Malaysian,<br />
<strong>Filipino</strong> and Indonesian cultures.<br />
Additionally, each country<br />
has its own name for Lunar<br />
New Year. In South Korea,<br />
for example, it’s Seollal. In<br />
Vietnam it is called Tet,<br />
short for Tet Nguyen Dan.<br />
2023 in the Chinese<br />
Zodiac is Year of the<br />
Rabbit. Other years of the<br />
rabbit include 2011, 1999,<br />
1987, 1975, 1963, 1951, and<br />
1939, so those born in these<br />
years all have something in<br />
common.<br />
According to Chinese<br />
astrology, rabbits – and<br />
therefore humans born in<br />
this year – are predicted to<br />
be gentle, quiet, elegant and<br />
alert. They’re also supposedly<br />
quick, skilful, kind, and<br />
patient.<br />
The mythology of the rabbit<br />
is summarised by<br />
ChineseNewYear.net. “The<br />
Rabbit is the fourth of all<br />
zodiac animals. Legend has<br />
it the Rabbit was proud—<br />
arrogant even—of its speed.<br />
He was neighbours with Ox<br />
and always made fun of how<br />
slow Ox was.<br />
“One day, the Jade<br />
Emperor said the zodiac<br />
order would be decided by<br />
the order in which the animals<br />
arrived at his party.<br />
Rabbit set off at daybreak.<br />
But when he got there, no<br />
other animals were in sight.<br />
Thinking that he would<br />
obviously be first, he went<br />
off to the side and napped.<br />
However, when he woke up,<br />
three other animals had<br />
already arrived. One of them<br />
was the Ox he had always<br />
looked down upon.”<br />
It is thought that men born<br />
in the Year of the Rabbit are<br />
extraordinarily polite and do<br />
whatever they can to avoid<br />
conflicts, while woman born<br />
in this year love being social<br />
and are thoughtful and<br />
extremely polite too. A<br />
desire to avoid confrontation<br />
throughout life is said<br />
to be salient.<br />
When it comes to relationships,<br />
both romantic and<br />
platonic, rabbits are most<br />
compatible with dogs, pigs,<br />
and goats from the Chinese<br />
Zodiac. They’re apparently<br />
least compatible with roosters,<br />
dragons, and rats.<br />
Naturally rooted in superstition,<br />
lucky colours for<br />
rabbits are red, pink, blue,<br />
and purple, while lucky<br />
numbers are 3, 4 and 9.<br />
Unlucky colours are brown,<br />
grey, and white, and the<br />
numbers 5 and 11.<br />
Rabbits are reported<br />
attracted to creative jobs<br />
with wide social networks.<br />
They are good at observation<br />
and tasks that require<br />
fine detail. Industries such<br />
as art, music, architecture,<br />
as well at networking-based<br />
jobs such as in public relations,<br />
may be ideal fields to<br />
work in.<br />
On the downside, rabbits<br />
are said to experience insecurity.<br />
They may suffer from<br />
anxiety and depression.<br />
They may also have a problematic<br />
relationship with<br />
food and struggle to maintain<br />
a balanced diet because<br />
they eat too much or too little.<br />
- Asia Media Centre
ISSUE <strong>166</strong> WAITANGI DAY | www.migrantnews.nz | email: migrantnews@xtra.co.nz | www.filipinonews.nz | Facebook: Migrant <strong>News</strong> 11<br />
MIGRANT NEWS - Immigration <strong>News</strong>, Settlement Support ... New Zealand’s first Migrant community newspaper. Published since 1991. Print. Online. Social Media.<br />
Jade-Ceres Munoz Thelma Trono Bell Miguel Manaig Romelyn Fernandez Garde Noel Bautista Laddie Lou Corpus<br />
Acknowledging those who came first<br />
By Ricky Matthew<br />
AUCKLAND - For<br />
some, Waitangi Day is simply<br />
a public holiday. It’s a<br />
chance to go on a road trip<br />
with the family or to kick<br />
your feet up for an extra<br />
day. For others, Waitangi<br />
Day is much more than<br />
just a public holiday. It is a<br />
day to remember the pain<br />
and suffering in the early<br />
days of New Zealand and a<br />
chance to jubilate over the<br />
agreement reached between<br />
the Maori and the<br />
Pakeha to coexist.<br />
The document which set<br />
this agreement in stone is,<br />
of course, the Treaty of<br />
Waitangi. The purpose of<br />
which was essentially to<br />
allow for the co-existence<br />
of the Maori and the<br />
Pakeha peoples, to protect<br />
the culture, land and rights<br />
of the Maori and to give<br />
the Crown the right to represent<br />
the interests of all<br />
New Zealand with their<br />
governance.<br />
While NZQA has implemented<br />
the teaching of<br />
Maori culture and the<br />
Treaty of Waitangi into<br />
high school subjects such<br />
as history and the government<br />
has pressed for more<br />
education around the<br />
Treaty, it is the new<br />
arrivals of New Zealand<br />
that are the least educated<br />
on the matter. This makes<br />
the participation in<br />
Waitangi Day celebrations<br />
quite a confusing topic for<br />
migrants, especially newly<br />
settled ones.<br />
In this survey we asked<br />
migrants how they celebrate<br />
Waitangi Day and<br />
their understanding of the<br />
significance of the Treaty<br />
of Waitangi.<br />
Some migrants celebrate<br />
Waitangi Day by organizing<br />
their own community<br />
events. “I am involved with<br />
a group that organizes the<br />
Ashburton Multi Cultural<br />
Bite, which has been<br />
held during Waitangi<br />
Day weekend every<br />
year since 2010,”<br />
shared Thelma Trono<br />
Bell, JP. “It’s a celebration<br />
of Mid<br />
Canterbury's diverse<br />
community by showcasing<br />
the different<br />
cultures through food<br />
and performances.<br />
We cancelled the<br />
show last year for the<br />
very first time due to<br />
Covid-19 restrictions.<br />
The event is back this<br />
year.”<br />
A former Ashburton<br />
City Councillor,<br />
Thelma is the first<br />
Philippines-born<br />
City Councillor in<br />
New Zealand. “I am<br />
proud to be a connection<br />
between the<br />
locals and the<br />
migrants, blending<br />
together, integrating<br />
together and becoming<br />
one community,”<br />
she added. “No doubt<br />
we have a lot to learn<br />
from each other and<br />
it’s pragmatic for us<br />
to keep on doing so<br />
for future generations.”<br />
<strong>Filipino</strong>-Kiwi Roy Bustenera,<br />
a senior citizen and<br />
board member of the<br />
<strong>Filipino</strong> Society Inc., has<br />
lived in Auckland for several<br />
decades. “When I first<br />
arrived in New Zealand I<br />
attended a Waitangi Day<br />
Celebration at the Treaty<br />
Grounds,” he said. “I<br />
recall that there was much<br />
discord and protests happening<br />
during the event, so<br />
I never returned.”<br />
Waitangi Day is all about<br />
unity, says Romelyn<br />
Fernandez Garde, 35,<br />
interim Director of the<br />
Philippine Club of<br />
Rotorua Inc., “It’s accepting<br />
one another because<br />
here we are, shining our<br />
own light, representing<br />
ourselves, our community,<br />
and our family.<br />
Waitangi Day celebrations in Rotorua on 6th February 2023.<br />
Photo credit: Queenie Lee Tanjay<br />
“This is my third<br />
Waitangi celebration as a<br />
<strong>Filipino</strong> community coordinator<br />
and the experience<br />
has been amazing. It has<br />
connected me to a lot of<br />
people, not just knowing a<br />
specific culture, but multiculturally,<br />
and more<br />
importantly, reconnecting<br />
to my own roots.”<br />
For Marjorie Luxford,<br />
27, from Rotorua. Waitangi<br />
Day is a memorable<br />
experience, “because we<br />
don’t have anything like<br />
this in the Philippines. This<br />
is my 4th time already to<br />
attend this occasion and I<br />
really enjoy it. We are<br />
already living here in NZ<br />
so it’s a good time to feel<br />
part of the local community<br />
and connect as a citizen<br />
of Aotearoa.”<br />
Keith Patangan, 10,<br />
from Rotorua says: “It’s<br />
always about the community<br />
and the culture of all<br />
kinds that come together at<br />
the end of the day. Clearly,<br />
rain or shine, it’s a good<br />
day to celebrate each<br />
other’s culture.”<br />
Argine Patangan, 10,<br />
from Rotorua also shared<br />
her viewpoint: “I like it<br />
when all people embrace<br />
each other’s culture, the<br />
past, present, and the past<br />
altogether. It’s good to see<br />
everyone embracing and<br />
helping each other and<br />
despite the hail, rain, or<br />
shine, we are still all here<br />
united as one.”<br />
Noel Bautista, a <strong>Filipino</strong><br />
Overseas Worker in NZ,<br />
had this to say: “Beyond<br />
the momentary respite<br />
from their workaday<br />
drudgery, most migrants’<br />
awareness is barely<br />
touched by the historical<br />
importance of<br />
Waitangi Day. Which<br />
is a pity, as the event<br />
produced consequences<br />
that are still<br />
felt today.<br />
“New Zealand’s<br />
birth and the continued<br />
imbalance in<br />
society are lessons all<br />
migrants would benefit<br />
from by understanding<br />
Waitangi<br />
Day.”<br />
“When I first<br />
moved to New<br />
Zealand about 8<br />
years ago, one of our<br />
first family road trips<br />
was to the Bay of<br />
Islands. We stopped<br />
at the Waitangi<br />
Treaty Grounds,”<br />
recalls Jade-Ceres<br />
Munoz, a <strong>Filipino</strong> IT<br />
professional. “Being<br />
new migrants then, it<br />
was such an amazing<br />
experience for us to<br />
connect to New<br />
Zealand's history and<br />
rich culture. It was<br />
only the second time<br />
we had seen a kapa<br />
haka performance, so it<br />
was quite a treat. We had<br />
our daughter with us and it<br />
was a great way to introduce<br />
her to the country<br />
that we wanted her to grow<br />
up in. It's been a while<br />
since we've been there, so<br />
we're planning another<br />
visit soon.”<br />
“I first learned about<br />
Waitangi Day in my secondary<br />
school, Rotorua<br />
Boys High, which is known<br />
for being culturally expressive,”<br />
recalls university<br />
student Miguel Manaig.<br />
“It is a public holiday that<br />
commemorates<br />
the signing<br />
of the<br />
Treaty of<br />
Waitangi in<br />
1840 - which<br />
is considered<br />
to be New<br />
Zealand’s founding document.<br />
“Understanding its<br />
meaning and significance<br />
helped bridge my own values<br />
to those of Maori. Like<br />
the value of Araw ng<br />
Kasarinlan (Philippine<br />
Independence Day) for us<br />
<strong>Filipino</strong>s, Waitangi Day<br />
means the same for Maori<br />
- freedom from colonial<br />
oppression.<br />
“Celebrating it alongside<br />
my Kiwi-Maori friends<br />
meant acknowledging<br />
their history and treating<br />
both their culture and my<br />
culture with significance.”<br />
One man from Kosovo,<br />
Vullnet Abdylli, who visited<br />
the Treaty Grounds at<br />
Waitangi in Northland,<br />
says: “I’ve been to the Bay<br />
of Islands and seen the<br />
house where they signed<br />
the document. I watch the<br />
news on TV every day and<br />
see them trying to work it<br />
out. The Maoris feel that<br />
the Europeans cheated<br />
them, but the Maoris have<br />
also benefitted from the<br />
Europeans coming here.”<br />
Hilary Martin Patrao,<br />
from India, said: “I know<br />
that they (Maori) are the<br />
people who were uprooted<br />
because of the cultures that<br />
came after them. I feel that<br />
we should learn Maori culture<br />
when we are in the<br />
country and make our lives<br />
easier.”<br />
<strong>Filipino</strong>-Kiwi nurse,<br />
Laddie Lou Corpus, said:<br />
“Waitangi Day is New<br />
Zealand Day. It was the<br />
time that Maori signed a<br />
treaty that opened their<br />
country to immigrants. A<br />
day we appreciate and celebrate.”
BUHAY<br />
NZ<br />
12 ISSUE <strong>166</strong> 7th HERO AWARDS | www.filipinonews.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | www.trabaho.nz | MOB: 027 495 8477<br />
www.filipinonews.nz : North Island Edition - 22nd Anniversary | www.pinoynzlife.nz : South Island Edition. Print and Online!<br />
The 7th<br />
<strong>Filipino</strong>-Kiwi<br />
Hero Awards<br />
17 June 2023<br />
Auckland<br />
official website:<br />
filipinoheroes.<br />
nz<br />
Over 120 super<br />
heroes<br />
honoured to date.<br />
To nominate your<br />
hero for 2023<br />
please contact<br />
us at:<br />
filipinonews@<br />
xtra.co.nz<br />
Gore franchisee achieves<br />
his wellness goals with<br />
CrestClean<br />
When Millard Macairan had a<br />
heart attack at the age of 52, he<br />
knew something had to change —<br />
so he bought a CrestClean franchise.<br />
Millard had been working on<br />
dairy farms for 12 years, when the<br />
early starts and demanding workload<br />
started to take a serious toll<br />
on his health.<br />
“It was three days after my<br />
grandson was born. My son had<br />
taken a day off and I was alone on<br />
the farm,” he recalls.<br />
“I was feeding the cows and<br />
there was a break-out, so I had to<br />
round them up. I felt as if I was<br />
running out of breath.<br />
“I called my wife to give me a<br />
hand and after we rounded up the<br />
cows I had to sit down. Then I felt<br />
my chest tightening up, and I told<br />
my wife to call an ambulance. It<br />
happened really fast.”<br />
Millard, who had no history of<br />
heart problems, was rushed to<br />
hospital where he was stabilised<br />
and underwent tests to try and<br />
determine the cause of the heart<br />
attack.<br />
“They found nothing wrong<br />
with my heart. Everything was<br />
normal and<br />
my cholesterol<br />
was<br />
excellent.<br />
The cardiologist<br />
concluded<br />
that it<br />
was stress.<br />
So she asked<br />
me to take a<br />
break and<br />
relax for a<br />
bit.”<br />
That’s<br />
when the<br />
couple decided<br />
to invest<br />
in a CrestClean franchise in Gore.<br />
“A friend had been encouraging<br />
us to join CrestClean for five<br />
years, but I resisted because I find<br />
transitions quite challenging. But<br />
after the event I thought ‘okay,<br />
this is it’,” says Millard.<br />
He is thankful to CrestClean’s<br />
Invercargill Regional Manager<br />
Glenn Cockroft, who helped him<br />
and Christine build up a solid customer<br />
base, which saw them double<br />
their turnover in the first six<br />
months.<br />
Millard says that they are earning<br />
more than when they were<br />
dairy farming but, more importantly,<br />
it’s much less stressful and<br />
has given him time to focus on his<br />
health and wellness.<br />
“It’s less physical and we operate<br />
on our own time. It’s more<br />
flexible, not like having to wake at<br />
4am to get the cows in for milking,”<br />
he says.<br />
“My wife has been doing yoga<br />
for years and now I have the time<br />
to join her. It’s definitely helping,<br />
especially with my back and flexibility.<br />
And I’ve gained about 9kg.<br />
I’ve been wanting to gain weight<br />
because I’m usually very skinny,<br />
so for me it’s good.”<br />
“Christine has been my inspiration<br />
and the wind behind my sails<br />
throughout this journey. Her support<br />
is all that matters to me. Her<br />
whole-hearted effort brought<br />
forth all the positive feedback we<br />
are getting from our customers.”<br />
With a regular income, there is<br />
also less financial stress, he adds.<br />
“We can manage our finances<br />
more easily. We hope to get a<br />
mortgage and buy a house next<br />
year,” says Millard.<br />
“Now we are encouraging our<br />
friends to join CrestClean. We are<br />
hoping that they will listen to us!”<br />
Glenn says that he continually<br />
gets positive feedback from<br />
Millard and Christine’s customers<br />
and he is grateful to have them on<br />
board as franchisees.<br />
“It meant that we were finally<br />
able to expand further into the<br />
region,” he says.<br />
Gore is a big growth area for<br />
CrestClean, says Glenn.<br />
“Millard and Christine were<br />
happy to take on additional work<br />
to expand their business right<br />
from day one. Just 18 months<br />
after they purchased their franchise<br />
with us their business has<br />
grown to a point that they are now<br />
turning over three times their<br />
original purchase value.”<br />
- SUPPLIED
BANDAR SERI BEGA-<br />
WAN - You get that million-dollar<br />
feeling the<br />
moment you arrive in<br />
Bandar Seri Begawan<br />
(Bandar for short) -<br />
Brunei’s capital city. I<br />
would best describe my<br />
experience as being akin to<br />
entering Aladdin’s cave.<br />
This tiny nation, awash<br />
with its oil wealth, displays<br />
breathtaking opulence at<br />
every turn. It appears that<br />
no expense has been<br />
spared in constructing the<br />
Sultan’s grandiose palaces,<br />
its incredible<br />
mosques, the glamourous<br />
buildings, the flashy<br />
tourist attractions and also<br />
for tourists, an extravagant<br />
7-star hotel that<br />
should be on your<br />
travel bucket list.<br />
This oil rich sultanate,<br />
sandwiched<br />
between the East<br />
Malaysia states of<br />
Sabah and Sarawak,<br />
is accessible by either air<br />
or sea.<br />
There are no direct<br />
flights to this destination<br />
from New Zealand, so you<br />
need to fly on a couple of<br />
carriers and put up with<br />
some stops to get there.<br />
Some of the carriers flying<br />
directly to the state include<br />
Malaysian Airlines,<br />
Singapore Airlines and<br />
Philippine Airlines.<br />
Once neglected by the<br />
travel agents, Brunei<br />
gained ground as a<br />
tourist destination once<br />
the state-owned Royal<br />
Brunei Airlines (RBA)<br />
started operations in<br />
1974. Over the years,<br />
flight capacity to and<br />
hotel accommodation in<br />
this destination were<br />
boosted as tourism was<br />
actively promoted by<br />
Brunei Tourism and<br />
RBA.<br />
Today Brunei is an<br />
attractive stopover and<br />
tourists will find their visit<br />
to this land of plenty richly<br />
rewarding. There is so<br />
much to take in during<br />
your visit - the natural<br />
bounty, the modern<br />
delights, the history, the<br />
culture and of course, the<br />
cuisine. It is also good to<br />
know that 90% of the population<br />
is fully vaxxed.<br />
There is a wide range of<br />
accommodation available<br />
in Bandar, but I wouldn’t<br />
go past the 7-star Empire<br />
Hotel in Jerudong which<br />
overlooks the glittering<br />
South China Sea.<br />
One of the hotel executives<br />
fondly describes this<br />
tropical retreat as a ‘little<br />
palace’. How true. You will<br />
be mesmerized by its<br />
grandeur - the juxtaposition<br />
of old-world charm<br />
and elegance with modern<br />
gold fixtures everywhere,<br />
spacious and exquisitely<br />
designed guest rooms, private<br />
beaches, a championship<br />
golf course, five<br />
pools, six restaurants and<br />
even a cinema. I was not<br />
surprised to hear that it<br />
took 6 years to build this<br />
tropical retreat.<br />
Here's a travel tip. Note<br />
that entertainment, on the<br />
scale that tourists are<br />
accustomed to in most<br />
Asian tourist hot spots, is<br />
practically non-existent<br />
here.<br />
In this strictly Islamic<br />
state there are no nightclubs,<br />
the sale of alcohol is<br />
not encouraged and there<br />
is a clamp-down on gambling<br />
and prostitution.<br />
Some would call it a ghost<br />
town after dark.<br />
So, what is there to do<br />
once you get there? Lots of<br />
exciting things, actually.<br />
My first stop was the<br />
very source of Brunei’s<br />
wealth - the oil towns of<br />
Seria and Kuala Belait.<br />
They almost resemble<br />
Texan oil towns with their<br />
huge and impressive oil<br />
and gas work complexes.<br />
The trunk road from<br />
Bandar to these towns is 78<br />
km long and is Brunei’s<br />
only highway.<br />
Nearly everyone of<br />
Brunei’s population of<br />
500,000 is either employed<br />
by Brunei Shell or associated<br />
with the oil business<br />
in some way.<br />
For the moment, revenue<br />
(above:) The luxurious Empire Hotel. (right:) Kampong Ayer<br />
For the adventurous there<br />
are the nature reserves.<br />
The Quaint<br />
Sultanate<br />
from the gushing crude oil<br />
and gas enables the people<br />
there to live in relative<br />
prosperity. The richest little<br />
kingdom in the region,<br />
it enjoys one of the highest<br />
living standards in Asia<br />
and is gearing up to<br />
achieve a per capita<br />
income within the top 10<br />
countries in the world.<br />
It is good to know that<br />
there is no income tax in<br />
Brunei and education and<br />
medical care are free.<br />
C I T Y T O U R :<br />
Bandar still retains its<br />
small-town charm, as towering<br />
skyscrapers have yet<br />
to take over the town. I<br />
drove around the Istana<br />
Nurul Iman (the royal<br />
palace), the golden Sultan<br />
Omar Ali Saifuddien<br />
Mosque (which is among<br />
the largest mosques in<br />
Southeast Asia) and the<br />
even grander Kairong<br />
Mosque, the largest in<br />
Brunei.<br />
A visit to one of these<br />
grandiose mosques is an<br />
eye-opener with their marble<br />
minarets, gold domes,<br />
the mixture of Malay and<br />
Mughal elements and<br />
Saudi Arabian carpets covering<br />
the floors as British<br />
chandeliers hang from the<br />
ceilings.<br />
Two other city attractions<br />
worth visiting are the<br />
Royal Regalia Museum<br />
and the 1 Billion Dollar<br />
Jerudong Theme Park.<br />
TOUR 1:<br />
A not-to-be-missed slice<br />
of life attraction is<br />
Kampong Ayer (nicknamed<br />
the Venice of the<br />
East) - the largest water<br />
village in the world.<br />
This is where 50,000<br />
Bruneians, or a quarter of<br />
the population of the city,<br />
live in houses perched on<br />
stilts. It is the home of fishermen,<br />
silver craftsmen<br />
and locals who find living<br />
on the river much cooler.<br />
TOUR 2:<br />
The rainforest is just 3-5<br />
km from the city. For the<br />
adventurous there are the<br />
nature reserves, caves and<br />
a waterfall to explore. If<br />
time permits travel by<br />
longboat to Temburong<br />
National Park, 45 minutes<br />
away, for a close-up view<br />
of the jungle. You might<br />
even glimpse some of the<br />
abundant native species<br />
that have survived here.<br />
If you are in a hurry then<br />
sign up for the Mangrove<br />
and River Safari - this is an<br />
By Mel Fernandez<br />
www.travelgalore.nz<br />
exciting speed-boat trip to<br />
the ‘Everglades country’<br />
up the Brunei River.<br />
TOUR 3:<br />
The immensity of the<br />
Borneo jungle becomes<br />
apparent when you visit<br />
the Iban longhouse at<br />
Temburong. The Ibans are<br />
very hospitable people and<br />
they go to great lengths to<br />
make you feel at home.<br />
Their community life and<br />
primitive hunting are truly<br />
fascinating.<br />
If you have the time,<br />
travel further to visit the<br />
Limbang longhouses inside<br />
Sarawak. Travel documents<br />
are necessary for<br />
this journey.<br />
FOOD TOUR:<br />
It is no surprise that<br />
there is a thriving restaurant<br />
scene in town. Highly<br />
recommended eateries are<br />
the Aminah Arif Restaurant<br />
and the Rizquan Café,<br />
which offer the superb<br />
local favourite ‘nasi katok’<br />
- rice with chicken or beef<br />
and anchovies and a spicy<br />
sauce wrapped in banana<br />
leaves. Another version of<br />
this rice dish is the Loklo<br />
Nasi Campur at Westpark<br />
Corner.<br />
Other must try dishes<br />
are soto (liver and intestine<br />
noodle soup), grilled<br />
clams, satay, pulut panga<br />
(sticky rice) and do try the<br />
national dish of Brunei -<br />
ambuyat – sago palm jelly.<br />
Preferring the street<br />
food experience, I tried a<br />
variety of popular fare at<br />
the Pasir Gadong Night<br />
Market.<br />
To wrap up I’d say that<br />
Brunei is a great travel<br />
experience, because it is literally<br />
out of this world.<br />
Comparing it with my<br />
Ambuyat - the national dish<br />
of Brunei.<br />
sojourns around bustling<br />
South East Asia, I found<br />
that the main difference in<br />
the quaint sultanate is that<br />
it is not swamped by<br />
tourists and it offers a<br />
relaxing, slower pace of<br />
life. A great place to<br />
recharge.<br />
Selamat datang! (welcome).<br />
Mel Fernandez travelled to<br />
Brunei from Singapore courtesy<br />
of Brunei Airlines.
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Send your Resume and cover letter to:<br />
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Email: admin@walltreats.co.nz or call 0800 008 168 to clarify our requirements.
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