THE MESSAGE. BRINGING INTO FOCUS FILIPINO PRESENCE IN AUSTRALIA
www.kalatas.com.au | Volume 6 Number 1 | OCTOBER 2015
COMMUNITY
15
Penafrancia
feast day
THE Feast of Our Lady of Penafrancia
was celebrated by the devotees and the bigger
community on September 19 in a Bicol-style fiesta
held along the valley of the Nepean River in Penrith.
THE feast day was led by the Australian Devotees of Our Lady of Penafrancia
(ADOLP) which is also celebrating its 10th
Anniversary.
The feast day was attended by hundreds of
devotees and community leaders and officials
from the government that included Penrith MP
Stuart Ayres and Minister for Trade and Tourism and Blacktown city councilor lawyer Jess
Diaz.
Devotees shared a sumptuous Bicolano
cuisine while various groups presented ethnic
dances including the love dance ‘Pantomina’ interpreted by dance choreographer Maria Nilda
ng Dalisay and Reyna ng Sari Lahi Eve Andalis.
The Penafrancia feast day was organised by
movers from the ADOLP headed by Jun Relunia, Neria Soliman and Josie Musa.
It is held every year by ADOLP complete
with the crossing of the float of ‘Ina’ along the
steady river of Nepean. [Report byMon Carpo,
hotos by Jun Relunia Jr.]
Time to act
New group vows to fight corruption
THE Overseas Pilipinos
Against Corruption
(OPAC) was officially
launched last month with
members pledging to
help fight corruption in the
Philippines.
The OPAC with its first chairman Buddy
Japon and other officers had gone public
at a recent event at the MPC in Schofields
to introduce the organisation and spread
awareness about its aims and programmes.
The OPAC aims to promote awareness
on the problem of corruption back home
including raising funds to encourage and
help honest government workers – including
whistleblowers – to expose irregularities and
big-time corrupt practices in the Philippine
government.
The OPAC also hopes to give out awards
and some assistance to whistleblowers whose
exposes lead to the prosecution of corrupt
officials.
“Corruption has been a persisting problem
in the Philippines. Through our movement, we
hope to raise awareness for our Kababayans in
Australia about the problem of corruption back
home and how we can help to fight corruption,”
said Ross Aguilar, OPAC public relations
officer.
Other officers of the OPAC include
Hansel Gara as vice chairman; Tess Hermosa
as secretary; Biring Atienza, treasurer;
Lino Tomas, auditor; Ely Balgos, external
coordinator. Board members include Noel
Impreso, Tony Ibanez, Danny Garcia, Alex
Atayan, Ray Vilania, and Ernesto Soliman.
The OPAP is an apolitical group and is not
tied to any political party in the Philippines.
Pnoy Lounge is Back
HAVE
you heard of
the latest Pinoy grill
craze in town? Do
you feel like treating
yourself and your
friends to a self
service sumptuous
meal with salad
selections and familiar
good ‘ol faves?
Fancy a homely
ambience to hang
out with your family or
business colleagues
that is ideally located
within the western
suburbia?
Pnoy Lounge is back trading as Asian Salad Bar Grill
and Sweets Salon bringing you
a self serve restaurant, located in the friendly suburb of St
Marys in Penrithh.
Here you can cook your
favourite beef steak, fish,
chicken and pork the way you
like it in grill as well as serving you a variety of Asian salads and Filipino Kakanin. That
sounds like bonding fun!
The Asian Salad Bar Grill
and Sweets opened last month
located at 6 Queen Street, St
Marys.
It opens 7 days a week
from 7am to 12 pm Monday's
to Friday's to cater your day to
day dine in craves , functions
and events, according to Ms
Raquel Pellero, Managing Director of Pnoy Lounge Pty Ltd,
ASBASS,
Should you need a cozy
place to unwind, having karaoke, live entertainment and
exclusive party , their VIP
Lounge upstairs will be a perfect place for it, said Ariel Satorre partner and director of the
company.
So book your function
now and receive free lechon
for bookings of 100 guests
or more (conditions apply).
For additional information
please call Raquel Pellero on
0478038825.