COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY
Seniors at their finest
TRUE to their theme ‘ Enjoying Life ’, the Association of Golden Australian Pilipinos Inc ( AGAPI ) members lived it up during a four-hour fete marking the group ’ s 14th year on Saturday , August 25 at Blacktown Workers Club . Resplendent in colourful gowns , shimmering accessories , and the AGAPI team sang , danced and partied , pausing a while to honour the AGAPI 2018 Ginoo , Ginang , and Bulilit Prince and Princess , and to accept kudos from guests Consul Emmanuel Donato Guzman of the Philippine Consulate General Sydney , MP for Mt Druitt Edmund Atalla , and Councillor Brad Bunting of Blacktown City Council . “ We have this big celebration every two years as a thanksgiving ,” said AGAPI president Dorothy del Villar . Aurelio Tupas received the AGAPI Ginoo 2018 title , while Maria Singh was crowned AGAPI Ginang 2018 .
Neighbourhood ' refugee camp '
THE Alliance of Philippine Community Organisations ( APCO ) took part in hosting the annual Refugee Camp In My Neighbourhood that Auburn Small Community Organisation Network ( ASCON ) and Cumberland Council organised to promote the causes of refugees and asylum-seekers on Saturday , August 4 , 2018 . Other ASCON member organisations that took part were Sri Om Foundation , Bosnian Disability and Seniors Association , Auburn Tamil Society and Somali Welfare Cultural Association They were joined by Dooleys Lidcombe Catholic Club , RACS , NSW Government , SPARK , NSW Refugee Health Service , St Vincent de Paul Society , NSW Support Services , STARTTS and Welcome Studio . APCO ’ s contribution to the event was conducting a workshop on how to dance the ‘ Tinikling ’ and providing a Filipino food stall .
Protest at consulate
A GROUP representing several local civic organisations held a protest rally in front of the Philippine Consulate office building in Sydney on Friday , August 10 , 2018 to rail against the threat to deport Australian professor Gil Boehringer under orders of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte . Letters addressed to President Duterte and handed over to the Consulate called for his intervention to cancel the blacklist order against Boehringer .
IGLESIA NI CRISTO children entertaining at the Care Package event in Canterbury .
A group spokesman pointed out that it was up to the Bureau of Immigration in the Philippines to allow or deny a person entry to the Philippines even if they had been issued visa by the Philippine Consulate .
The protest group comprised representatives from Action for Peace and Development in the Philippines ( APDP ), Philippine Australian Union Links ( PAUL ), Migrante Australia , International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines ( ICHRP ), Association to Defend Freedom & Human Rights in Iran - Australia , GABRIELA Australia , Lingap Migrante , Philippines-Australia Women ' s Association ( PAWA ), Pax Christi Australia , Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Justice and Peace Centre ( Australia ) and Migrante Southwest Sydney .
Migrant and refugee day
THE Broken Bay Catholic diocese celebrated Migrant and Refugee Day aimed at recognising diverse communities and parishes . The occasion also provided an opportunity to reflect on the often times desperate plight of migrants and refugees around the world who continue to search for a safe place to live for themselves and their families . The diocese remembers both these aspects , the celebratory and the more serious , in an inaugural event , Celebrating Disciples of All Nations . There was a festive air as many in the crowd wore their national costume . Filipinos-Australians from Waitara , Gosford , Chatswood and Dee Why parishes helped to make the event a successful one . Dee Why members including Broken Bay ’ s Filipino Chaplain , Fr Norberto Ochoa , wowed the crowd with folk dancing , especially the tinikling dance . The Waitara Filipino Choir was applauded for its rendition of songs .
Iglesia Care Package project
THE Iocal Iglesia Ni Cristo ( Church of Christ ) congregation of Canterbury NSW held a Care Package project at its chapel compound in Croydon Park NSW on Tuesday , August 21 , 2018 , to benefit residents of the Women ’ s and Girl ’ s Emergency Centre ( WAGEC ). The WAGEC provides temporary emergency shelter and protection to those who are victims of domestic violence and at risk of homelessness .
Church volunteers visited the shelter and gave out care packages that contained every day essentials and treats to the women and children of this shelter , as well as , donating additional care packages for future residents . Nisha Prichard , the practice manager for child protection , said : “ I really appreciate what the Church has done and that the care packages are greatly appreciated and will be needed and definitely used .” A short program was held , with children volunteers singing songs to entertain the residents and staff and leading them in playing some games .
Marilie Bomediano , left and Serna Ladia at the 2RDJ-FM studio .
Radio Sandigan a finalist
RADIO Sandigan has been listed as a finalist for the Community Broadcasters Association of Australia ’ s annual awards for 2018 under the category of ‘ Excellence in Ethnic and Multicultural Broadcasting '.. Sandigan , the longest serving Filipino one-hour radio program in Australia , is broadcast on Sydney ’ s radio station 2RDJ-FM 88.1 in Burwood NSW every Friday , at 9am-10am .
The program is co-produced by broadcasters Serna Ladia and Marilie Bomediano , with another presenter , Carmen Flowers . Other finalists under the category are Sri Lankan Show ( 3MDR 97.1 FM , Melbourne , VIC ), AFL Multicultural Project ( 3ZZZ 92.3 FM , Melbourne , VIC ), El Premier Café De La Manana - First Coffee of the Morning ( Radio Skid Row 88.9 FM , Sydney , NSW ), Konnichiwa ( 6HFM Heritage 107.3 ), Perth , WA ). www . kalatas . com . au
AK NewsMagazine , Vol 8 No 11 | AUGUST 2018 11 SEPTEMBER 2018