Ang Kalatas Volume V June 2015 Independence Day Special Edition

What’s their say... On Being Pinoy E veryone has got a story to share and say something about being Pinoy in Australia. Here are some of our picks from Kabayans who engaged our photog with a chat, an endearing ‘Kumusta’, and a big smile... I am a Filipino, my parents always teach me to respect elders and they’re always passing on the Filipino values. I do ‘mano po’ - When you see your mom and dad, you kiss them on your cheeks. The last time I visited the Philippines was in April and it’s a very nice place, my favourite place in the Philippines is Palawan … ABBEY PEREZ, 17, from Doonside. She is currently in Year 12, a House Captain at the St. Andrew’s College. She was born in Australia. I miss our country and I am still very much a Filipino here in Australia. I have Pinoy friends here. I still enjoy Filipino dishes and my favourite are longganisa, tocino, and Pinoy style beef steak. Masaya dito, I’m married to an Australian and sometimes I teach him a few words in Tagalog … I love the country, it’s a very nice place to visit. I eat lots of Filipino food – my favourite is adobo and pancit. The last time I visited our home country I really enjoyed being there. The Filipino culture is really very diﬀerent from what I see here. The Filipinos are a very happy people like everyone’s always smiling… RAQUEL WHYTE of Mt. Druitt arrived in Australia in 1992. No, she’s not really a nurse, she clariﬁes. She is dressed here as a World War II nurse taking part in the annual Blacktown City parade. She is originally from Pampanga. ANDREW DE LEON, 23, of Kellyville Ridge. He plays tenor saxophone and is currently the president of the Blacktown City Community Band. Both his parents are Pinoys from Manila and Quezon City. My mum is a Filipina from Dipolog who migrated to Australia in 1992. I love Filipino music, I love seeing Pinoy parishioners gathering at St. Margaret Mary’s church at ﬁestas with everyone volunteering their share. Filipinos are always smiling, polite, not really aggressive and always oﬀering to help without having to argue about it. I love basketball and I’m into gym bodybuilding. JOHN ISBILIR, 18, from Merrylands, is a Turk-Fil-Aussie who studies at the Australian College of Physical Education Sydney Olympic Park. He also works in their family-owned ﬁsh and chips bus iness. Sa aking pananaw, ang pagiging Pilipino dito sa ibang bansa ay isang pagkakataon para maipakita natin sa ibang lahi na tayo ay isang lahi na may karangalan, dangal, may pagpupunyagi at may pakikisama. Marami tayong maibibigay sa larangan ng kultura. Tayong mga Pilipino – maipagmamalaki natin ang ating kultura at ito ay mapapakita natin sa mga alituntunin ng pangkalahatan. CESAR BARTOLOME is an active community leader. He is one of the founders of the Filipino-Australian Movement for Empowerment. 6 JUNE 2015 Talagang Pinoy na Pinoy ako dahil pag mayroong handaan sa bahay, talagang Filipino food and inihahanda naming. Yung mga bata talagang tinuturuan naming magsalita ng Tagalog sa bahay at sinisiguradong magsabi sila ng po at opo at magmamano sa mga matatanda. Kailangan kasi maituro rin ito sa mga kabataan. EVELYN ALEJANDRO is from San Andres Bukid and arrived with her husband in Australia in 2008. She is currently active with the Philippine-Australian Community Services Inc (PACSI) which helps newly arrived Pinoy migrants to settle in Australia. www.kalatas.com.au

Ang Kalatas Volume V June 2015 Independence Day Special Edition | Page 6