Filipino News 145 : Eleksyon 1

Vol 9 No 145 : ELEKSYON 1 

Three Editions : Filipino News NZ I Pinoy NZ Life I Filipino Kiwi 

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Mix & 

Mask 

The use of masks has 

become common in 

New Zealand, with it 

being mandatory 

when using public 

transport. 

As a result there is 

now a big demand 

for designer masks 

that fits well and 

looks fashionable. 

Two ordinary 

Filipinos are 

creatively joining 

in and making 

masks for the 

Photo credit: AYLA MATENCIO 

Model: KATHRYN MATENCIO 

• WILL FILIPINO 

VOTER TURNOUT 

SURGE? pg 3 

• RIZAL IN THE 

PANDEMIC 

pg 5 

• HOW PINOYS 

ADAPT TO 

KIWI ACCENT 

pg 09 

LONG DELAY 

WAITING FOR 

RESIDENTS 

VISA pg 12 

community. 

• BASKETBALL Filipino youth excited to vote pg 2 

pg 6 

TOURNAMENTS 

pg 15 

• BM EXPRESS 

FEATURE 

pg 14 

DOLLED UP 

TO MAKE YOU 

LAUGH OUT 

LOUD 

pg 13 

EMOTIONAL 

INTELLIGENCE 

IN THIS TIME 

OF CRISIS 

pg 13 

ACCOUNTANT DONS CHEF’S HAT pg 11 

SEAFARERS DIVE INTO WAVES OF 

PANDEMIC HARDSHIP pg 7 

ARE CEBUANOS HARDHEADED? pg 8

02 ELEKSYON ISSUE 145 | WELLINGTON EDITION : www.filipino.kiwi | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | Mobile : 027 495 8477 | 

www.pinoynz.live : The ELECTION Channel : Everything you wanted to know about the upcoming Election at one website ..... 

Where were 

the ‘young’ 

voters? 

“The other day I 

attended the campaign 

launch of one 

political party at my 

local electorate. As I 

sat there observing the 

supporters streaming 

in, I realized that the 

majority were either 

middle-aged or elderly. 

“There were a handful 

of young ones, but 

these were part of the 

campaign group. 

Where were the 

‘young’ voters? The 

dismal lack of representation 

of said 

group seemed to 

reflect the apathy I 

mentioned earlier. 

“It had me thinking 

and reminiscing about 

my own youth. To be 

honest, elections then 

seemed an event that 

did not really concern 

me or my immediate 

concerns or interests. 

And I don’t think that 

attitude has changed 

much, regardless of 

where in the world 

one lives.” 

- Dr Lilia Sevillano 

Filipino youth are 

excited to vote 

despite low rates 

Gabrielle Salazar Eloise Wijdeveld Monique Valenzuela 

By BERNADETTE BASAGRE 

First time young Filipino voters 

find their voices important as 

they gear up for the 2020 elections. 

Scheduled for October, the 2020 

New Zealand general elections 

are set to select a Prime Minister 

and new Parliament. 

This election will be the first for 

eligible voters from the ages of 18 

to 21 years. 

First-time voter Gabrielle 

Salazar has stated that she is 

“currently in the process of further 

educating myself”. 

Alongside voting for local MPs 

and Prime Minister candidates, 

this year’s elections introduce two 

referendums, The Cannabis 

Legislation and Control referendum 

and the End of Life Choice 

referendum. 

“I’m planning to do more 

research to know more about 

what I’m voting for,” says 

Monique Valenzuela. 

Voting rates have been dropping 

over the years with those 

over 65 years old twice as likely to 

vote as young people. 

Another first-time voter, Eloise 

Wijdeveld, shares that she finds it 

“difficult to consume information 

due to the lack of enthusiasm”. 

“I am more tailored to the 

newer media outlets such as social 

media rather than traditional 

media outlets,” she says. 

Miss Valenzuela urges her 

friends to vote as “voting is 

important ... not voting means I 

don’t care about what goes on in 

my country”. 

“In my opinion voting gives me 

the right to complain if the government 

does something I don’t 

agree with.” 

As for Miss Salazar, she 

believes that voting doesn’t personally 

affect her, but will still 

vote as it is her right to use her 

voice. 

“I realised how important making 

decisions and voting is, as I 

said. Even if it won't personally 

affect you, I feel that just putting 

your input in can help other people,” 

she says. 

Miss Wijdeveld encourages 

young people to vote as she 

believes that “it is important to 

vote as a young person, because 

what we vote on will become our 

future”. 

“We have a voice as an individual 

through voting, so why not 

speak out?” 

New Zealand’s 2020 election is 

still scheduled for 17th October 

and will be closely monitored 

with regards to the Covid-19 situation. 

This Pinay’s 

OPINION 

By Dr Lilia Sevillano 

A few days back, hubby and I 

were watching TV and an ad for 

the two coming referendums 

came on. At the end of it I turned 

to him and said. “It’s amazing 

how we take voting for granted. 

It’s hard to imagine a time when 

minorities and women could not 

vote. What great times we live 

in!” 

We are fortunate to live in a 

time and in a country where voting 

is an important part of life 

every 3 years. Yet many of us take 

it for granted and do not actually 

exercise this right. Sadly this has 

The Right to Vote 

left many of our citizens, particularly 

the youth, apathetic about 

how issues are resolved. 

Many seem to think that their 

vote will not matter in a sea of 

other hundreds or thousands of 

votes. If you are of that mentality, 

think again. 

Did you know that one more 

vote could decide which party (in 

the case of New Zealand) or candidate 

(in the case of countries 

with presidential elections like the 

Philippines) wins? That one vote 

– yours – could actually tip the 

balance for one side. 

The other day I attended the 

campaign launch of one political 

party at my local electorate. As I 

sat there observing the supporters 

streaming in, I realized that the 

majority were either middle-aged 

or elderly. 

There were a handful of young 

ones, but these were part of the 

campaign group. Where were the 

‘young’ voters? The dismal lack 

of representation of said group 

seemed to reflect the apathy I 

mentioned earlier. 

It had me thinking and reminiscing 

about my own youth. To 

be honest, elections then seemed 

an event that did not really concern 

me or my immediate concerns 

or interests. And I don’t 

think that attitude has changed 

much, regardless of where in the 

world one lives. 

This was confirmed when some 

young people were interviewed 

recently on TV about voting. 

Most of the responses seemed to 

reveal that they didn’t see how it 

could make a real difference to 

them. And the second main reason 

was that they were not 

informed enough. 

I myself only began to take an 

interest as I gained more years of 

life experience and a better understanding 

of the significance of 

voting. Perhaps what is needed 

for the younger population is a 

more proactive provision of educational 

awareness? 

The coming elections are 

important – as important as previous 

elections - and if there are 

young readers taking the time to 

read this, I urge you to exercise 

the right to vote. 

Collectively, if enough people 

vote, a difference can be made 

and you can be heard. We also 

finally have representation for 

Filipinos in the two main political 

parties. 

Yet another indication of how 

fortunate we are to be in living in 

New Zealand. Voting these days 

has become so much easier: we 

can vote earlier than the actual 

date, there are voting booths conveniently 

located everywhere, 

there really is no reason not to 

take a few minutes – because 

that’s all it actually takes. 

In the final analysis, vote based 

on your conscience 

and on who you 

think will genuinely 

best move the people’s 

and nation’s 

welfare forward, not 

on who is most popular 

or who kissed 

the most babies or 

what the polls claim 

or who your family 

or friends are voting 

for. 

Case in point, 

hubby and I are each voting for 

different parties. There will probably 

be friendly banter and ribbing 

if either one of our choices 

wins. 

If you haven’t yet decided (and 

there is time), this requires, I 

think, a balance of using heart and 

mind, listening to all sides and 

doing your own research to help 

you reach an informed decision. 

But do not let that vote go unused. 

So many before us were deprived 

of this opportunity and in some 

societies still are. Let’s not waste 

ours. 

Dr Lilia Sevillano is a professional 

Life Coach.

ISSUE 145 | ELEKSYON | www.filipinonews.nz | www.pinoynzlife.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | Facebook: Filipino News NZ 03 


As more Filipino-Kiwis voice concerns, 

will their voter turnout surge? 

By Queenie Lee Tanjay 

On 17th October New 

Zealand permanent residents 

and citizens will 

exercise their right to 

select the next set of leaders 

in the 2020 general 

elections. 

Although migrants are a 

minority of the population, 

their participation has 

been more critical than 

ever due to the pressing 

issues present, such as the 

global pandemic. 

In this regard, some 

Filipino migrants have 

shed light on their personal 

insights about voting 

and their various inclinations. 

"It's essential to make 

our opinions/preferences 

heard through our voting 

rights. Undoubtedly democracy 

matters for the overall 

electoral results as we 

are part of a wider bigger 

change going forward and 

in the near future," Jayvee 

Lagunda, an active voter 

since her migration here 

ten years ago, shared. 

Leigh Vidamo (Hamilton) and Jayvee Lagunda (Auckland) 

"It gives me the voice to 

express what I think and 

the changes that I hope 

for," Leigh Vidamo, another 

registered voter, concurred. 

With the vast array of 

platforms promoted today, 

migrants weigh up different 

programs and contemplate 

how each benefits the 

migrant population at 

large. 

"I'm interested in housing 

projects that make living 

affordable for more 

people. 

“My vote goes to platforms 

related to arts too, 

as most opportunities for 

younger generations only 

include Pasifika or Maori, 

but not Asians/Filipinos," 

Leigh shared. 

On the other hand 

Jayvee enumerates more 

than a handful of the projects 

she's interested in. 

"(1) Covid19 response to 

continue to support small 

businesses affected by 

Covid through wage subsidy. 

(2) Justice for keeping 

our communities safe 

and support for victims of 

violence. (3) A boost in 

health funding (cancer, 

mental health, viruses). (4) 

The transportation infrastructure 

(effective ways to 

counter traffic congestion 

and opening job opportunities 

for civil construction). 

(5) Helping our 

whanau with warmer 

healthier homes. (6) The 

promotion of living with 

dignity and good wellbeing." 

"There's a large group 

of nurses, technical and 

construction workers, 

migrant families and related 

people supporting these 

platforms who will surely 

benefit from all of these," 

Jayvee continued. 

Moving forward, 

migrants still feel hopeful 

for better days, regardless 

of the surrounding uncertainty 

in the future, they 

regard their votes as 

sacred and as instrumental 

in driving changes. 

"We look forward to 

platforms that continuously 

help grow the economy 

and support small and 

major businesses. 

“Completing these projects 

will definitely make a 

huge impact and a positive 

difference," Jayvee concluded. 

Check out more interviews 

at: www. pinoynz.live 

Election day set 

for 17 October 

The Electoral Commission 

is adjusting its 

plans to deliver the 2020 

General Election and 

referendums on Saturday 

17 October. 

Alicia Wright, Chief 

Electoral Officer says 

the Commission’s next 

steps will be to confirm 

voting places and contact 

more than 25,000 people 

who have put up their 

hands to work at the election. 

“These are challenging 

times for everyone, but 

we will have measures in 

place so that people can 

vote in person at a voting 

place this October.” 

COVID-19 measures 


has always 

planned to run the election 

as if New Zealand is 

at Alert Level 2. 

Health measures that 

will be in place include 

contact tracing, hand 

sanitiser and physical distancing 

in voting places, 

and providing protective 

gear for staff if needed. 

Planning is also underway 

to have more voting 

places and longer voting 

times to reduce queues. 

Voting services can be 

delivered to small clusters 

of voters under higher 

local Alert Levels through 

takeaway voting where 

voting papers are delivered 

and picked up. 

Other ways of voting 

are available for people 

who cannot go to a voting 

place, for example for 

reasons of illness or disability. 

People can apply 

for postal voting by calling 

0800 36 76 56. 

New election timetable 

3 October: advance 

voting begins 

17 October: election 

day – preliminary results 

released progressively 

from 7pm 

30 October: preliminary 

referendum results 

released 

6 November: official 

results declared for the 

General Election and referendums

04 ELEKSYON ISSUE 145 | WELLINGTON EDITION : www.filipino.kiwi | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | Mobile : 027 495 8477 | 


By Bernadette Basagre 

With the 2020 Elections 

around the corner 

Filipino youth weigh in on 

their opinions about the 

legalization of cannabis. 

This year’s elections 

include voting for two referendums, 

the End of Life 

Choice and Cannabis 

Legislation. 

The Cannabis legislation 

has received much 

attention, especially within 

the younger generation 

of voters who are the 

main supporters of this 

referendum compared to 

the older generation. 

“The referendum is 

gaining the attention of 

young adults due to the 

fact that a large portion of 

young adults consume 

cannabis already, for both 

medicinal and recreational 

use,” says one supporting 

young adult. 

Opinions about the referendum 

have often been 

divided between the older 

generation and the 

younger generation. 

Another young adult 

Upcoming cannabis referendum has got 

Filipino youth 

surprisingly divided 

explains that the divide is 

due to “adults having 

lived most of their lives 

with cannabis being illegal 

… while young people 

have seen other countries 

make similar changes.” 

On October 17 eligible 

voters will be able to vote 

on whether or not the 

recreational use of 

cannabis should become 

legal. 

Within Filipino youth 

opinions have become 

split between the support 

for and opposition to the 

referendum. 

One young adult is 

heavily influenced by 

their family, saying, “no I 

don’t support the referendum, 

mainly because I 

live in a household where 

my family don’t approve 

the use of or anything to 

do with cannabis.” 

“Basically, my view is 

totally biased as I’ve 

experienced one side, but 

not the other,” he says. 

Over recent years New 

Zealand has seen a peak 

in the use of marijuana, 

with it being mostly used 

in the 15 to 24 year old 

age group. 

A supporter of the referendum 

has stated that 

they were “glad” that the 

government is giving the 

nation the decision on the 

topic. 

“Many users, both 

recreational and medicinal, 

have been urging for 

the regulation of cannabis 

and for allowing cannabis 

to be consumed in a legal 

manner without the risk 

of being made into a criminal.” 

With campaigns starting 

up, political parties 

who are strongly behind 

the cannabis referendum 

such as the Green Party of 

Aotearoa New Zealand 

will be pushing the agenda. 

Talks about the legalization 

of the drug have also 

sparked conversation 

about how the government 

has planned out the 

referendum. 

An anti-cannabis commenter 

ha expressed their 

concerns regarding the 

health risks that may 

come along with the legalization. 

“We actually don’t 

know what effects it has 

on a person, what are the 

benefits, excluding medicinal 

cannabis and what 

are the negative effects,” 

he says. 

In response, cannabis 

supporters believe that 

this is a common misconception 

that “cannabis 

harms the body in a great 

manner”. 

“18-year olds and 

younger have accessibility 

to alcohol, which causes 

greater damage … howcome 

alcohol is encouraged 

or comprehended by 

the older generation, but 

the recreational use of 

cannabis is seen to be the 

most atrocious thing on 

earth.” 

Cannabis supporters, 

however, are afraid of the 

higher cases of “drug 

driving and the possibility 

of those under the legal 

consumption age getting 

access or finding a loophole 

on how to access it”. 

If Cannabis legislation 

is successful at this year’s 

election then the New 

Zealand government will 

retain control on how to 

regulate cannabis. 

First-time voters prove top of the 

class on Election 2020 referendums 

Alex Perrottet, 

Checkpoint reporter 

New Zealand's 2020 general 

election could be lifechanging, 

with two referendum 

questions for voters to 

answer, on top of the usual 

two ticks for parties and 

electorate MPs. 


has sent out information 

on the referendum 

questions about end of life 

choice and the legalisation 

of cannabis, but how many 

people have read up on the 

issues? 

More than three million 

New Zealanders are 

enrolled to vote, with thousands 

of those first-time 

voters still at secondary 

school. 

RNZ's Checkpoint visited 

Auckland Grammar 

School in the Epsom electorate 

- the seat of ACT 

leader and End of Life Bill 

author David Seymour - to 

see if they knew what the 

election is all about. 

Year 13 students at the 

school who spoke to 

Checkpoint 

were not 

warned about 

the media visit. 

Nonetheless 

their knowledge 

of the end 

of life choice 

and cannabis 

referendums 

were comprehensive 

and 

considered. 

One student 

with detailed 

knowledge had 

read the Electoral 

Commission 

information that was 

sent out. How many people 

his age would do that? 

"Not enough. I'm kind of 

worried about that." 

"I'm not a huge fan of 

cannabis, I think New 

Zealand has got a bit of a 

problem already with alcohol. 

I understand the reasons 

why people might 

want to legalise marijuana 

– trying to crack down on 

illegal supplies and so on, 

so forth – but I think it's just 

adding to the problem 

we've already got here," 

Auckland Grammar School students discuss 

the upcoming referendums which 

New Zealanders will vote on at the election. 

Photo: RNZ / Nick Munro 

one student told Checkpoint. 

The topic of euthanasia 

was "a tricky issue," he 

said. 

"Obviously we don't 

want people to be suffering 

but that being sad there are 

some important ethical 

questions to be asking. 

"For example, terminal 

illness, you've got about six 

months of life left … these 

lines that are being drawn – 

unbearable suffering or no 

possibility of improvement 

– you need to also be asking 

the important ethical 

questions: Who is drawing 

these lines? Are these the 

only lines we can draw? 

"It is a grey area obviously 

because suffering by its 

very nature is not an 

absolute." 

"If I were to vote tomorrow 

I'd probably vote for 

(legalisation of recreational 

cannabis)," another classmate 

said. "I just think if it 

is controlled and policed 

reasonably strictly then it 

does take the power out of 

the black market." 

Down the road 

from Auckland 

Grammar on Newmarket's 

Broadway, 

the general public's 

awareness of the 

two referendums 

was mixed. 

"I do think it's 

probably important 

for medicinal use. 

There seems to be a 

lot of evidence," 

one said. 

But the referendum 

question on 

marijuana is about 

whether it should 

be legalised for recreational 

use. 

"I don't really follow politics, 

but I know who I'm 

going to vote (for)," another 

said. 

"Medicinal marijuana I 

agree with because it will 

help people with pain and 

things like that but the normal 

smoking of marijuana 

– I don't believe in smoking 

anyway," another member 

of the public said. 

The Auckland Grammar 

students' advice for the 

public? Read the information 

at the government's 

official referendum information 

webpage. 

Here are the two referendum 

questions: 

Do you support the End 

of Life Choice Act 2019 

coming into force? 

You can choose 1 of 

these 2 answers: 

Yes, I support the End of 

Life Choice Act 2019 coming 

into force. 

No, I do not support the 

End of Life Choice Act 

2019 coming into force. 

Do you support the proposed 

Cannabis Legalisation 

and Control Bill? 

You can choose 1 of 

these 2 answers: 

Yes, I support the proposed 

Cannabis 

Legalisation and Control 

Bill. 

No, I do not support the 

proposed Cannabis 

Legalisation and Control 

Bill. 

- RNZ 

Editor - You can enrol to 

vote right up to and including 

the day of the election, 

October 17. 

For more news, views 

and interviews please 

check out the Pinoy 

Election information channel: 

www.pinoynz.live

ISSUE 145 | FILIPINO-KIWI HEROES : www.filipinoheroes.nz | www.filipinonews.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz 05 BUHAY 

NZ 

www.pinoynz.live: PINOY TALK BACK - Video Bites. News. Views. Interviews. Webinars. Streaming. LIVE! 

Rizal in the last 

great pandemic of 

19th century 

By Geronimo Suliguin 

Dr Jose P. Rizal - Our National Hero 

MANILA – As we commemorate 

the 159th 

Anniversary of his birth 

under the uncertainties of 

Covid-19, Dr. Jose P. 

Rizal, by his examples, 

reminds us once again to 

stick to the right path and 

to try not to go astray - to 

keep our resolve firm 

against all odds and to be 

of service as usual to the 

fatherland. 

One hundred and thirty 

years ago, in 1890, the 28 

year old Jose Rizal 

arrived in Paris from 

London on 18 January 

after spending a few days 

there since the 6th looking 

for books. He had just 

published his Annotations 

of Morga's Sucesos de las 

Islas Filipinas at a time 

when Paris, like London, 

was suffering from 'Die 

influenza', which was 

wreaking havoc in much 

of Europe. 

The influenza epidemic 

of 1889–90 was the largest 

19th century epidemic of 

influenza, which arrived 

in Europe from the east in 

November and December 

of 1889. 

It was widely commented 

on in the press with the 

greatest attention on the 

cities of Paris and London 

where Rizal was during 

the period. 

It has been hinted that 

the influenza reached 

Paris sometime at the 

turn of November and 

December of 1889 when 

Rizal was busily preparing 

the printing of his 

Annotations. In the 

Parisian newspapers Le 

Matin and Le Temps, the 

influenza was the topic 

from the end of 

November until two 

months later. 

The papers reported a 

mysterious disease that 

appeared in the middle of 

December among different 

shop assistants of the 

well-known Parisian store 

Louvre - Grands Magsins 

du Louvre - some 1.5 kilometres 

away from where 

Rizal lived at 45 Rue de 

Maubeuge. 

Come Christmas week, 

the influenza epidemic 

assumed a "more serious 

nature" with the disease 

reportedly often ending 

with pneumonia and the 

hospitals incapable of 

accommodating "such an 

enormous number of 

patients". 

Some 200 more people 

died in Paris that week 

than in the previous one. 

It may have been rather 

fortunate that the copies 

of Rizal's Morga came off 

the press on about the 

23rd of December. The 

road to the publisher, 

Libreria de Garnier 

Hermanos at 6 Rue Des 

Saints-Peres, directly 

passes through the 

Louvre area. His admission 

permit to the 

Bibliotheque Nationale, 

which was also in the 

vicinity of the Louvre 

shops, also expired on this 

date, sparing him from 

unnecessarily being exposed. 

When Rizal got back 

from London in January, 

a decrease in the Parisian 

epidemic was also noted 

in the French newspapers. 

Rizal was thus spared, not 

having caught the fever or 

any malaise either in 

London or in Paris. 

'Letter to Blumentritt' 

In his 20 January 1890 

letter to Blumentritt he 

thanked God he only had 

to endure "a few minutes 

of headache" or the illness 

would have given his 

enemies "an occasion to 

say jubilantly that it is 

God's punishment" for 

having attacked the men 

of the cloth and the 

Catholic Church in his 

novel Noli Me Tangere 

and in the recently published 

Annotations. Rizal 

also revealed how he 

would have laughed at his 

accusers as such allegations 

would be blasphemy. 

In the same letter Rizal 

took note of the conversation 

between Pardo de 

Tavera and the Jesuit 

priest Fr. Federico Faura. 

Rizal told Blumentritt 

that the Jesuit priest 

exclaimed upon learning 

that Rizal was 'slightly ill' 

that: "It cannot be otherwise; 

a man like him has 

to die!" 

continued on page 12

BUHAY 

NZ 

06 DESIGNER MASKS ISSUE 145 | WELLINGTON EDITION : www.filipino.kiwi | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz Mobile : 027 495 8477 | 

www.filipinonews.nz : Headline News. | www.halohalo.nz : Filipino Food Channel. 

| www.pinoynz.live : Pinoy Talk. Videos. 

Handwoven Masks 

Celebrate Rich Filipino Culture 

By Queenie Lee 

Tanjay 

MANILA - Local businesses 

and weaving artisans 

have found a new niche in 

the community in the mission 

to encourage safety 

and to showcase the 

Filipino culture within this 

pandemic. The joint initiative 

highlights the morph of 

traditional fabrics into ecofriendly 

handwoven face 

masks customized for personal 

use. 

"We are one of many 

social enterprises that were 

created in trying times. Our 

purpose is to uplift our 

community and to promote 

our locally produced Inabel 

fabrics, which are native to 

the Ilocos Region in the 

Philippine Islands. We aim 

to help preserve this beautiful 

heirloom tradition by 

actively promoting the 

craft,” Joanne Valdez of 

Amianph shared. 

In its noble mission 

Amianph now works closely 

with the female weavers 

of Santiago, Ilocos Sur, La 

Paz, Abra, Nagbacalan, 

Ilocos Norte and with the 

seamstresses of Candon 

City, Ilocos Sur. The emergence 

of these handicrafts 

points back to the rich history 

of Inabel textiles. "It 

dates back to the 

beginnings of the 

Spanish colonization 

of the Philippines 

in the 1500s. 

Inabel became 

favoured as a trading 

product. It was 

traded through a 

barter system and 

became a popular 

means of livelihood 

for many local villagers 

back in the 

day," Joanne said. 

In another endeavour, 

different 

ethnolinguistic groups find 

a role in weaving their culture 

into the products. "All 

designs reflect their own 

culture or their own environment. 

For example, the 

Abra masks are notable for 

embroideries such as dancing 

princesses, frogs, 

lizards, flowers and stars, 

which all have cultural 

meanings. For the Yakan in 

Zamboanga, the textiles 

they produce are mostly 

characterized by the vibrant 

colours of red, blue, yellow, 

and green, while the 

designs are inspired by geometric 

patterns and nature, 

such as bamboo and flowers. 

The enterprise communicates 

with a variety of different 

communities, including 

the Itneg/Tingguian 

School of Living Tradition 

in Namarabar, Abra, Yakan 

in Zamboanga, Pinilian 

Abel from Ilocos, Kalinga, 

Hablon from Iloilo, Inaul 

from Maguindanao, Pisyat 

from Sulu, Balud from 

Lanao, Hinabol from Bicol 

and Ifugao. 

These local products feature 

not only the exquisite 

and vibrant designs but also 

the sustainable and comfortable 

attributes of these 

materials in their new 

forms. 

"As well as being colourful 

they are also durable 

and have stood the test of 

time," Joanne mentioned. 

"The Abra masks, for 

example, are made of a mix 

of cotton and polyester 

material. These are washable 

and breathable products, 

with some with pocket 

designs for filters incorporated," 

Michelle of 

Amianph shared. She furthermore 

said that weavers 

outsource their threads 

from the Philippine Textile 

Research Institute or grow 

and harvest their own feedstock 

locally, making such 

enterprises sustainable. 

Michelle also sees this 

endeavour as an opportunity 

to create streams of 

income support in these difficult 

times. "I outsource 

support for the photoshoot, 

inventory and the packing 

of the masks. So not only 

are we helping the weavers 

by buying wholesale from 

them and marketing their 

products, but we 

also provide additional 

income 

opportunities to 

freelance photographers 

and stay at 

home moms," she 

shared. 

The enterprise 

points out the integral 

role of the 

community's support 

in order for 

these local products 

to thrive in 

these unprecedented 

times. "We are 

sincerely overwhelmed and 

happy with the influx of 

support we are receiving 

from friends and their families. 

We also tap celebrities 

to help us with the promotion, 

including Kathryn 

Bernardo, Kylie Padilla, 

Glaiza de Castro, Kate 

Valdez, Alessandra de 

Rossi and Gabbi Garcia, to 

name a few. Surprisingly 

we received positive 

responses from them," 

Joanne of Amianph said. 

"The weaving industry in 

the country is starting to get 

noticed and has become 

more alive in the past 3 

years. I'm happy to see 

more and more Filipinos 

advocating for #BuyLocal 

#SupportLocal. But more 

than buying, I want consumers 

also to understand 

and appreciate the 

#BehindTheWeaves stories, 

culture and the meaning of 

what they are buying," 

Michelle shared. 

Moving forward, the 

enterprise is looking ahead 

to their future strides in sustaining 

the business for the 

benefit of the local communities. 

With the positive 

reception of these products 

one cannot overlook the 

promising potential of these 

materials. 

"We are also turning 

these beautiful Inabel fabrics 

into functional and ecofriendly 

products such as 

table runners, pillowcases, 

placemats, blankets and 

clothing," Joanne of 

Amianph shared. 

"My next goal is for 

every Filipino to own RTW 

Filipino handwoven clothes 

and not just as Filipiniana 

but as something that you 

can wear every day or for 

the office or when going 

out. I already have handdyed 

and embroidered Abra 

and Pinilian tops, along 

with an Inaul designed 

jacket in the collection, 

which I'll be excited to be 

wearing during interviews 

online," Michelle said. 

Filipinos take 

initiative to make 

in demand masks 

By BERNADETTE 

BASAGRE 

With masks becoming a 

necessity in today’s day 

and age, Filipinos are 

joining in and creating 

masks for the community. 

Two ordinary Filipinos, 

Dennis Sayat and 

Kathryn Matencio, are 

creatively joining in and 

making masks for the 

community. 

“At the start I created 

the masks for my personal 

use only, but when I 

posted them on social 

media I got so many 

requests that I thought 

that there might be a 

demand for them, so I 

started making different 

designs for other people,” 

says Dennis Sayat, creator 

of Sayat Masks. 

Other than making 

masks for Sayat Masks, 

Sayat is a bridal machinist 

in Parnell which 

explains his experience 

with sewing in design. 

Sayat began his venture 

in making masks first and 

foremost for his protection, 

“but being a designer 

I also wanted the masks 

to look good,” he says. 

“I know that we are in a 

pandemic but people 

don’t want to go around 

looking like hospital 

patients!” 

On the other hand, 

Kathryn Matencio is pursuing 

a career in becoming 

a vet, but sews as a 

hobby, learning from trial 

and error, Youtube videos 

and reading sewing 

books. 

She originally made 

masks for her family in 

her free time and later 

decided to make more for 

sustainability. 

“I understand how 

much more sustainable 

and eco-friendlier the 

reusable fabric masks are 

… I wanted to contribute 

to a less wasteful option,” 

she says. 

The use of masks has 

become common in New 

Zealand, with it being 

mandatory when using 

public transport. 

New Zealand is currently 

at Level 2, meaning 

that public gatherings are 

restricted to 10 people for 

Auckland (50 for funerals/tangihanga) 

and 100 

people for the rest of the 

country and that social 

distancing must be maintained. 

Due to demand, both 

Sayat Masks and 

Matencio’s small mask 

business have seen an 

overwhelmingly positive 

response from their followers. 

“I did not expect so 

many orders coming in, so 

I can say that in its own 

way, as small as it is, it is 

still a success,” Matencio 

says. 

“The response is overwhelmingly 

positive. I 

have received so many 

orders and made numerous 

deliveries in just the 

first week after I posted 

on social media,” says 

Sayat. 

Currently 

Matencio is selling 

her masks for 

$5 in plain black 

calico fabric and 

$10 for printed 

fabric masks. 

For Sayat, he is 

selling 5 styles of 

masks at $20 each 

and they can be 

ordered from his 

Facebook page 

(Sayat) or Instagram 

(@d_sayat). 

“Honestly, I think the 

demand will last for only 

as long as the pandemic is 

a threat … in the meantime 

I am here to use my 

talent and skill through 

Dennis Sayat of Sayat Masks 

these masks, to help motivate 

people to stay safe by 

helping make masks that 

are fun and fashionable,” 

Sayat says.

BUHAY OVERSEAS ISSUE 145 | www.filipinonews.nz | mob : 027 495 8477 | FB : Filipino Migrant News 20th ANNIVERSARY 07 

By Queenie Tanjay 

ELISTMO (Filipino-Kiwi Business Directory) : 

The pandemic exempts 

no one from the massive 

impacts it causes to every 

industry enumerable. The 

majority of employment is 

on the borderline, if not 

sacked wholly, by the economic 

losses brought about 

by the global crisis. 

In this crusade against 

the virus, Filipino seafarers 

are not the ones to 

count out. Every single day 

thousands of crews are 

repatriated or being 

stranded afar, carrying 

with them the additional 

baggage of an uncertain 

future. 

“Since COVID, perhaps 

the biggest impact is on 

crew change. Many ports 

closed and denied our 

requests for a crew change. 

Some cannot join us immediately, 

while some colleagues 

are already on 

board for a year and 

counting. Imagine not seeing 

your family for a year,” 

Vince Ian Tanjay, a cargo 

crew member, revealed. 

These delays are attributed 

to the stringent protocols 

to be followed in different 

territories before 

embarking on a ship. 

“I was supposed to go 

back to the Philippines last 

April, but due to the various 

health protocols 

imposed my scheduled 

date was postponed for 

another three months,” 

Maria Jolina Medina, 

another seafarer, shared. 

“Anyone who gets on 

and off board still needs to 

do the 14-day mandatory 

quarantine. This is apart 

from the various swab tests 

to be done depending on 

the countries one passes 

through.” 

Now that the normal 

operation of offices and 

training centres has also 

been diminished, hardships 

have become more 

evident now. “The whole 

process is difficult. 

Apparently, 

the 

chance of getting 

anyone on 

board depends 

on the protocols 

set in the 

place of residence. 

These cause delays 

in document processing 

and can affect the whole 

system of crew change,” 

Nina Jell Nudalo, a cargo 

crew member, said. 

Most who are on board 

are bound with port 

restrictions as well, including 

taking off-shore leave. 

“In New Zealand ports we 

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Filipino seafarers dive into 

waves of pandemic hardship 

“... delays in document processing (and) can 

affect the whole system of crew change,” Nina 

Jell Nudalo, a cargo crew member. 

“I was supposed to go back to the 

Philippines last April, but due to the various 

health protocols imposed my scheduled date 

was postponed for another three months,” 

Maria Jolina Medina. 

need to wear masks all the 

time and maintain at least 

2 metres distance from our 

port counterparts. Most 

port authorities do not 

come aboard as usual.” 

Vince Ian shared. 

“I was supposed to meet 

my sister in Tauranga or 

Auckland recently, however, 

we were informed that 

““I was supposed to meet my sister in Tauranga or 

Auckland recently, however, we were informed that it is 

still not permitted to do so,” Vince Ian Tanjay. 

it is still not permitted to 

do so,” he revealed. 

With this ongoing pandemic, 

no one is absolutely 

sure of what is yet to come. 

This uncertainty draws 

grey areas between securing 

career interests and 

personal safety. 

“Safety has to be the first 

priority, however, a man 

has got to do what a man 

has got to do to sustain the 

daily costs of living. It’s all 

harder than it actually is 

given the risks,” Nina Jell 

contemplated. 

“I think I’d still continue 

working on board if I’m 

allowed to and help contribute 

to my family to 

establish a sustainable 

business despite the crisis. 

Of course, things will not 

be easy and as safe as we 

are used to, but we’re left 

with no choice but to 

adapt,” Maria Jolina said.

08 BUHAY OVERSEAS ISSUE 145 | www.filipinonews.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | GIVE US A CALL : 027 495 8477 

www.filipinonews.nz : Headline News. Latest Videos. | www.filipino.kiwi : Launch of Wellington Edition - A capital idea. 

CEBU - 

S i n c e 

President Duterte's blatant 

remarks to Cebuanos following 

a series of quarantine violations 

mid pandemic, the topic of 

stereotyping Cebuanos as a 

stubborn bunch has been quite 

hot on social media. 

This has led to several discussions 

about the validity of the 

unflattering characteristic and 

how it overlaps with cultural 

and societal upbringing. 

July 18, 2020 – The University 

of San Carlos (USC), Cebu, the 

Philippines, conducted a webinar 

via Zoom and Facebook in 

its attempt to dissect the attribute 

in the social, anthropological 

and psychological contexts. 

The institution emphasizes 

the timeliness of the discussion 

so as to understand human 

behaviours under unprecedented 

situations and to leverage 

these in designing responses to 

crisis, as with the ongoing pandemic. 

The argument includes stating 

that Cebu is a melting pot of 

different localities in the country. 

Now to regard Cebuanos as 

Are Cebuanos really Hardheaded? 


stubborn in general is inconclusive, 

to begin with, as this 

accounts for people in the neighbouring 

areas and islands as 

well. 

However, this draws a line to 

the weak Filipino traits listed in 

a 1987 Ateneo study, including 

lack of discipline and followthrough, 

as well as poor time 

management. 

In the spatial and class context, 

Dr. Zona Amper of USC 

points out the differences in the 

concept of a home between the 

privileged and the marginalized 

classes. "For relatively affluent 

families, it is easier to heed to 

stay at home protocols as there 

is enough comfortable space for 

everyone. 

However, for the informal settlers, 

to whom cases of violations 

were mostly associated, 

due to the limitations of space, 

'home' extends to the community's 

common spaces," she said. 

Social interaction is then seen to 

be inevitable within these 

shared spaces, especially in 

high-density barangays. 

Cultural perspective is also 

not removed from this argument. 

Shifting to the new norm 

is a gradual process. "This is 

why people resort to traditional 

practices like 'tuob' or steam 

inhalation these days, as they 

were regarded as remedies by 

our ancestors," she added. 

Furthermore, the issue of having 

a sustainable income is, of 

course, the elephant in the 

room. Restrictions prevent daily 

and low-income earners from 

attending to their usual business, 

hence meddling with 

household provisions. 

The accrued costs of face 

masks, soap and alcohol add 

weight to the burden. 

Unreliable water access and 

p o o r 

drainage 

and sanitation 

syst 

e m s , 

moreover, 

pins 

down the 

predicament 

of 

the urban 

poor. Although 

no actual studies 

authenticate the stubbornness 

of Cebuanos, parallel research 

has been conducted where 

inferences can be drawn. 

A longitudinal cohort study 

on the Filipino child, implemented 

by USC Population 

studies and government agencies 

across the country, found 

that the unruly behaviour of 

kids is more associated with 

urban male kids regardless of 

the locality in Luzon, Visayas 

and Mindanao. On the other 

hand, for adults, rule-breaking 

cases like binge drinking, smoking, 

or texting involve males, 

irrespective of locality, yet 

again. 

Moving forward, this calls for 

m o r e 

community-based re-search 

down at the ground level, especially 

with those most susceptible 

to the virus. 

"Community leaders and constituents 

are encouraged not 

only to participate but also to 

lead research initiatives for 

more detailed and transparent 

findings. In these studies, several 

factors must be accounted for, 

including household factors, 

income, population, water 

access and health care facilities," 

she said. 

Gathering baseline data is 

seen to be essential in implementing 

protocols that fit the 

disposition of a specific community. 

Capitalizing on the aptitude 

of experts from various 

fields to create more cohesive 

protocols is also integral. This is 

to bridge the gap between the 

academe and government, not 

only in this crisis but also in 

long term affairs. 

Reverting to the main question, 

"Are Cebuanos really 

hardheaded?" she answered, 

"It's inconclusive because there 

are many factors to consider." 

Imelda 

up close, 

personal 

‘The Kingmaker’ - 

an intimate look at the 

“boastful, unrepentant 

nature” of 

Imelda Marcos featured 

in the NZ 

International Film 

Festival from 24 July - 

3 August at selected 

cinemas nationwideand 

online streaming. 

More details at: 

www.pinoynz.live 

Catriona Gray confirmed as 

new OTOP ambassador 

By Kris Crismundo 

MANILA – The Department 

of Trade and 

Industry (DTI) has confirmed 

Miss Universe 2018 

Catriona Gray as the 

ambassador for One-Town- 

One-Product (OTOP) Philippines. 

OTOP is a stimulus program 

of the DTI for micro, 

small and medium enterprises 

(MSMEs) from localities 

and communities in different 

regions nationwide, to 

enhance their competitive 

advantage and promote the 

products which their places 

are known for. 

Gray’s responsibilities as 

OTOP ambassador include 

promoting local products, 

cultivating pride in 

Philippine culture and helping 

Filipino MSMEs. 

Gray has been an advocate 

for Philippine culture since 

her reign as Miss Universe 

Miss Universe 2018 

Catriona Gray 

as she put the Philippines’ 

indigenous fabrics and 

prints in the global spotlight. 

When she competed for 

Miss Universe 2018, Gray’s 

gowns showcased Philippine 

symbols and culture, 

such as the red Mayon 

Volcano inspired evening 

gown, the orange Ibong 

Adarna inspired gown for 

the Miss Universe preliminary 

competition and the 

blue Philippine eagle 

inspired gown she wore for 

her final walk last year. 

Meanwhile, as part of 

helping OTOP entrepreneurs 

sell their products amid the 

Covid-19 pandemic, the 

DTI launched the OTOP 

Pasinaya, a digital market 

showroom and online trade 

platform. 

In 2019 OTOP Philippines 

generated sales of PHP1.4 

billion from 37 OTOP 

Philippines hubs and from 

OTOP.Ph nationwide, the 

physical and online stores 

for OTOP Philippines products. 

(PNA)

migrantnews.nz 

29 

YEARS 

• NZ’s first Multicultural Newspaper • 

migrantnews@xtra.co.nz | mob: 027 495 8477 

O N L I N E 

E D I T I O N . 

A n d a s 

a p u l l - o u t 

i n a l l o u r 

F i l i p i n o 

n e w s p a p e r s . 

F R E E 

Circulation 

How Filipino migrants 

adapt to Kiwi accent 

The one and only 

Filipino Job Board 

www.asia2nz.com 

Employers - list your jobs here 

at very affordable rates! 

Job-seekers, check out our job listings. 

mob: 027 495 9477 

SETTLING IN NZ 

VIDEO BITES 

Difference between 

driving in NZ and PH 

Interview with SUSAN MATENCIO, driving instructor. 

Check out our VIDEO CLIPS @ www.migrantnews.nz 

Myra Madriaga, a Rotorua-based Filipino teacher 

Filipinos take the learning 

of the English language 

seriously, studying it for 

many years in institutions 

and using it in work and 

business environments. 

The universal language 

is undeniably necessary 

for a lot of endeavours, 

therefore Filipinos take 

pride in being proficient in 

using it. 

When migrants reach 

New Zealand, however, it 

is a different story. 

Although the terms can be 

readily associated, the 

Kiwi accent makes them 

seemingly non-comprehensible 

to begin with. 

This difficulty is shared 

by a lot of Filipinos as new 

entrants. "The first time I 

arrived here in NZ, I got 

confused and had a hard 

time conversing with 

Kiwis. 

“At school I encountered 

experiences where I let 

them repeat their statements 

again to digest what 

they were trying to relay," 

Myra Madriaga, a 

Rotorua-based Filipino 

teacher, relayed. "My 

classmates can relate to me 

with regards to the confusion 

with pronunciations." 

Chryslene Mace Tan, an 

early childhood teacher, 

concurs with these challenges. 

"At the start I had 

difficulties because I was 

not used to their accent. 

Some have really heavy 

accents; some can be easily 

understood. For example, 

saying 'pin' when actually, 

what they were referring 

to was a 'pen'," she said. 

Fortunately, even with 

this language aspect, 

Filipinos depict resilience 

at its best. "I told myself to 

adapt to the new environment 

or else I would get 

lost. I took the initiative to 

ask for help from my 

friends with Kiwi fellows. I 

learned a lot by talking to 

them," Myra added. 

"I was not familiar with 

some Kiwi expressions, but 

I always ask," said Alex 


P. Tanjay Alex Rongo, 

Rongo, an operations 

manager here in NZ. 

Apparently, it also 

helped in the learning 

progress that Kiwis are 

naturally friendly and 

warm. "The people I met 

were really nice and 

patient with me, so difficulties 

did not affect me 

that much," Chryslene 

supplemented. 

"Be brave enough to 

converse in the best way 

possible. Do not be afraid 

to make mistakes and simply 

ask if you don't understand. 

The Kiwi culture 

means that people will 

always be happy to explain 

things to you," Alex 

added. 

Over time the 

acclimatization to the 

new culture becomes 

visible to several 

migrants reflecting 

on how they handle 

themselves now. 

"I experienced 

working in a hotel for 

three years with Kiwi 

employers. Presently 

I am working in a 

school where there 

are lots of Kiwi teachers 

who I mingle with. 

Now I am happy to 

say that I am used to 

it already and can 

now easily understand 

their language 

and accents," Myra 

said. 

"From my first job, 

while I was studying, 

operations manager 

to my present job, a lot has 

changed. I then dreaded 

answering the phone when 

it rang. Now I have 

become the person to ask 

in the office," Alex said. 

These testimonies can 

attest that communication 

is indeed vital to every 

endeavour. Although the 

Kiwi accent is one of the 

hurdles to overcome here 

as a new migrant, taking 

the initiative to ask and to 

seek help from the community 

can go a long way 

towards adapting here in 

New Zealand. 

EMBASSY OF THE 

PHILIPPINES, WELLINGTON 

50 Hobson Street, Thorndon, Wellington 

https://www.philembassy.org.nz/ 

Tel: (04) 8903741, (04) 8903742, 

(04) 8903744, Fax: (04) 8903740 

Hotline 24/7: (0064) 022 074 6517 

Email: wellington.pe@philembassy.org.nz 

PHILIPPINE OVERSEAS 

LABOUR OFFICE (POLO) 

Level 1, 286 Thorndon Quay, 

Pipitea, Wellington 

polo.newzealand@philembassy.org.nz 

MIGRANT RESOURCE PORTAL : www.migrantnews.nz 

New Zealand’s first migrant resource 

portal since 1991 features: 

• ‘Exploring our own Backyard’ 

program for migrants in Rotorua 

• Overdoing Political Correctness? 

• Migrants told: Be more proactive, 

vocal about new immigration laws 

• 7 reasons to learn foreign language 

• Filipino migrants at the crossroads 

in Queenstown 

• Career change adds up for former 

accountant (sponsored content) 

• Ethnic recipies go around the world 

during the pandemic 

• Settling In: A place to call home 

• Filipino-Kiwi comedian’s meteoric 

rise to fame and popuarltiy 

• Whistle blower: Clients jump at 

every chance to live abroad 

• A Filipino perspective on BLM 

• Queenstown residents losing hope 

• Public Speaking skills for settlers

10 ISSUE 145 BALITANG NZ | www.filipinonews.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | www.pinoynzlife.nz | mob: 027 495 8477 

www.migrantnews.nz : New Zealand’s first MULTICULTURAL newspaper. Published since 1991. Facebook page: Migrant News 

OPINYON 

Noel Bautista 

Hard ‘e’s and soft ‘I’s. 

Hard ‘f’s AND soft ‘p’s. 

‘Creative’ syllabifications 

like “good morNENG” 

and “good ibNENG”. 

You know whose accent 

these pronunciations 

belong to, because it’s the 

accent you grew up with, 

your beloved Pinoy 

accent. 

To be sure, the famous 

Filipino accent is subdivided 

into regional and 

provincial accents. But we 

all know the most popular 

parts of how our tongues 

roll and our teeth click 

and we know which are 

best remembered by our 

non-Pinoy friends. 

Language-wise, it 

wasn’t hard for us to 

adjust when we arrived 

here in New Zealand. 

It’s a mainly Englishspeaking 

country, but 

there are some phrases 

and words that Kiwis 

use differently. 

Te Reo Maori is also 

a language that is spoken 

in New Zealand and 

some Te Reo words will 

often find their way into 

conversations. 

Here are a few phrases 

and words that you’ll 

most likely hear in conversations 

here in New 

Zealand. 

Kia Ora 

You’ll hear this very 

often, because it is a standard 

greeting used by 

everyone in New Zealand. 

It basically means 'hello', or 

'be well, be healthy'. 

Haere Mai/Haere Ra 

You will see this phrase 

on many town signs, in the 

airport, everywhere! Haere 

Mai means 'Welcome'. 

Haere Ra means 'Goodbye'. 

She’ll be ‘right/No worries 

Kiwis are very chill and 

relaxed people. So these 

two phrases almost mean 

the same. It’s the equivalent 

of 'okay lang yan' in 

Filipino. 

Tiki Tour 

“We went right on a Tiki 

tour to the North island,” as 

my officemate once told 

me. A Tiki Tour means a 

journey with no destination 

in mind, or going by a long 

route to a destination. 

Sweet As 

When I first heard this 

Do Kiwis 

like our 

Pinoy 

accent? 

Origins. Many historical 

factors have shaped 

our Pinoy accent, but for 

me the two major influences 

have been our being 

a colony of Spain and a 

member of the American 

Commonwealth for three 

and a half centuries. Even 

our constant trade with 

China and neighbouring 

Southeast Asian nations 

has influenced our accent. 

It’s no big surprise that 

when you listen to tennis 

Grand Slammer Rafael 

Nadal he sounds oddly 

similar to Manny Pacquiao. 

Then if you listen to 

NZ SLANG? NO WORRIES 

By AILEEN CUNANAN 

spoken to me, I was waiting 

for what came next – sweet 

as … what? But no, Kiwis 

use this to mean 'okay' or 

'cool'. For example: “I’m 

gonna go to the beach 

tomorrow.” You can 

respond with “Sweet As”. 

Bach (pronounced as 

'batch') 

This refers to family 

vacation homes, usually 

near the beach. 

Flick 

In our office this means 

'send'. For example: “I’m 

gonna flick an email to her 

right now.” 

Whanau (pronounced as 

'fa-nau') 

This means 'family'. 

Ka Pai (pronounced as 

'ka-pie') 

This means 'Well Done' 

or 'Good Job'. 

Yeah, Nah 

This was quite confusing 

when I first heard it in conversation. 

For example, you 

ask: “Do you want some ice 

cream?” Then someone can 

say “Yeah, nah. I’ll be 

‘right.” Confusing, huh? 

Usually this is a polite 'no'. 

Hokey Pokey 

In the Philippines or in 

other English-speaking 

countries, this is a nursery 

rhyme “… you do the 

hokey pokey and you 

turn yourself around …” 

In New Zealand hokey 

pokey is a honeycomb 

toffee that is usually 

mixed into ice cream or 

candy. It is 

yummy!eh?/ey 

Sometimes I find 

myself ending my sentences 

with eh/ey. It’s 

normal here in New 

Zealand. “The weather’s 

good today, eh?” 

Chur 

This can mean 'Thanks' 

or 'Cheers'. 

Here are a couple more 

things that have a different 

name here in New Zealand. 

Togs = Bathing Suit 

Jandals = Flip Flops 

Gumboots = Rubber 

boots 

Dairy = Corner Store 

Tomato Sauce = 

Ketchup 

Chilly Bin = Cooler 

Op Shop = Thrift 

Shop/2nd Hand Store 

Lolly = lollipop/chocolate 

There are still a lot more 

Kiwi expressions and 

words to learn, but these are 

some of the most commonly 

used. It can get confusing 

in the beginning, but soon 

you’ll learn to understand, 

just based on context clues, 

or even by asking your 

Kiwi friends what they 

mean. 

I hope you find these 

words useful when you settle 

in New Zealand! 

YouTube and 

global comedian 

Jo Koy, though 

he is an American, 

there are 

distinct traces of 

Filipino in his 

accent. 

The clipped vowels and 

exaggerated consonants 

and other peculiarities of 

our Pinoy accent are a 

mixture of the above 

influences and our own 

additions through the 

decades, of course. But 

because we are also 

migrants, we add the local 

flavour of the language of 

whichever host country 

we are in. 

And guess what? 

Because of our natural 

facility for English, and 

our ability to ‘mirror’ 

whatever accents we are 

frequently exposed to (in 

this case the New 

Zealand – Kiwi accent), 

we haven’t encountered 

a single negative reaction 

to how we sound or 

speak (although the sample 

size is small, just the 

non-Pinoys we interact 

with and encounter daily) 

and we compare very 

favourably to other 

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Asian accents which will 

go unmentioned today. 

A few observations from 

our hosts: 

“I recognise Filipino 

accents – I was a caregiver 

in a psychogeriatric 

hospital and a lot of the 

RNs (registered nurses) 

were Filipino. Definitely 

the preferred accent over 

those you mentioned 

(other Asian accents), it’s 

much easier to hear and 

understand. Less harsh.” 

– from a Kiwi colleague 

who’s worked across various 

industries. 

“I can usually tell a 

Filipino because they usually 

drop a couple of 

Tagalog words in while 

speaking to each other … 

Well I think that Filipinos 

have a better grasp of 

English and are able to 

pronounce the words 

more easily than guys 

from other Asian countries. 

Maybe it’s because 

of your close relationship 

Client Endorsement 

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a number of our employees to 

obtain work visa, which have 

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favour in terms of 

uninterrupted business 

operation and cost saving!” 

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New Zealand visa, the 

following temporary visas until I 

got my residency, and my 

partner and children’s visas. 

They are trusted immigration 

professionals and they don’t 

overcharge you:).” 

For initial consultation, we offer 

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Phone or email us today 

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Tel: 09 309 9987, Email: info@lander.co.nz 

Address: Level 10, 16 Kingston Street 

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NOEL 

BAUTISTA 

BLOGGER OF 

THE YEAR 2020 

with the USA and maybe 

you have been more 

exposed to it than the 

other Asian countries, I 

don’t know.” – a Kiwi 

employer who’s worked 

with migrants - Filipinos 

and others. 

“I grew up with quite a 

few Filos (pet name for 

Filipinos in Australia) in 

Sydney and though they 

speak English in school 

they probably speak their 

own language at home the 

way I did. They try to 

speak with hip-hop and 

gangsta references, but I 

can always discern the 

Filipino accent in 

between, it’s always been 

familiar to me. Almost 

like my own.” – a mixed 

Kiwi-Pacific Islander who 

grew up in Australia, but 

returned to New Zealand 

in adulthood. 

What feedback have 

you received kabayan 

about our beloved Pinoy 

accent?

ISSUE 145 | ELISTMO - FILIPINO-KIWI BUSINESS DIRECTORY : www.elistmo.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz MOB: 027 495 8477 11 

www.halohalo.nz : The Pinoy Food Channel : Filipino & South East Asian Sari Sari Stores, Restaurants, Cafes, Catering etc ... 


Tanjay 

TAUPO - “It’s never too 

late to start a new life.” 

This is the cliché that 

exactly mirrors the 

motivating journey 

of Loretta Manalad 

towards becoming 

a model 

Filipino migrant 

in the community. 

Notable for 

being a connoisseur 

of European 

cuisine for years now 

in New Zealand, who 

would have thought that 

she devoted most of her 

life to another career. 

For 14 years Loretta 

worked for the government 

in the Philippines as 

a registered professional 

accountant. 

In 2014 she made a 

power shift in her career 

by exploring New Zealand. 

“I started with a 

visit visa through my sister 

in law, however, it was 

difficult to find a job with 

my previous qualification, 

so I enrolled for a diploma 

in culinary arts,” she said. 

Indeed, in two years 

time she gained a diploma 

in international culinary 

arts level 5 from the 

Career Power Shift: 

Accountant dons chef’s hat 

Cornell Institute of 

Business and Technology. 

Her gallant decision to 

derail from her comfort 

zone, as it turns out, 

emerged from her ambitions 

for her children. 

“It came to the point 

when I kept thinking 

about my kids. Everything 

in the Philippines 

was getting expensive, but 

I still wanted to send my 

kids to a good school. 

What I was earning was 

just enough back then and 

most likely I would have 

ended up taking out a 

loan or getting credits for 

that,” she said. 

That is why when she 

Loretta Manalad is a dedicated mother of two 

children and the current head chef of Lone Star 

- Taupo. 

She amassed experience from Thoroughbred 

Sports Bar and Restaurant, Sudima Hotel - 

Auckland Airport and Nando’s Takanini. 

(left:) Loretta Manalad, 

Head Chef at the Lone Star 

was given the opportunity 

to have a new life here in 

NZ she never lost sight of 

her goals. 

Through the years 

Loretta gradually moved 

her way up by handling 

different jobs in order to 

set herself up to handle 

larger roles. “I regard 

every step of my career as 

a milestone. I did heaps of 

jobs in restaurants night 

and day, from being front 

of the house to the head 

chef. 

“I bore in mind that I 

should not give no for an 

answer should duty call 

and should prove my 

worth each time at work. 

“Eventually I developed 

myself in training people 

and managing a kitchen,” 

she said. 

Things, however, started 

to unfold quickly when 

the immigration climate 

changed in 2016. This 

included the accumulating 

of additional points 

and the passing of an 

English exam. 

“I immediately hired a 

lawyer to assess my qualifications 

and they suggested 

that I move from 

Auckland to Taupo if I 

wanted to catch up before 

the new rules took effect,” 

she relayed. 

According to her, the 

English test was like 

shooting for the moon, as 

she recounted her struggle 

to cope with an urgent 

schedule and to provide 

herself with ample preparation 

time. 

In those times she kept 

thinking about how she 

“For aspiring migrants: 

do your best, know what 

you are doing and pray 

for it. If it scares you, 

then it means that you 

will achieve something 

good out of it.” 

- Loretta Manalad 

could not afford to let 

such opportunity dissipate 

right in front of her. 

“I’ve seen the life here; 

I’ve seen how good the 

system here is. My goal is 

to get my residency soon 

so I can get my kids,” she 

continued. 

But as the famous quote 

goes, “When you want 

something, all the universe 

conspires in helping 

you to achieve it.” Loretta 

gained her residency in a 

short time and is currently 

enjoying staying with 

her kids in Taupo. 

In this light 

Loretta dived into 

introspection about 

her journey and the 

exciting events that 

happened along the 

way. 

“My story maybe is 

different from other 

people's, but the goal 

is the same. For aspiring 

migrants: do your best, 

know what you are doing 

and pray for it. If it scares 

you, then it means that 

you will achieve something 

good out of it,” she 

said. 

Loretta hopes to inspire 

more people into beginning 

a new life and experiencing 

their struggles in a 

different light. “If it’s 

meant to be and you 

deserve it, it shall be given 

unto you,” she ended. 

In the forthcoming 

years she sees herself 

immersed in more volunteer 

work, helping others 

in her own way and 

spending more quality 

time with her family here 

in New Zealand.

12 ISSUE 145 BALITANG NZ | www.filipinonews.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | www.pinoynzlife.nz | MOB: 027 495 8477 

www.migrantnews.nz : New Zealand’s first MULTICULTURAL newspaper. Published since 1991. 

By Gill Bonnett 

Immigration reporter 

Families who were on the 

cusp of gaining residence 

when coronavirus struck are 

in despair that they may lose 

their immigration dream at 

the final hurdle. 

Skilled workers have lost 

jobs or been on reduced 

hours, and the visas of one 

family who had been in the 

country for more than a 

decade expired while they 

were out of the country. 

Meanwhile, the government 

said it was now unlikely 

to announce its new residence 

policy before the election. 

About 39,000 people and 

their families are waiting for 

news on their residence 

applications, 32,000 of them 

as skilled migrants. 

Some of the applications 

not yet allocated to an immigration 

officer for assessment 

date as far back as 

December 2018. 

Jessie Le, from Vietnam, 

applied in April last year, 

when the expected waiting 

time for a decision was six to 

eight months. 

She is worried that by the 

time her application is 

assessed, her job as a marketing 

specialist could have 

fallen victim to the coronavirus 

downturn. 

"Personally, I feel that the 

government is doing this just 

because they don't want to 

proceed our applications and 

they just let us wait forever 

and maybe you know some 

of us will give up. 

"Because the way they do 

it right now they just pick 

the priority applications like 

people who earn a huge 

amount of salary or registered 

occupations. 

"So I'm just waiting, it's 

'Tricky and vulnerable situation': 

long delay in waiting for a resident's visa 

like a non-future for me 

because I can't plan anything 

right now, getting married or 

settling down. I was thinking 

of running my own small 

business, but now I can't do 

anything." 

When coronavirus came 

along, her company agreed 

to keep her on with reduced 

hours. 

"I'm really worried that the 

company can't really survive 

in a few months, so I don't 

know where my future will 

be - even in the best scenario, 

my company's doing 

well but my visa will end in 

May next year. 

"If I can't get the residency 

by then, I don't know if I will 

be able to apply for a new 

visa with the company or 

look for a job - it's so 

unknown and everything is 

just a mess." 

Diego Rodriguez and his 

wife, Carolina, are concerned 

their path to residence 

may be spirited away 

because of an ill-timed trip 

to see family in Colombia. 

They arrived in New 

Zealand in 2009 and their 

daughters, Sophia and 

Olivia, were born in 

Christchurch. 

"Last October we had the 

opportunity to apply for residency 

through a unique category 

Work to Residence 

South Island Contribution 

pathway," said Mr 

Rodriguez, an assistant farm 

manager. "It is a policy that 

recognises long and strong 

work connections in the 

South Island. 

"I am in a tricky and vulnerable 

situation. Being offshore 

means my visa hasn't 

Rodriguez family 

been processed and I didn't 

get the automatic extension 

granted until September, if I 

were onshore. 

"The last three months 

have been really hard, stressful 

and difficult. This situation 

has put us in economic 

hardship, our main income 

comes from my salary which 

was stopped when my visa 

expired on April 9." 

They are worried their 11 

years of work in New 

Zealand may count for nothing, 

as they struggle to get 

back through the border to 

their farm near Ashburton in 

time for calving. 

Another woman, who 

works in IT and asked not to 

be named, applied for residence 

in April last year when 

the expected waiting time 

was about seven months. 

"They told me that it will 

take like six months for the 

case officer allocation," she 

said. "That didn't happen. I 

called them after eight 

months. They say that it will 

take one year, so I was like, 

okay fine. 

"I call them after one year, 

and now they're saying we 

don't know when it will happen." 

She said it's a money making 

trick to charge $3500 to 

apply for a residence visa, 

then more than $400 when 

temporary visas expire in the 

meantime. 

"Why? Why the hell am I 

paying all of this extra 

amount just because they 

didn't process it in time? I 

just feel that it's a big scam. 

Taking money from us, just 

waiting - telling us to go 

back home in a different 

way." 

She and her partner were 

due to get married this 

spring, but she said she now 

found herself Googling her 

mental health problems 

instead of wedding dresses. 

No information provided 

to some applicants - adviser 

Immigration adviser Erin 

Goodhue said people had no 

information on what happened 

if they lost their job. 

"Given the circumstances, 

it would be kind of immigration 

to have a bit of leeway 

and allow those people to 

find new jobs within a certain 

timeframe, but there's 

just been no announcement 

made." 

The backlog was causing 

stress even for those who felt 

their jobs were stable. 

"If you recognise that 

there is a failure, where is 

the plan to improve things 

and get things moving? 

"I think that's what's creating 

a lot of anxiety and people 

are thinking 'how can we 

have such a huge backlog 

and not have any intent to fix 

it?' 

"There is a lot of anxiety 

amongst the migrant community 

that immigration are 

going to do what they did 

back in 2012 and just wipe 

the slate clean essentially 

and start again, and all those 

applications will just be 

wiped out. 

"I don't know whether 

that's a reality or a possibility 

but that is the fear - that 

while these people are waiting 

any number of things can 

happen to them." 

The residence programme 

(NZRP) expired in 

December and the former 

immigration minister, Iain 

Lees-Galloway, said back 

then he wanted to review 

how it operated. 

He said the government 

was now taking its time to 

work through the new residence 

policy. 

"Residency is an important 

policy, it's not something 

that should be rushed," 

he said. 

"The main thing is that 

residency applications continue 

to be processed as per 

the last residency planning 

range, so on that issue, nothing 

changes. I am advised 

that processing has been 

affected by Covid-19 as you 

would expect." 

His spokesperson said a 

decision had been expected 

before September's election, 

but that was now unlikely. 

Applications still being 

processed - immigration 

boss 

In a statement, Immigration 

New Zealand (INZ) 

rejected the suggestion there 

had been a failure of service 

by INZ. 

"INZ's role as a regulator 

is to process applications in 

line with the NZRP planning 

range set by the government 

of the day," said Nicola 

Hogg, general manager border 

and visa operations. 

"The government is currently 

working through the 

new NZRP. In the meantime, 

INZ will continue to process 

applications at the same volume 

and with the same level 

of resourcing the previous 

NZRP allowed for." 

All applicants had to meet 

immigration requirements 

for residence at the time 

their application was decided, 

she said. 

"When processing residence 

applications, if not 

already provided, INZ will 

often request further or 

updated information from 

individuals to ensure a decision 

is being made based on 

the latest information available. 

"INZ also engages with 

the applicant if there are 

concerns with the application 

(ie job loss, the job 

doesn't meet immigration 

requirements) and provides 

the applicant an opportunity 

to comment before a decision 

on the application is 

made. 

"Over the last year, 

demand for the SMC and 

Residence from Work substream 

has risen significantly 

and the number of onhand 

applications has 

increased considerably. This 

has resulted in longer decision 

times for applicants. 

"It is the responsibility of 

the individual to ensure they 

remain lawfully in New 

Zealand while their residence 

application is being 

decided." - RNZ 

continued from pg 5 

RIZAL IN THE PANDEMIC 

Rizal admitted that it was 

not good for the Jesuit to say 

such "nonsense" but also hinted 

at the likely reason why the 

Padre may have wished that 

way. 

Recalling this incident, the 

Filipino nation should be 

grateful that Rizal did not succumb 

to the influenza epidemic 

of 1889-90. More than this, 

the country should be equally 

thankful that the influenza epidemic 

did not hinder the young 

Rizal's sense of purpose. 

For Rizal, epidemic or not, it 

was service as usual. This 

resolve of a young man to 

combat with all his strength 

the primary cause of all the 

suffering and tears in his country 

wherever, whenever and 

whatever the condition was, is 

what makes our National 

Hero still relevant in this day 

and age. 

Rizal did not hesitate to fight 

the enemy that hid behind the 

false religion. 

The young Rizal dared to 

speak truth to power and paid 

for it with his life. He preferred 

truth to his fame. His only 

wish was for his countrymen 

to sacrifice their passions on 

the altar of the country and to 

seek their welfare in the 

virtues that distinguish and 

adorn free peoples. Non Omnis 

Moriar! (PNA) 

continued from pg 13 

EMOTIONAL 

INTELLIGENCE 

“It facilitates our 

capacity for resilience, 

motivation, empathy, 

reasoning, stress management 

and communication 

and our ability to 

read and navigate a 

plethora of social situations 

and conflicts." 

Plivia shared her journey 

towards learning 

more of the breadth of 

human psychology and 

behaviour despite the differences 

in the profession. 

Reinforced with various 

training, including 

neuro-linguistic programming, 

transactional 

analysis, emotional freedom 

and emotional intelligence, 

she has managed 

to translate her learning 

through talking sessions 

and mentoring. 

"It really changed my 

perspective on things and 

I wanted badly to share 

this knowledge with my 

kababayans because it 

has helped me a lot, not 

just for managing myself, 

but also for managing my 

relationships with people. 

One of my projects was 

the motivational speeches 

I conducted for distressed 

OFWs back in 

the UAE," she shared. 

Plivia, along with other 

speakers, will talk more 

about this in a session 

called 'Surviving the 

Crisis' (the scheduled 

date was postponed due to 

the Level Two lockdown), 

in the attempt to provide 

relevant information and 

tips to cope with the 

stress brought about the 

pandemic. 

Plivia is a creative 

director/graphic designer 

with experience in 

marketing and sales and 

building websites. She 

graduated with a bachelor's 

degree in Advertising, 

Fine Arts and 

Design at the University 

of Santo Tomas in 

Manila. 

In her leisure time she 

plays basketball for the 

Royals Women's Division 

1 for the CBA (Canterbury 

Basketball Association) 

and volleyball for 

'Fusion', a Filipino team 

based in Christchurch. 

Apart from those she 

also displays a penchant 

for make-up, playing the 

drums/guitar, decorating 

and hosting. 

She has now lived here 

for around two and a half 

years, working for a soft-

Excerpts from vol 2 no 9 

REACHING FILIPINOS IN THE 

SOUTH ISLAND. 

Dolled up to make 

you laugh out loud 

Facebook page: 

Pinoy NZ Life 

• www.pinoynzlife.nz • 

filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | mob: 027 495 8477 

Emotional intelligence 

in this time of crisis 


Tanjay 

CHRISTCHURCH 

- Living through this 

pandemic period is 

like wading through 

thick mud; clearing 

out emotional disruptions 

while moving 

forward feels more 

elusive than at any 

other time. 

This explains the 

emergence of various 

mental health discussions 

these days to 

help ease the psychological 

impacts 

brought about by the 

pandemic. In this 

light, one of the 

notable topics covered 

is 'emotional 

intelligence'. 

In an interview with 

now NZ-based Filipino 

trainer/graphic 

artist, Plivia Alaba, 

she shed more light 

on the definition of 

emotional intelligence. 

"Emotional Intelligence 

is the capability 

of individuals to recognize 

their own 

emotions/feelings and 

those of others, discern 

between different 

feelings and label 

them appropriately 

and manage emotions 

to adapt and achieve 

one's goal," she 

described. 

"It is a key feature 

of a strong leader and 

a very useful people 

skill. Through this a 

person can manage 

conflicts, deal with 

changes, allow better 

teamwork and handle 

confrontations." 

She names its basic 

Plivia Alaba (pictured below) training hotel staff 

building blocks, 

namely: self-awareness, 

self-management, 

social awareness 

and relationship 

management 

and how these take 

part even in the simplest 

decision made. 

"When we understand 

the origin and 

source of these emotions, 

especially when 

working in a team, we 

are more attuned to 

each other. Emotional 

intelligence becomes 

more significant in 

cross-cultural and 

global teams due to 

the increasing complexity 

of interactions 

and the expression of 

emotions," she added. 

Furthermore, in 

these unprecedented 

times, when there is a 

grey area between 

personal spaces and 

workspaces, emotional 

intelligence is 

applicable. 

"When we improve 

our emotional intelligence 

and take active 

steps to make 

changes, we'll find 

ourselves more productive 

and build 

more meaningful 

relationships around 

us," she said. 

In the context of 

shifting to the new 

normal paradigm 

emotional intelligence 

plays a vital 

role. 

"Being emotionally 

intelligent enables us 

to adapt easily to a 

new environment and 

the changes that come 

with it. 

continued on page 12 


CHRISTCHURCH - There 

is nothing more celebrated in 

ordinary Filipino households 

than entertainment and 

media. Filipino culture is so 

engrossed with these two elements 

that Filipinos are readily 

branded to world-class 

talent and performance in 

any part of the world. 

Filipino entertainer Giovani 

Lubaton is a living 

embodiment of these attributes, 

gradually gaining the 

spotlight here in New 

Zealand. 

Giovani comes with a full 

suite of various performances 

with his vast array of talent 

in singing, dancing, comedy, 

drag and impersonation. 

Dolled up with his red pinup 

wig and high pumps, he is 

now making a name for himself 

in his newfound home. 

"My mission here is to 

bring the Philippine comedy 

bar here to New Zealand," he 

said. "It makes me happy 

when I can entertain people 

and make them laugh. I 

believe that comedy plays a 

big role in our lives as 

Filipinos, especially here 

overseas, away from loved 

ones and pressured at work." 

In his performances 

Giovani draws inspiration 

from Philippine showbiz 

icons for his comic persona 

and materials. "I love watching 

comedy acts, such as 

from Vice Ganda, Madam 

Kilay, the youtube blogger 

and the duo pork chops," he 

revealed. "I then explore naturally 

in my own way, adding 

a bit of taste of the styles of 

these actors and artists I 

adore watching." 

Giovani started weaving 

his decorated career in the 

Philippines through active 

participation in workshops 

and barangay presentations. 

"It began when I joined 

CITAW (Children's Integrated 

Theatre Arts Workshop) 

hosted by Kuya Lakan and 

Ate Martina from the GMA 

network," he said. 

"Through that I discovered 

that I loved to act, sing and 

dance. My penchant for comedy 

acts, on the other hand, 

started when I got introduced 

to double karaoke 

(singing half man and half 

woman). That was when I 

decided to put a bit of acting 

before the singing in my performances." 

Now in New Zealand, it 

appears that he never really 

left his life in the Philippines 

as a performer. The Filipino 

entertainer gained his footing 

by gracing random invitations, 

including birthday and 

anniversary celebrations. 

Little did he know, these 

paved the way for him gaining 

increasing popularity to 

be able to present to larger 

groups. Last year's 'Paskong 

Pinoy' brainchild, in this 

light, is a testament to the 

community's warm reception 

of his talent. 

Having the experience to 

perform in both countries, 

Giovani admits that delivering 

entertainment here 

in New Zealand is another 

narrative to describe. 

"Language and cultural 

barriers impede the way 

of poking at the humour 

of Kiwi audiences," he 

confided. 

However, with natural 

charm and a grip on 

broad comedy thrown in 

the mix, Giovani still 

never fails to put his 

meaning across. Instead, 

he sees this optimistically 

as an opportunity to 

The many faces of comedian 

Giovani Lubaton 

evolve his style. 

In fact, during the lockdown, 

he got productive 

while making a buzz on 

social media. "I started to 

create my own Facebook 

page and I just posted all my 

recorded comedy acts and 

performances there. I even 

laugh at my own acts," he 

candidly told us. 

Now Giovani collaborates 

with groups like MATA productions 

and fellow Filipino 

performers in creating live 

stage shows here in NZ. He 

and the team were underway 

preparing for a Filipino variety 

show in Christchurch this 

August 22, but it had to postponed 

indefinitely due to the 

Level 2 lockdown. 

The Filipino Variety Show, 

running with the theme, 

'Filipino Performance Freedom 

Defeating the Pandemic', 

will celebrate Filipino 

roots by showcasing different 

styles of entertainment, 

including singing, dancing, 

comedy, impersonation and 

other acts. "We are doing 

this for the community, not 

for the money, but for fun," 

he said. 

In the future Giovani sees 

himself working together 

with performers who share 

the same passion and eagerness 

for his craft. "I want to 

develop myself more so that I 

can help other Filipinos harness 

their talents for entertaining 

people," Giovani 

ended. 

POSTPONED

Mobile: 027 495 8477; filipinonews@xtra.co.nz 

FILIPINO-KIWI BUSINESS DIRECTORY 

Parcel deliverers 'optimistic' amid pandemic 


In an online interview 

with the BM Express operations 

manager based in the 

Philippines, Rizza Amolong, 

she described how the business, 

albeit slowly, has 

manoeuvered through the 

pandemic waves. 

According to Rizza one of 

the most significant factors 

confronting the business this 

year is the limitation of contact. 

“From custom to door 

deliveries, the goal is to 

lessen the contact from person 

to person,” she said. 

Local protocols at various 

levels are now stringently 

heeded, resulting in some 

parcels not reaching the 

doorstep. A large proportion 

of parcels are now left in the 

custody of checkpoints 

before receipt. 

Constraints for air freight 

have apparently produced a 

ripple effect on the business 

too. Transit time has been 

hiked up, with only cargo 

ships left at their disposal. 

Furthermore, reduced 

time in customs has 

materially reduced 

the amount of 

processed shipments 

in a day as well. 

In estimation, 

accounting for consolidation, 

transit, 

releasing and delivery 

steps, overall 

transaction time has 

increased to at least 

one week during this 

pandemic. Visayas 

and Mindanao deliveries 

are anticipated 

to have a more considerable 

cycle time 

than Luzon areas due 

to additional shipment 

time. 

“There are delays, but we 

have to keep delivering 

because our services are 

essential,” she said. 

Parcels are now comprised 

primarily of food, supplements 

and vitamins sent 

from overseas to the 

Philippines. Now entering a 

peak season for deliveries, 

the business expects a positive 

trend in shipment transactions. 

In this crusade Rizza 

described how the business 

manages to keep up with the 

unforeseen changes this 

year. “The news plays an 

important role in our everyday 

transactions,” she said. 

“We live in a period today 

where policies 

always change; the 

news gives updated 

information about 

the required documents 

needed for 

travel.” 

Nonetheless, she 

emphasizes the 

importance of safety 

for personnel to be 

able to continue 

delivering their services. 

In these unprecedented 

times Rizza 

sees the importance 

of the business in 

bridging between 

Filipino communities. 

As she fondly 

described, the business 

regards parcels as “packages 

of love and happiness” to 

families around the world. 

She pointed out how 

Filipino 'malasakit' and 

'bayanihan' are channeled 

through deliveries and their 

industry at large. “Filipinos 

abroad can’t ignore their 

families at home. We’re glad 

to be in the middle of everything 

and to be part of 

imparting happiness to 

clients,” she relayed. 

In this light, she detailed 

that it is deemed necessary 

that clients are informed and 

made cognisant of the current 

proceedings through 

quality customer service in 

order to make it work at both 

ends. 

Moving forward, Rizza 

sees the pandemic, however, 

as unfavourable for the business 

should it linger for a 

long time. 

“It would be 

uncertain as 

well whether 

Filipinos 

overseas 

retain their 

jobs if the 

pandemic 

continues. If 

jobs are cut, 

then the 

means to 

purchase 

goods for 

families here 

will be reduced,” she said. 

Nonetheless, she remains 

steadfast that Filipinos are 

resilient enough to surge 

through these challenges. “I 

believe that Filipinos are 

always built to provide reliable 

solutions for everything,” 

she positively 

remarked. 

Listing in elistmo.nz: BM 

Express, Door to Door to 

the Philippines. Air Cargo. 

Air Satchel. Sea Cargo. 

mobile: 0275 878 080. 

www.bmexpress.co.nz 

The Filipino Food Channel 

• Filipino Food with a Vegan Twist 

• Auckland’s Posh Filipino 

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• Adobo Nation (top restaurants) 

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FILIPINO NEWS NZ 

(20th year of publication) 

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(nationwide) 

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(south island edition) 

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All material appearing in FILIPINO NEWS NZ, PINOY NZ LIFE, FILIPINO KIWI, MIGRANT NEWS and it’s related websites: 

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COPYRIGHTED and cannot be reproduced unless written permission is given by the publisher - SM Publications Ltd. 

Views expressed in the above mentioned publications and websites do not necessarily reflect that of the publisher. 

The publisher does not accept any responsibility or liability for views and claims in the editorial matter or advertisements appearing 

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CAFE and RESTAURANT 

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FILIPINO CUISINE 

DELICIOUS CAKES 

& DESSERTS 

1 West Coast Rd 

Glen Eden, Auckland 

Reservations & Orders 

Tel: 818 9929 

Mob: 0210 227 6388 

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ISSUE 145 PINOY NZ LIVE | www.pinoynzlive.nz | NEWS. VIEWS. INTERVIEWS. WEBINARS. LIVESTREAM. | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz 15 

www.filipinoheroes.nz : Over a 100 Filipino Kiwi Heroes have been recognised by Filipino News NZ. 

Liga ng Tropa Aotearoa : Basketball Tournament 25 July 

First ever 3 on 3 

mixed basketball, 

three categories 

By NOEL MATENCIO - Sports writer 

AUCKLAND - The 

first ever 3-on-3 mixed 

basketball tournament in 

three categories - Girls, 

Men’s Open and Golden 

Dads - was held on 25th 

July at the Sancta Maria 

College in Flat Bush. 

During the opening ceremony, the 

organisers Noel Matencio and Rene 

Molina thanked Coach Carlo Leyson for 

his support and for bringing in the talented 

Westlake Girls squad to compete 

in the tournament. 

The game format was best of three 

wins the category. 

The Girls Championship was bagged 

Noel Matencio, sports writer and 

co-organiser of the tournament is pictured 

right with the Golden Dads winner’s trophy 

by the cohesive Westlake Girls winning 

straight in two games against a determined 

Looney Tunes Team led by Rachel 

Papa. 

The Men’s Open was taken by the welloiled 

Barako Boys of Panmure via an 

exciting two game win. 

The Golden Dads game proved to be the 

most exciting providing a heart-stopping 

finish. 

Team Barako, led by Captain Nieven 

Virtucio, played classic ball against the 

feisty Team Bagets, led by Team Captain 

Noel Matencio. 

Team Bagets Demos Arelas grabbed the 

important offensive rebounds and Noel hit 

some crucial clutch baskets to finish off 

the Barako’s in the heart pounding third 

game. 

It was a fun and safe tournament for all. 

The organisers said that they are confident 

that this pioneering endeavour will 

definitely have a repeat on a bigger scale 

at a later date. 

The Ambassadors’ Cup Sports 

League is an event for empowerment, 

fun and unity for the OFW 

community. 

It is a project spearheaded by the 

Good Heart NZPH Foundation in 

association with the Philippine 

Embassy. The Patron of the group 

is Ambassador Gary Domingo. 

For details of upcoming games 

please visit the group’s Facebook 

page. 

The NZ Pinoy Basketball 

League 2020 is launching on 3 

October at 12.45pm at the Allan 

Brewster Leisure Centre, Tavern 

Lane, Papatoetoe. 

More details on the group’s 

Facebook page. 

We welcome information, 

photographs and reports of your 

sports tournaments. filipinonews@ 

xtra.co.nz ; mob: 027 495 8477

16 AT IBA PA | ISSUE 145 | FILIPINO NEWS NZ : www.filipinonews.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | Mobile : 027 495 8477 | https://facebook.com/filipinokiwi/ 

filipinonews.nz : Headline News. | halohalo.nz : Filipino Food Channel. | pinoynz.live : Pinoy Talk. Videos. | www.asia2nz.com : Job Board 

MINDFUL 

By 

Jay Ledesma 

MANILA - I remember a 

story shared by my high 

school teacher about a 

father, a son and a pony. 

One day the father eagerly 

put his son on the pony as 

he was bringing him to the 

town plaza. On their way 

they noticed that their 

neighbours were looking at 

them saying. “Look at that 

boy, he’s younger and 

stronger yet he’s the one 

riding the pony while his 

father walks.” 

Upon hearing this the boy 

got off the pony and let his 

father ride instead. After a 

few minutes they heard 

some of the neighbours 

mumbling again, this time 

about the father. “Shame on 

that father! He’s enjoying 

himself on the pony instead 

of allowing his son to experience 

the joy of a pony 

ride.” 

Hearing this the father 

decided that both of them 

would just ride on the pony. 

But their neighbours, upon 

seeing this, shouted at them. 

The 4-way Test 

“Don’t you 

have pity on the 

pony? Having 

to carry both of 

you is too 

much!” 

So the father 

and son got off and just 

walked with the pony. Just 

when they thought that their 

neighbours approved of 

their actions, they heard 

someone saying. “Look at 

these fools, they have their 

pony which they can ride 

on, but they are walking.” 

The father and son just 

looked at each other helplessly. 

The lesson of the story - 

you can never please everybody! 

Whatever decisions 

or actions you take, there 

will always be people who 

will agree with you and 

there will always be those 

who won’t. 

This is one leadership 

reality that I learned and 

embraced. And that made 

me manage my stress and 

keep my sanity throughout 

years of being a leader. 

Now more than ever, 

leaders should be reminded 

of this. We live and lead in a 

time when there’s a lot of 

changes ... when we have to 

introduce new rules, new 

systems, new ways of doing 

things. And no matter how 

good our program plans, 

actions and intentions are, 

we will always have our 

supporters and our own set 

of bashers. 

If our plans and intentions 

are good then why 

can’t we please everybody? 

Because we just 

can’t. 

We lead people of diverse 

backgrounds, experiences, 

interests, motives, agendas 

and beliefs. If your rule 

serves my purpose then you 

please me, but that same 

rule will displease someone 

with a different purpose. 

As leaders, decision making 

is our primary responsibility. 

It can be as minor as 

a meeting agenda to as 

major as making policies. 

Whenever I am asked 

how I make 'major decisions', 

knowing that there 

will be parties that might 

not be pleased, I share with 

them my own 4 Way test 

(ala Rotary). 

1. Do I believe in what 

needs to be achieved? 

Every decision starts with 

a purpose. I need to be clear 

on what I am trying to 

achieve and I must firmly 

believe the WHY behind 

my decision. This helps 

strengthen my resolve to 

stick to and act on my decisions 

despite objections and 

resistance from the non supporters. 

I have to be confident 

that I can 'defend' them 

in any court. 

2. Is it the right and the 

best thing to do? 

If time allows it then I 

will usually consider all the 

possible options and the 

pros and cons 

of each before 

making the 

final decision. 

Though I know 

that the buck 

stops at me, I 

believe in involving and 

engaging the critical members 

of my team in brainstorming, 

especially for 

major decisions. 

I usually bounce my ideas 

to 1-2 of my senior staff for 

critique and feedback. I do 

this to ensure that I hear different 

perspectives and that 

all the grounds are covered. 

This way I know that we are 

not only doing the right but 

also the best option. 

3. Will it be beneficial to 

all concerned? 

A good decision should 

benefit all the stakeholders 

concerned. 

As a leader I believe that 

when making decisions I 

should consider the interests 

of the organization, of 

the people I am working 

with and even of our customers. 

This is where communication 

plays a crucial role. 

Sometimes people are displeased 

not because they do 

not like the decision, but 

because they do not have a 

full understanding of the 

reasons and how it benefits 

them. 

As some stakeholders 

benefit indirectly, a good 

communication plan should 

be in place. 

4. Is it executable? 

No matter how grand a 

decision or a plan is, if it 

can’t and won’t be executed, 

it’s nothing. I should be 

able to picture how it’s 

going to be done. I should 

be able to imagine its successful 

execution, but at the 

same time anticipate execution 

challenges. 

The simpler the execution 

steps the better. When people 

see that what you 

thought of can actually be 

done they reconsider and 

give it a chance. 

For as long as my answer 

to this 4-way test is a YES, 

then it’s a GO! 

So next time you have to 

make a decision, be mindful 

that you’re not doing it to 

please everybody. Do it 

because it’s the right thing 

to do. 

And it’s good for your 

heart! 

- PNA

Filipino News 145 : Eleksyon 1

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