Filipino News 147

Vol 9 No 147 : MIGRANT NEWS 

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

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RUN A LITTLE 

FASTER 

JUMP A LITTLE 

The Migrant 

Journey that 

never ends ... 

HIGHER 

pg 11 

pg 13 

FILIPINO ENGINEERS ON 

BUILDING THE NZ LIFE 

pg 09 

TOP ELECTION ISSUES 

FOR MIGRANT VOTERS 

PROLIFIC FILMMAKER 

INSPIRES NEWCOMERS 

pg 15 

pg 07 

The journey to a migrant’s 

dream is always uncertain and 

filled with obstacles, despite 

all this, Dirk Romualdez i s 

wanting to help other 

migrants reach their goals 

and aspirations. 

“I may not have the perfect 

job or be able to provide 

anecdotes that help others 

learn from my experiences, 

but at least I’m helping them 

– that’s the drive for working 

at the Migrant Action Trust; 

it’s very fulfilling.” 

FIRST SEVEN DAYS IN NZ pg 8 

RACISM A ONE-WAY STREET pg 5 

COPING WITH HOMESICKNESS pg 4

BUHAY 

NZ 

02 ISSUE 147 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 featuring immigration and settlement news since 1991. 

THREE QUARTERS FULL 

By DR LILIA SEVILLANO 

Dear Readers, after consultation 

with our editor, we 

agreed to start a new column 

that provides some positive 

food for thought to help us 

through these challenging 

times. Well, life can be challenging 

sometimes, but more 

so these days. In another column 

I mentioned that we are 

surrounded by so much negative 

news that it truly is a 

challenge navigating oneself 

through it all. This month 

begins with the maiden article 

for this column that I’ve 

called ‘Three Quarters 

Full'. I’m sure you’re familiar 

with the notion of seeing 

the glass as half-full rather 

than half-empty. Well, I’m 

going a step further and suggesting 

that we see the glass 

as three-quarters full. 

The objective of this new 

column is to share some 

uplifting monthly quotes 

with you and to provide my 

personal reflections on them. 

Through the reflections I 

hope that you will go away 

from reading it with a better 

outlook on life and develop 

your own reflections. What I 

will say is that everything 

Dr Lilia Sevillano 

that happens in your life 

begins with the thoughts in 

your head. If you are constantly 

thinking negative or 

worrying thoughts, then 

these manifest in your reality. 

It takes a tremendous 

amount of practice initially 

to control one’s thoughts and 

to shift them towards more 

positive ones. I can speak of 

this because it’s been my 

own experience. Through 

this column I hope that I can 

help you on the road towards 

an improved outlook on life, 

towards seeing the glass as 

three-quarters full. So, let’s 

start this with … 

“Happiness is not having 

what you want. It is appreciating 

what you have.” – 

Unknown 

The majority of people in 

today’s society are focused 

on the material things of life, 

believing that if they had 

more money, an expensive 

car or two, more clothes, 

more shoes or a holiday 

home, that it would make 

them happy. When the object 

of their desire is acquired, it 

brings short-term satisfaction 

before the emptiness 

and dissatisfaction return 

and they look for more 

things to make them happy. 

Of course having money 

in the bank, a nice car and a 

holiday home is not in itself 

bad. Consider it icing on the 

cake. But when it becomes 

the barometer for measuring 

one’s happiness, then that’s 

when it becomes a worry, 

because the dependence on 

material things for happiness 

will never provide real satisfaction, 

peace, or joy. Even 

when they are obtained, 

something new crops up. Or 

others think that the money 

is never enough. Or someone 

else has a bigger holiday 

home or a more expensive 

car. In the process there will 

always be something out of 

reach. You will be always 

looking forward, forgetting 

to appreciate what you have 

NOW. Happiness is not 

something in the future; it’s 

present here now. Think of 

what you have now: have 

you a roof over your head, 

food to put on the table, your 

health, your loved ones, are 

you living in a safe and 

peaceful country? The blessings 

are endless. 

The question is, do you 

appreciate all that you have 

NOW? Looking for what 

you want to have removes 

your attention from what 

you do you have now and I 

am very confident that there 

is so much to make you 

happy. It isn’t a bad thing to 

work for something that you 

wish to have, but don’t let it 

make you forget about what 

you already have. 

Try this morning trick: 

when you wake up take a 

few minutes to think about 

what you already have and 

are grateful for. I can guarantee 

that as you mentally 

tick off your growing list, 

then the happiness within 

you will begin to grow. And 

you can start the day feeling 

truly happy. Remember, the 

glass is not half empty, it’s 

not even half-full, it’s threequarters 

full and it only takes 

a little effort on your part to 

fill it up. Blessings and light 

to you all. 

AUCKLAND INTERNATIONAL 

SEAFARERS’ CENTRE

BUHAY OVERSEAS ISSUE 147 | www.filipinonews.nz | mob : 027 495 8477 | FB : Filipino Migrant News 20th ANNIVERSARY 03 

ELISTMO (Filipino-Kiwi Business Directory) : 

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Coping with the new normal in PH 

GETTING BACK INTO SHAPE. A fitness coach teaches a 

client basic workouts, warm-ups and stretching at a gym in 

Tomas Morato Avenue, Quezon City. 

(Photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler) 

SUNDAY DEVOTEES. Devotees use umbrellas to protect 

themselves from the sun while attending mass outside the 

famous Quiapo Church on Sunday. 

(PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan) 

ICONIC ARANETA CENTRE XMAS TREE. Workers begin 

to install the iconic giant Christmas Tree at the Araneta City 

in Cubao, Quezon City. 

(PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler) 

HANDWASHING AREA. Two women use the handwashing 

station provided by the Government Service Insurance 

System (GSIS) before they enter the building. 

(PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr.) 

MECQ REMINDER. A large billboard shows a health 

reminder to motorists driving along Edsa in 

Cubao, Quezon City. 

(PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler) 

SELFIE BY THE BAY. People take selfies at Manila Bay’s 

white sand beach on Roxas Boulevard. Crowds wait in long 

lines to step on the beach, which has been temporarily opened 

to the public. (PNA photo by Avito Dalan)

BUHAY 

NZ 



There are many challenges 

that an expat or migrant will 

encounter in their time living 

abroad. One of them is 

homesickness. Anyone who 

has travelled or lived abroad 

for an extended period of 

time will definitely experience 

being homesick at one 

point or another. 

I’ve been living abroad for 

more than a decade and let 

me tell you, I’ve been homesick 

many times over. But I 

think that it happened to me 

a lot more when we moved 

to New Zealand. Living here 

for three years already, there 

are still many times that I 

long for the comfort of being 

back in the Philippines and 

sometimes, back in Singapore, 

where I lived for nine 

years. 

Being able to deal with 

homesickness is crucial, 

especially if you’re going to 

stay in your adopted country 

for a long time – or permanently. 

If you do not handle 

it well, I think that the whole 

experience will not be a success 

for you (and your family). 

At worst, you’ll probably 

end up going back home 

and your efforts to get out of 

your home country would go 

to waste. 

Anyone who has been living 

abroad has their own 

ways of coping with homesickness. 

Here are a few of 

the things that have worked 

for me so far: 

Understand your 'Why' 

During our first year here 

in New Zealand, I became a 

stay-at-home mom taking 

care of Katie. 

We arrived at the start of 

winter, which was probably 

not the best season to move 

to New Zealand. It got quite 

depressing, staying indoors 

for days. I was still getting 

used to the climate and the 

pace of life here and preferred 

to be in the house all 

the time. I spent many days 

looking out of our window, 

sometimes in tears, wondering 

if we made the right 

move. 

In my mind I would compare 

what we could have had 

in Singapore had we stayed 

there – a nanny for the girls, 

work for me, warm climate, 

closer to the Philippines - 

versus what we have here – 

no one to help with the baby 

and housework, no work for 

me, freezing temperatures 

and expensive tickets back 

to the Philippines. I think it’s 

Six Ways to Deal with 

HOMESICKNESS 

BY AILEEN CUNANAN 

valid and unavoidable to do 

that kind of comparison. 

Everyone will do that at 

some point. BUT, it’s not 

healthy to do so all the time. 

If you do, then you’re setting 

yourself up for failure. 

Whenever this type of 

thinking threatens to crowd 

my mind, I always go back 

to the reason WHY we 

moved here in the first place. 

It has always been for that 

change of lifestyle that will 

allow us to care for our family 

in a healthy environment 

and at the same time provide 

the kids with the best opportunities 

for a good life. Some 

of these we would not have 

been able to accomplish had 

we stayed in Singapore. 

So if you’re considering 

living abroad, make sure you 

have a good reason for doing 

so, because that will always 

give you the motivation 

whenever you feel homesick. 

Back when I was a newbie 

in Singapore, I struggled to 

adjust to the management 

style and pace in my first 

job. It was fast, unrelenting 

and so very different from 

what I knew in Manila. 

One time we had to stay 

overnight in the office to fix 

an issue and our Singaporean 

manager brought us all 

a pack of Nasi Lemak for 

breakfast. Not only was it a 

kind gesture, but it was the 

beginning of my love affair 

with Singaporean food. I 

love it so much that I devoted 

a couple of posts to it 

before I left four years ago. 

Try Local Food 

I think one of the best 

ways to get to know a country 

is by the food its people 

eat. Of course you will find 

comfort in the familiar foods 

of your own country and 

you’ll probably cook them at 

home most of the time. But 

it does help to go out there, 

try out the local restaurants 

and hopefully it takes your 

mind off your homesickness. 

I have been trying out the 

foods here in New Zealand. 

Build a network and make 

it bigger 

My move to Singapore 

was quite easy as I had so 

many friends already living 

there when I arrived. The 

longer I stayed, the more I 

got to know more people and 

do activities with them that 

helped me keep homesickness 

at bay. 

Here in New Zealand, we 

were lucky that although we 

didn’t know a lot of people, 

we were welcomed warmly 

by fellow Filipinos whom 

we now consider family. At 

work, JP and I also have 

people we talk to. 

They have helped us a lot 

– giving us second-hand furniture 

and appliances when 

we were starting out, giving 

us tips where to buy things, 

inviting us to gatherings to 

meet even more people, or 

simply visiting us at home to 

check how we’re doing. 

When I was taking care of 

Katie and Patty I researched 

playgroups and activities for 

Being able to deal with homesickness is 

crucial, especially if you’re going to stay in 

your adopted country for a long time – or 

permanently. If you do not handle it well, I 

think that the whole experience will not be a 

success for you (and your family). 

At worst, you’ll probably end up going back 

home and your efforts to get out of your 

home country would go to waste. 

children so they could 

socialize with other kids and 

I could have a chat with fellow 

local moms. I also 

joined some Facebook 

groups for mothers in New 

Zealand to get support for 

my questions related to living 

here. 

The point is, you have to 

put yourself out there and 

get to know people, otherwise 

it’s going to be a lonely 

time for you abroad. 

For me building a network 

of friends is quite important, 

because even the most introverted 

individual needs 

someone to keep homesickness 

at bay and to get help 

from if they need it. 

Take advantage of technology 

When we were kids my 

father worked overseas. We 

would always send him letters 

and cards that took 

weeks before he was able to 

read them and then a few 

more weeks before we got a 

response. I remember longdistance 

calls that we would 

anticipate for weeks, sometimes 

months and that probably 

cost a lot. That’s the 

way it was in the 80s and 

what a long way we’ve come 

now. 

These days, everyone is 

online. We have all these 

tools to communicate easily 

with our loved ones who are 

far away. So we have to use 

what’s available to us. 

Call your family or friends 

via Skype or Viber. Have a 

chat via Messenger. Whatever 

it is, you know that 

there are so many channels 

for communication when 

you’re sad or missing home. 

Movies and TV Shows 

from almost any country are 

also available online, so if 

you miss watching these 

local movies and shows then 

go ahead and watch them! 

Honestly, I still do this at 

home; while cleaning the 

house or ironing clothes I'll 

play a Filipino movie on 

Netflix, just to hear Tagalog. 

As for social media, it can 

either keep homesickness at 

bay, or it could make it 

worse. Sometimes it’s good 

to sign off social media for a 

bit. If you feel that your 

homesickness is getting 

worse by looking at your 

feed, especially when it 

shows people in your hometown 

having fun and doing 

things without you, then go 

offline for a while. Instead of 

following all the things that 

are happening in your country, 

why not focus on doing 

things in your adopted country? 

Which takes me to my 

next tip … 

Explore your new world 

JP and I had not been to 

New Zealand prior to our 

move here. Looking back, I 

think that this is one of the 

craziest moves I’ve made. 

All the research I did online 

about New Zealand could 

not have prepared me for 

what I was about to experience. 

In those times when I 

was really down and wishing 

I was somewhere else, I 

would look up places to see 

and things to do in 

Wellington (and later, in 

New Zealand). 

I’d show this to JP and on 

weekends we went out, 

explored and learned a little 

bit more about Wellington. 

Later on, we would venture 

farther to other cities. We 

continue to do this and there 

are so many more things to 

see and do that we’ll be 

planning quite a few trips for 

many years. 

So don’t be afraid to wander 

and familiarize yourself 

with your adopted country. 

There will always be something 

to discover and hopefully 

you’ll feel a little less 

homesick. 

Keep up your Habits and 

Hobbies or Try New Ones 

Moving to a new country 

doesn’t mean that you have 

to change everything about 

yourself. If you have a 

hobby that you’ve been 

doing for many years, you 

can still do this when you 

move. I think that continuing 

on with a sport or hobby 

helps bring balance and routine 

back to your daily life. 

For me my hobbies are 

simple — cooking, writing, 

running and travelling. I’ve 

continued to do these in New 

Zealand and I really think 

that it has helped with 

adjusting to life here. They 

may not be as social as other 

hobbies, but they do keep 

my mind active and I feel 

less homesick when I do 

them. 

On the other hand, you can 

also try new hobbies or routines. 

Try a new sport, learn 

a new skill or language – 

whatever it is that will keep 

the loneliness at bay, or keep 

your mind and body healthy. 

Homesickness is a very 

real issue, but it should not 

hold you back from enjoying 

life in your adopted country. 

Everyone gets through it 

at their own pace. It’s a normal 

and understandable 

reaction to moving abroad 

and it’s definitely okay to 

miss home once in a while. 

I hope these tips will be 

helpful to you whether 

you’re thinking of moving or 

are already in a new country. 

Just remember to always 

keep an open and positive 

mindset – there are so many 

opportunities to learn and 

enjoy in your new home if 

you make the effort to discover 

them.

ISSUE 147 | FILIPINO-KIWI HEROES : www.filipinoheroes.nz | www.filipinonews.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz 05 BUHAY 

NZ 

www.pinoynz.live: View the ‘Non-stop Binibining Marikit Challenge’ at the first ever NZ Pinoys Video Channel 

Like the concept of political 

correctness, another favorite word 

bandied around these days is 

‘racism'. 

It is defined by the Oxford dictionary 

as: “Prejudice, discrimination, 

or antagonism directed 

against a person or people on 

the basis of their membership of 

a particular racial or ethnic 

group, typically one that is a 

minority or marginalized.” 

Or: “The belief that different 

races possess distinct characteristics, 

abilities, or qualities … to 

distinguish them as inferior or 

superior to one another.” 

However, have you ever noticed 

that when people accuse someone 

of racism it’s always directed at 

the White race? Yet those who do 

not belong to the Caucasian race 

are free to call others, Caucasians 

and non-Caucasians, names that 

can only be considered ethnic 

slurs. And no one seems to complain. 

If you are White and you complain 

or make an issue – about 

someone who is non-White – the 

default response is ‘That’s racist'. 

One recent example was when 

the Auckland Ratepayers’ 

Alliance revealed that Auckland 

Council, over a span of six years, 

spent $129 million of taxpayers’ 

money on duplicated Maori representation 

on six different Council 

mechanisms. 

When an explanation was 

This Pinay’s 

OPINION 

By Dr Lilia Sevillano 

requested from the Chair of the 

Independent Maori Statutory 

Board, his immediate response 

was that the report was ‘racist' and 

he even had the gall to claim that 

the funding was not even enough. 

Someone please explain to me 

how pointing out a duplication of 

costs is ‘racist’? Is it because the 

person representing the Alliance 

happens to be White? That’s the 

only reason I can see for such an 

idiotic response. 

I have observed people from 

one ethnic group calling members 

of another ethnic group by 

derogatory names. Filipinos are 

no exception. 

Growing up in Manila I have 

heard the ethnic slurs given to 

Chinese, Indians and other Asians. 

Racism is 

a One-way 

Street 

I’ve seen how in some situations 

Filipinos have thought themselves 

‘superior’ to other races. 

I have also noticed how other 

Asian groups have looked down 

on Filipinos. If we were completely 

honest with ourselves, some of 

the worst racists are Asians and 

other non-White ethnic groups. 

We are familiar with the common 

ethnic slurs against Asians, 

Arabs, or Pacific Islanders. But 

the White race receives its fair 

share of ethnic slurs. 

I did a Google search and discovered 

a long list of disparaging 

racial terms against Whites: 

cheesehead, cabbage eater, chichi, 

farang, to name a few. Do we 

hear the members of the White 

race crying ‘racism’? 

Racism is a highly contentious 

concept. If someone were to tell 

me that they were not racist, I’d 

say they were being naive. Each 

one of us is, to varying degrees, 

racist. To claim otherwise is hypocritical 

and delusional. 

Racism, to me, does not just 

involve discrimination against one 

race or thinking another group 

superior/inferior. 

Racism, if we want to really be 

pedantic about it, involves creating 

groups where the members are 

exclusive to that ethnic group, or 

when one group marries only 

within their ethnic group, or 

where a sports team only has 

members of a particular ethnic 

group, like the Maori All Blacks. 

It is what I call ‘reverse racism'. 

Again, no one complains. But woe 

to Caucasians who may want to 

form their own group; then they 

are labelled racist or worse, white 

supremacists. 

One example of this was when, 

in 2017, some Auckland 

University students sought to create 

a European Students’ 

Association and were forced to 

disband because they were 

accused of being racist. Yet the 

university has an African Society, 

a Cook Islands Student 

Association, a Chinese Student 

Association, a Pacific Island 

Students’ Association, a Filipino 

Students’Association, among others. 

Why are these groups not considered 

racist? 

The problem with the current 

definition of racism is that it 

implies a ‘power dynamic’ 

between two groups. 

If a black person were to use a 

disparaging ethnic term against a 

white person, can that constitute 

racism? Is a power dynamic present 

in such a situation? No. It’s 

simply a member of a different 

race expressing prejudice against 

a member of another race. 

Perhaps the definition needs to 

change. The point I’m trying to 

make here is that the term ‘racist’ 

should be used carefully and 

‘intelligently'. 

Alas, it’s become such a popular 

catchphrase that people are using 

it indiscriminately. My sympathy 

is for the Whites who, unfortunately, 

because of their skin 

colour, are now subjected to 

reverse racism in society. 

Truly racism is a one-way 

street. 

Dr Lilia Sevillano is a professional 

life coach.

BUHAY 

NZ 



What sets your 

soul on fire? 

By RAINE CABRAL 

LAYSICO 

As I write this our young 

cousin Ysabel is celebrating 

her 18th birthday as well as 

our cousin Grace's. 

I was privileged enough 

to be invited as one of 

Ysabel’s 18 candles via 

Zoom. We had the virtual 

celebration and part of my 

birthday wish for her was 

for her to find that one thing 

that truly sets her soul on 

fire. 

Let me say that again 

with the complete quote: 

‘Be who God meant you 

to be and you will set the 

world on fire - St 

Catherine of Siena’ 

This got me thinking. 

With the overwhelming 

reality of the pandemic, 

have we found avenues by 

which we can express ourselves, 

our passions, our 

purpose? How are we coping 

with the stresses of not 

being able to physically 

connect with others? When 

our world has been narrowed 

down to the four corners 

of our home. When 

being outside is highly regimented 

(masks, an hour 

only for exercise, one person 

per household can do 

the groceries and a whole 

heap more) and the laws 

designed to keep us safe 

also stifle us. 

Before you take this as a 

protest to the lockdown, let 

me state that I support the 

lockdown wholeheartedly. 

However, in the words of 

John Donne - 'No man is 

an island'. Social interaction 

is valuable to us as 

human beings. Our desire to 

connect and be part of 

something bigger than ourselves. 

For the most part, I 

don’t mind the lockdown at 

all. I have found things to 

keep me busy and occupied. 

Previous readers already 

know that I work full time, 

study law full time and also 

look after my three-yearold. 

So, keeping busy and 

being productive aren’t 

concerns. 

What is, however, is balancing 

my time and carving 

out a time in my day wherein 

I can simply be. Free 

from the noise and expectation 

of those around me. 

To be honest, the only 

way I can do that these days 

is if I schedule in me time. 

A time wherein I take a purposeful 

step back and practice 

mindfulness. Evaluating 

where I am emotionally 

and spiritually. If my mind 

is cluttered with doubts and 

thoughts, then I look for 

ways to make it serene and 

focused. 

Our biggest enemy is 

often ourselves. After that 

moment of calm I focus on 

my lists. I list the things that 

I am grateful for. I look at 

the positives in my life and 

train my brain to choose 

happiness rather than be 

bogged down by the negatives. 

That’s not to say that I 

have my head in the sand 

when it comes to failures 

and mistakes. No, that’s 

never the case. I am aware 

of my own shortcomings. 

However, I don’t dwell on 

them. I use this as an opportunity 

to improve. 

Every day is an opportunity 

to be a better version of 

myself.And have I become 

who God wants me to be? 

Not yet. I am still refining 

myself and making sure that 

I am the best version of 

myself. Aiming for progress 

and not perfection. Strolling 

to the beat of my own drum 

- not comparing myself to 

others. 

This, coupled with faith 

and prayer, is a way for me 

to build my mental defences 

against my personal 

demons of fear and inadequacy. 

I am always thankful to 

my parents for raising me to 

be aware of my own limitations, 

but also to be confident 

in my ability to overcome. 

I am thankful to my family 

by blood and circumstance 

who are there for me 

through the highs and the 

lows. 

What about you? Have 

you found what it is that 

sets your soul on fire? 

- Article courtesy of 

Raine Cabral Laysico 

24 to 25 October 2020 

AUT North Shore 

Akoranga Campus 

List of Participating Teams and Clubs 

Men's teams – 10 teams 

WARAY, Auckland Harbour Filipino Sport (AHFS), 

Taranaki Filipino Society Inc (TFSI), Hitterz, 

Philippine Club of Rotorua (PCRI), 

Fusion (Christchurch), Waikato Filipino Association 

(WFA), Barbie Dolls, Cordillera & Simps 

Women's teams – 10 teams 

WARAY, AHFS, TFSI, Hitterz, PCRI(Rotorua), 

Fusion (2 x Christchurch), WFA (Waikato), 

Natalias, Vipers 

Mixed teams – 8 teams 

WARAY, AHFS, TFSI, Hitterz, PCRI(Rotorua), 

Fusion (2 x Christchurch), & Cordillera 

More details about the event at Facebook page: 

United Filipinos Volleyball Cup 2020. 

Event updates and interviews with teams can also 

be viewed at www.pinoynz.live 

Filipino News NZ is proud to be the official 

Media Partner for the Tournament. 

w w w . h a l o h a l o . n z 

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TO NZ 

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AUCKLAND - Attention 

seeking campaign 

billboards on every corner, 

political advertising 

saturating print, online, 

radio and television channels 

– it’s ready, set and 

go for New Zealand’s 

2020 elections. 

As voting begins in 

earnest we took to the 

streets of Otahuhu to find 

out what the issues are on 

the minds of the locals. 

We spoke with Krishniel 

Chand, owner of 

Maharaja restaurant, 

Steven Chae a director of 

Wasabi Sushi and Ronnie 

Singh, chef consultant at 

Menu by Ronnie. 

All three said that they 

would be voting this year 

and have given much 

thought as to who they 

would vote for. We also 

asked them what issues 

are important to them. 

“I think it’s important 

that everybody do their 

part and vote,” said 

Top election issues 

for migrant voters 

Singh. “That’s the best 

thing one can do. You 

have to look to the 

future.” 

Chand said: “For me at 

the moment with the 

COVID virus and everything, 

how the economy is 

going to be affected by 

this virus is important. So 

I’m looking at how the 

next government is going 

to boost the economy.” 

He noted that the wage 

subsidy helped a lot. And 

he is keen to find out how 

the political parties are 

going to help small businesses 

like his. 

“I think that the main 

thing is how our business 

communities are going to 

be assisted and how our 

employees are going to be 

looked after,” said Singh. 

“So that’s going to be the 

main focus.” 

Singh said that if businesses 

are doing well and 

are getting the right support 

and they in turn are 

able to support their 

employees, only then are 

we going to be a happy 

community. 

Chae said that issues 

around health, community 

and immigration are 

important to him. “I’ve 

been voting in NZ for a 

long time,” he added. 

“And I’ll do it again this 

year.” 

On the two Referendums 

on legalization of 

cannabis and end of life 

choice 

Chand said that he has 

BY R OWENA SINGH 

thought about it and will 

be voting on both the referendums. 

Chae also said 

he will vote on the referendums. 

Singh said that he hasn’t 

made up his mind yet. 

He said that everything 

has two sides to it, so you 

have to look at it fairly 

and you need to take time 

to evaluate the pros and 

the cons. 

“At the moment the 

country has taken a few 

steps back,” said Singh. 

“As they say, before a 

tiger attacks you have to 

take a few steps back. We 

are going to strive for 

excellence.” 

Singh feels that the 

steps taken by the government 

are critical to our 

future well-being. We 

must not focus on the negatives 

of what has happened 

to our economy. 

The hard decisions that 

the country has taken to 

stop the spread of the 

virus are going to put us 

(photos - clockwise from 

top left:) 

Steven Chae, Krishniel 

Chand, and Ronnie Singh 

in an advantageous position 

in the future. 

OPINION 

By JESIL CAJES 

WHY 

ELECTION 

DATE 

WAS MOVED 

TO 17th 

OCTOBER 

WELLINGTON - The 

reason for changing the date 

of the new Zealand election 

is due to the resurgence of 

COVID-19. 

The election is not cancelled, 

it is not even 

delayed, because it is within 

the legal timeframe of the 

required period. 

What the New Zealand 

Prime Minister did was just 

move the date of the election. 

In fact, this is not the first 

time that an election date 

was changed, for example, 

in 1956 we also delayed the 

election due to a national 

crisis. 

Most of us would agree 

that COVID-19 is a national 

and a global crisis, so it is 

a legitimate reason for 

changing the election date. 

It seems to me that by 

moving the election date, 

the health of our communities 

is shown to be the government’s 

priority, while at 

the same time it also gives 

other candidates a fair 

chance to campaign. 

However, it is important 

that the strengths of our 

democratic institutions, 

such as elections, are also 

carried out or maintained. 

I agree with the move, but 

we need to ensure that elections 

will push through, 

because it is important that 

every New Zealander has a 

say in who represents them 

in Parliament. 

• RUN A LITTLE FASTER 

JOB READY pg 13 

• TOWN CENTRE MOVES 

FAST FOWARD pg 12 

• TOUGH TIMES FOR 

FOOD OUTLETS pg 12

P a g e 0 8 w w w . m i g r a n t n e w s . n z I F A C E B O O K P A G E M i g r a n t N e w s N Z I email: migrantnews@xtra.co.nz I m o b : 0 2 7 4 9 5 8 4 7 7 

By Queenie Lee Tanjay 

Whether you have been 

in New Zealand for 

months or years, your 

journey will always bring 

you back to your first 

moments here: from 

smelling the country 

breeze to strolling 

through the neighbourhood 

to visiting places 

you’ve never been to 

before. 

This article gives a slice 

of life of three migrants in 

their first days in the 

country. 

“Family is everything.” 

“I’m Jer Grace 

Geonanga, a graduate 

with a Bachelor of Science 

in Cruise Ship Management 

in the Philippines. I 

used to work on board a 

cruise ship and was a 

rooms division manager 

in one of the resort hotels 

in the Philippines. 

Having that degree and 

work experience qualified 

me to study for a Master 

of Management and to get 

a student visa where I can 

bring my family here to 

New Zealand. 

“I spent my first 2 days 

in Auckland bonding with 

our family friends where 

My first seven days in NZ .. 

we visited beautiful spots 

and enjoyed a sumptuous 

dinner together. I also got 

the chance to visit 

Hamilton Gardens and to 

tour around Lake 

Tarawera, Blue Lake and 

Red Woods within the 

next days. 

“On my 4th day I had 

my bank and IRD 

appointments and strolled 

around the centre in 

order to get familiar with 

the place. 

“I went to visit my 

school on the 5th day so 

that I didn't get lost at the 

coming orientation. I was 

so happy on my 6th day to 

have my first part-time 

job. 

“To complete my first 

week, I spent time walking 

around our street and 

enjoyed the fresh air. 

“I also spent my free 

time talking and video 

calling to my family to 

cope with the homesickness. 

Having good 

acquaintances also was a 

great help. During those 

days I envisioned myself 

having a good job and 

enjoying life here in New 

Zealand with my family. I 

can say today that nothing 

has changed with 

regards to my aspirations, 

despite the ongoing crisis. 

I do believe that this will 

end soon and that I will 

continue to strive to fulfil 

what I am aiming for and 

I still hope to be reunited 

with my family here in 

New Zealand.” 

“I can’t believe I’m 

actually here.” 

“I am Shiny Maquiling, 

a civil engineer in the 

Philippines, coming here 

through a tourist visa 

with 6 months validity. 

“My first seven days 

were allotted to visiting 

different places while 

enjoying the cold weather 

and the beautiful views 

here in New Zealand. 

“Even after 2 weeks 

here in NZ I still can't 

believe that I am actually 

here! Like when I wake 

up every morning I am 

always excited and flattered 

that I am here in 

such a beautiful country 

with the love of my life. 

“I can't deny the fact 

that I miss my home in the 

Philippines, especially 

when sometimes my partner 

goes to work and I 

have to stay home. Good 

thing I have dogs with me 

who I really love. 

“The best thing that 

helped me cope is volunteering 

and getting 

involved jn organisations 

such as the Multicultural 

Council, where I participated 

in the Women's 

Wellbeing Program and 

gained friendship with 

other migrants. I'm just 

keeping myself busy and I 

keep wandering in order 

to enjoy as much here as I 

can. 

“In 5 years time I want 

to complete training or 

courses which are related 

to my educational background.” 

“Rice and the budget 

is life.” 

“I’m Adelaide Leyson- 

Villegas and I took the 

student visa pathway to 

reach New Zealand. 

When I arrived last Feb 1, 

2006, the first odd thing I 

noticed was that the sun 

was still up even by 8 pm, 

which is unlikely in the 

Philippines. 

“I bought a local sim 

card right away to help 

me direct myself to where 

I’m going. I was all alone 

when I was picked up by 

the shuttle and then 

reached the backpackers 

by 12 midnight. 

“The next day I went to 

my appointment in ANZ 

for my FTS and IRD processing. 

I remember relying 

heavily on Google 

Maps in order to not get 

lost within the city. 

“My first dine in was in 

Carl’s Jr and during the 

next days when I had 

enough of burgers, my 

body was already asking 

for my staple rice consumption. 

I noticed that 

people here are not avid 

fans of rice and choose 

potatoes instead. In those 

early days I figured out 

that I had to buy a rice 

cooker for my personal 

preference. 

“I spent the next days 

familiarizing myself with 

other places like the shopping 

mall, supermarket, 

museum, library, etc. 

Everywhere I go people 

are always greeting each 

other and feel so accommodating. 

“My first days also 

taught me a hard lesson 

on how to be frugal and 

be wise in spending 

money here. As a student 

I had to be conscious of 

carefully dividing my 

budget among rent, food, 

transportation, school 

and of course, leisure.” 

Everyone has their own 

story to tell about their 

first memories here in 

New Zealand. These may 

be the fondest or the most 

difficult for some, but one 

thing remains true: these 

are moments that are 

transforming for all. 

Cheers to a happy 

migrant life!

w w w . m i g r a n t n e w s . n z I F A C E B O O K P A G E M i g r a n t N e w s N Z I Job Board : www.asia2nz.com P a g e 0 9 

By Queenie L. Tanjay 

Overseas outsourcing of 

engineers has become a 

mainstay in New Zealand 

due to the short supply of 

local professionals. Engineering 

skills are deemed 

essential to the country’s 

current investments in 

nation-building programs to 

which migrants deliver the 

right qualifications and 

experience to address the 

needs. 

Although relatively smaller 

in proportion than the hospitality, 

tourism and health 

sectors, Filipino engineers 

continue to provide essential 

skills in the workforce. 

This article will feature 

the different insights and 

aspirations of our kababayans 

working here in the 

engineering industry. 

“Working in New Zealand 

gains me a lot of experience; 

I get a chance to work with 

different nationalities (Kiwis, 

British, Australians, 

South Africans, Indians, 

etc.) and get better compensation 

and benefits,” Wisdom 

Errua, a senior software 

test engineer, said. 

“Working here means global 

recognition by other nationalities 

and international markets.” 

“I have been enjoying 

every single day of working 

Filipino Engineers on 

Building the NZ Life 

“There is no formula 

beyond hard work, 

constant improvement 

of your craft and 

perseverance. 

“Don’t ever let anyone 

tell you that your 

dream is far-fetched.” 

Photo: Models featured. 

here in New Zealand. I am 

amazed by how great Kiwis 

are when it comes to working 

ethics. My colleagues 

are really hard working and 

they work with a high regard 

for the equity, integrity, 

accountability, health and 

safety of workers,” Stephanie 

Echavez, a chemical 

engineering professional, 

told us. 

This divergence in experience 

from working in the 

Philippines rings especially 

true in more specialized 

fields. “The structural engineering 

practice in NZ is 

more stringent compared to 

in the PH. My motivation 

lies in the fact that NZ structural 

engineers are the 

world’s experts in structural 

seismic engineering,” Essem 

Solomon, a structural 

design engineer, said. 

“Working here forces me 

outside of my comfort zone, 

which contributes to my personal 

growth." 

Across these experiences, 

these professionals also 

relayed their share of adversities 

in this newfound 

home. "The greatest challenge 

was learning how to 

effectively communicate in a 

work environment using 

your second/third language," 

Essem admitted. 

"I am 

still getting 

used to the 

K i w i 

accent and 

their slang 

words, 

which are a 

lot different 

than the 

American 

English 

accent and 

terms I was 

used to. 

There's 

so much 

more to 

learn," Stephanie concurred. 

As for Wisdom. "Living 

abroad is challenging as it 

pushes me beyond my comfort 

zone. Loneliness is an 

understated feeling for an 

overseas worker like me. It 

is so hard to be far away 

from family and friends. The 

anxiety level goes high 

every time I miss out on a 

family milestone." 

In the context of the current 

global crisis, the engineering 

field is not exempted 

from the economic repercussions 

and uncertainties as 

well. "Some companies did 

not have business continuity 

management set before the 

pandemic; as a result engineers 

are being laid off, paycuts 

are enforced and 

onshore/offshore job offers 

are being rescinded or 

placed on hold," said 

Wisdom. 

"However, the long-term 

effect of this pandemic is 

that it will bolster the software 

engineering industry. 

As the world shifts to a 

remote-first philosophy, 

software engineering will 

play a critical role in business 

models." 

Meanwhile, with regards 

to Stephanie’s field of 

expertise. “Engineers in the 

oil and gas industry might 

have a tough time with lower 

demands and a high supply 

of petrol in the country, not 

to mention minimum 

demand for aviation fuels. 

But with the right skills and 

knowledge there are still a 

lot of industries that engineers 

can explore.” 

Filipinos have indeed 

come a long way in New 

Zealand in harnessing the 

potential to continuously 

excel in various career paths. 

Across all professional 

fields the Filipino service 

brand is never watered 

down, thanks to inherent 

hard work and resilience. 

“Filipinos have made a name 

in this country as hard working 

and as exemplars of the 

professional type of employee; 

thus employers prefer or 

are very keen to have 

Filipinos on board in their 

companies, giving us an 

edge over other applicants,” 

Stephanie agreed. 

Although the concept of 

the future may sound bleak 

now, these professionals are 

still optimistic about the 

industry’s critical role in 

rebuilding the economy. In 

parallel, aspirants should 

also remain steadfast regarding 

reaching the apex of 

their career growths in time. 

“There is no formula beyond 

hard work, constant improvement 

of your craft and 

perseverance. Don’t ever let 

anyone tell you that your 

dream is far-fetched. Your 

New Zealand dream is alive 

and well,” Wisdom said. “Be 

brave, be patient, work hard 

and have faith that everything 

will fall into place,” 

Stephanie ended.

BUHAY 

NZ 

10 ISSUE 147 ELEKSYON 2020 | www.filipinonews.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | mob: 027 495 8477 

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

w w w . m i g r a n t n e w s . n z I F A C E B O O K P A G E M i g r a n t N e w s N Z I Job Board : www.asia2nz.com P a g e 1 1 

The journey to a 

migrant’s dream is always 

uncertain and filled with 

obstacles, despite all this, 

Dirk Romualdez is wanting 

to help other migrants 

reach their goals and aspirations. 

In the depths of 

Sandringham, located next 

to a primary school, a 

homey community centre 

stands. Listening to the 

hustle and bustle of the 

English class in the neighbouring 

room, I wait on 

the couch. As the couple 

who spoke in their native 

language beside me begin 

to fill out forms, today’s 

main character walks in, 

vibrant and welcoming. 

After moving to New 

Zealand from the 

Phillipines in 2016, 30- 

year-old Dirk Romualdez 

is now the Employment 

and Marketing Coordinator 

at the Migrant 

Action Trust. But to get to 

that position Romualdez 

faced many obstacles. 

Telling me that he was an 

introvert at first surprised 

me, his bubbly personality 

was the complete opposite 

of what an introvert is, but 

that’s where the challenges 

started. Deciding to challenge 

this, he took up a 

degree in marketing and 

communication at the 

University of Asia Pacific. 

It was the perfect opportunity 

for him in his eyes to 

burst his bubble and 

socialize, all while getting 

his creative ideas that were 

pent up inside across. 

Eventually he found a 

stable corporate job at a 

public relations company, 

but he was quick to get 

“sick and tired of it from 

just two years; two years 

felt like 10 years”. 

He told me that it was a 

“rat race” and it was such 

“toxic culture”. In a way, 

we bonded over this, 

maybe because we were 

both Filipino, but I understood 

where he was coming 

from. He didn’t tell me 

specifically, but I knew 

that it was about the high 

expectations from the people 

around you that the 

idea of a nine to five job 

was perfect and stable. “I 

was already feeling the 

grind from the corporate 

life – It’s just something I 

got fed up with, it was 

draining,” he explained. 

Looking back at it he 

was unimpressed with how 

unprofessional the scene 

was; in the end he and his 

sister decided to pack their 

lives up and set out to start 

new lives in New Zealand. 

The Migrant Journey 

that never ends 

By Bernadette Basagre 

Romualdez didn’t 

want people to go 

through the same 

trouble that he went 

through and that’s 

what makes the 

Migrant Action Trust 

so attractive for 

people like him. 

Dirk Romualdez 

Charmed by the idea of 

restarting again, Romualdez 

began again at 

square one, as a student 

studying a post graduate 

diploma in International 

Communications. Taking 

his first step in New 

Zealand, rather than meeting 

the beautiful clean and 

green landscape that he 

saw on google, he was met 

with unrealistic expectations. 

A dingy flat in Mt 

Albert which he found on 

TradeMe. “I didn’t even 

know what TradeMe was,” 

he laughed. 

His journey to New 

Zealand wouldn’t have 

happened without Angel 

Apun. Apun, who is a personal 

friend of mine, connected 

me with Romualdez. 

She only had good words 

about him when she recommended 

him, saying 

that he “is a classic example 

of the hard working 

migrant”. 

At the time of meeting 

Romualdez she was the 

leader of giving aid to 

international students 

coming into New Zealand. 

“I saw a lot of potential in 

Dirk when I first met 

him,” she praised. “He is 

very articulate, intelligent 

and also has a very downto-earth 

perspective.” To 

my surprise Romualdez 

and Apun are flatmates 

and in a way very similar. 

Looking back at it, 

Romualdez realised that he 

was very lucky to have 

supportive parents on his 

new journey to a life in 

New Zealand. He was 

financially relying on his 

parents for most of his 

time in New Zealand and 

after graduating the competitive 

job market in 

Auckland made it even 

harder for him to find a 

job. “Rent was hard, there 

were no finances, we were 

dependent on our parents 

to give us a certain 

amount,” he said. “There 

was this immense time 

pressure, funds are not 

always going to come in, 

we can’t just kick back 

and watch the money fall 

into our laps.” 

“The pressures mount 

up, especially in a competitive 

market like in 

Auckland. My sister and I 

count ourselves as the 

lucky ones because we 

had the support of our 

parents, but there is also 

this shame where you 

don’t want to be dependent 

on your parents for 

too long. What, are we on 

vacation? No, we’re here 

to find ourselves and to 

secure ourselves for the 

future.” 

I asked him how he 

overcame these pressures 

he felt and he lit up with 

glee when he told me 

about his sheer love for 

photography. 

He told me that another 

reason why he chose New 

Zealand was because he 

was drawn to the “sheer 

openness and greenery” 

of New Zealand compared 

to the “urban jungle” that 

is the Philippines. He 

couldn’t help but appreciate 

what helped him clear 

his mind when he was 

stressed. There were 

many times when he felt 

stressed, especially 

after 

graduating, 

when he found 

himself sending 

his CVs 

everywhere in 

search of a 

job. 

At a certain 

point he felt 

like he hit a 

wall, which 

was taking an 

“emotional 

toll” on him, 

not knowing 

whether what 

he was doing 

right or 

wrong. 

Fortunately, 

his sister encouraged him 

to volunteer at the Migrant 

Action Trust, which later 

changed to the position he 

is in now, the Employment 

and 

Marketing 

Coordinator. 

He now focuses on helping 

other migrants build 

their CVs and Cover letters 

through workshops to 

ensure that they can get a 

job. “The nature of the job 

is not unique; you do a 

google search and so many 

resources are available 

online. It has been quite 

tough, so our numbers 

have kind of plummeted 

and we can’t justify my 

hours anymore. I was 

moved from full time to 

part time and it has been 

harder and harder and we 

have been trying to adapt, 

to find ways to help where 

organisations can’t or to 

find gaps where we see 

them. What other services 

do you want us to offer 

which we can create?“ he 

asked. 

Romualdez is still driven 

and passionate about helping 

other migrants as he 

himself “could relate to the 

people the Migrant Action 

Trust was helping”. As a 

migrant himself, Romualdez 

didn’t want people 

to go through the same 

trouble that he went 

through and that’s what 

makes the Migrant Action 

Trust so attractive for people 

like him. 

“It’s the migrants supporting 

migrants aspect, 

they know the struggles, 

they have their own stories, 

so they would be the 

best person to help coach 

me and overcome my 

problems because they 

know what it’s like,” he 

said. 

“I may not have the perfect 

job or be able to provide 

anecdotes that help 

others learn from my experiences, 

but at least I’m 

helping them – that’s the 

drive for working at the 

Migrant Action Trust; it’s 

very fulfilling.” 

Towards the end of the 

interview I asked him 

where he sees himself in 10 

years, but rather than 

looking way into the 

future, he said. “I’m still 

trying to find a way to get 

myself in a more secure 

position, so that once I feel 

that I am in that position, 

then I will be 100% better 

at giving back to the 

migrant community, 

because there is always this 

philosophy that you can’t 

help others unless you can 

help yourself. You can’t fill 

others' cups when yours is 

empty.”

P a g e 1 2 w w w . m i g r a n t n e w s . n z I F A C E B O O K P A G E M i g r a n t N e w s N Z I email: migrantnews@xtra.co.nz I m o b : 0 2 7 4 9 5 8 4 7 7 

Businesses bouncing back 

in Otahuhu town centre 

By ROWENA 

SINGH 

AUCKLAND – Small 

businesses in Auckland are 

still hurting because of the 

restrictions on trading during 

the lockdowns and the 

plummeting demand for 

their goods and services. 

Migrant News spoke with 

Richette Rodger, Manager 

of the Otahuhu Business 

Association, to get insight 

into the trials and tribulations 

small business owners 

faced when the business 

world went into a tailspin 

because of the pandemic. 

Q: How many businesses 

have closed down in 

Otahuhu due to COVID ? 

A: Within the Otahuhu 

centre, fingers crossed, we 

have had none. Everybody 

came back and doors 

reopened after the first lockdown 

and the second lockdown. 

Q: How are the businesses 

in Otahuhu affected by 

the COVID? 

A: Businesses were hugely 

affected by COVID and to 

make things even harder for 

them, the Otahuhu Town 

Centre was going through an 

upgrade and there were 

roadworks everywhere. 

Most of our businesses 

were able to apply for and 

receive the wage subsidy, 

which was phenomenal for 

our businesses. 

Some have also in turn 

applied for a government 

loan, but it’s been hard. 

All of our businesses were 

closed in level 4; very few 

businesses were able to open 

in level 3. We don’t have 

many businesses that have 

websites or online ordering 

capabilities, so most of our 

businesses were not able to 

open until level 2 the first 

time and the second time. It 

was a complete loss of revenue 

during that time. 

Q: How is the Otahuhu 

Business Association helping 

the local businesses 

survive? 

A: One of the things we 

did in the first lockdown was 

we created the Otahuhu 

Support Local campaign,. 

We had some stencils made 

which we took out into the 

wider area of Otahuhu. We 

went to our parks and sports 

ground and we sprayed the 

footpaths with Otahuhu 

Support Local. 

We run the Otahuhu 

Facebook page and we have 

the Otahuhu Support 

Local group where we 

showcased businesses of different 

kinds whether it be 

clothing, food, our car yards, 

or our mechanics and we 

went out and we tried to 

make sure that we were 

advertising all the businesses 

that were open whether it 

was in level 3 or level 2. 

We were encouraging people 

to support local. We also 

have an advertising partnership 

with Media Works and 

we advertise on Mai FM, 

More FM and the Breeze. 

Unfortunately, this year 

we had to cancel our food 

festival. So we were able to 

put those extra resources 

and a little bit of extra 

budget into making sure 

that we had a really solid 

advertising campaign for 

supporting our local businesses. 

Q: Is there any help for 

the businesses from the 

government, the council or 

the landlords to help with 

the downturn? 

A: One of the things that 

we have been doing is working 

closely with our landlords 

and our retailers and 

our business owners and we 

created some templates that 

they were able to use to take 

to their landlords which was 

quite helpful for those for 

whom English is their second 

language. 

They were able to take 

those templates to the landlords 

requesting rent rebates 

or OPEX rebates (operating 

expenses for a business – for 

instance rates, insurance, 

water and body corporate 

fees that businesses have to 

pay on top of their rent). 

Richette Rodger 

Some businesses were 

able to get 50% off their rent 

for a couple of months. 

Some people got 25 % off 

their rent. I don’t know of 

any landlord that gave 100% 

off. 

But there were definitely 

some phenomenal landlords 

out there that were able to 

pass rent rebates onto their 

businesses. 

We helped a lot of businesses 

applying for the wage 

subsidy which was fantastic 

and we’ve also helped businesses 

apply for the one year 

interest free loans that the 

government was providing. 

Q: Have you got any 

plans to drive customer 

traffic to the Otahuhu 

town centre? 

A: One of the things that 

we are continuing to work 

on is the Support Local campaign 

coming up to 

Christmas. 

We have phenomenal 

plans for Christmas. We 

have got some fantastic 

competitions and promotions 

that will be running in 

the months of November 

and December leading up to 

Christmas to get people to 

come into Otahuhu to buy 

their Christmas presents. 

We have lost a lot of international 

spending, $200,000 

is what’s normally spent in a 

3-month period in Otahuhu 

by international customers 

and that income is all gone. 

So we need to figure out a 

way that we can help our 

businesses. Not only to 

make up for that $200,000 in 

loss of spending but also to 

create an even bigger 

amount of spending. 

So there will be lots of 

competitions, lots of promotions, 

lots of advertising, lots 

of buskers and street movement 

and so on and so forth 

that we’ll have in the town 

centre so that we can create 

that early Christmas buzz 

and we are hoping that we 

can give people a Christmas 

that is enjoyable and fun in 

the bad climate that we’re in 

at the moment. 

By ROWENA 

SINGH 

AUCKLAND – Over 

the years we have seen 

migrant businesses mushroom 

in the Otahuhu 

township, catering to the 

predominantly multicultural 

population that 

dwells in and around this 

bustling south Auckland 

neighbourhood. 

The shops – a mix of 

grocery stores, ethnic 

eateries and clothing outlets 

– have been hit hard 

with the lack of customers 

due to the pandemic. 

“The COVID virus has 

affected the business too 

much - because our business 

is mainly catering 

and the catering is shut 

down as there aren’t any 

gatherings. As a result my 

business has plunged by 

50%,” confided Paramjit 

Singh, Manager of 

Chaska. 

Singh, who came to New 

Zealand in 2002, has been 

working in this business 

for more than 10 years. 

“The government has 

supported us with wage 

subsidies for the employees. 

Whatever we get from 

the government we give to 

them. In fact we paid 80% 

Selina - Aberdeen 

Asian Food Cuisine 

of their salaries when the 

country was at Level 2, 

even though we could only 

operate the takeaway 

business to generate 

income. But we did everything 

possible to ensure 

that staff retained their 

jobs. 

“But it is tough running 

a business in this climate. 

We are not getting the 

supplies we need and 

prices have been rising. 

For example, capsicum 

which used to be $6 to $7 a 

kilo shot up to $20 dollars 

a kilo. We could not cover 

the price hike by increasing 

the price of food as 

many of our customers 

Migrant 

businesses 

in Otahuhu 

hit hard by 

pandemic 

are struggling having lost 

their jobs due to the pandemic.” 

During the lockdown 

the bustling streets and 

lively atmosphere characteristic 

of Otahuhu was 

replaced by a sombre 

atmosphere, with some 

shops on the verge of shutting. 

“So to begin with, when 

COVID started a couple 

of months ago and 

Auckland was put on alert 

level 4, the business really 

picked up because everyone 

was at home. This was 

really good for the business,” 

observed Tanzin 

Khan, Assistant Manager 

at Family Food Mart. 

“Then when we moved 

to the second phase under 

the 2.5 lockdown, business 

activity died down even 

though most of the businesses 

were open. Given 

that our business is in the 

South Auckland region 

where most of the cases 

were detected, customers 

were reluctant to leave 

their homes and some 

started making their purchases 

online.” 

Tanzin came to New 

Zealand from Bangladesh 

in 2014 and has been 

working at this store for a 

year. 

During the lockdown 

restaurants were particularly 

hard hit as friends 

and families could not 

gather together due to the 

restrictions. 

“It was tough,” admitted 

Aranya Clark, the 

Owner and Manager of 

the Secret Thai Garden. 

“During the lockdown the 

restaurant couldn’t open. 

But at the next level with 

restrictions we could open 

but had to space out the 

tables. That meant fewer 

customers at each sitting. 

A lot of birthday bookings 

were cancelled.” 

Clark has been operating 

this restaurant for 

around 18 years. “Business 

has been very slow 

and at times it is a struggle. 

The sooner we get to 

Level One the better it 

will be for businesses - 

that’s for sure,” she concluded. 

“During Level 3 we 

were only allowed takeaway 

business and at that 

time the business was very 

bad. Not that many people 

were willing to come out 

to buy food,” says Davy, 

the Otahuhu Ethnic Food 

Court Manager. 

“Under Level 2 we were 

able to open, but we had 

(top:) Paramjit Singh, 

Chaksa (above: Davy, 

Otahuhu Food Court 

Manager 

to undergo a lot of limitations. 

We kept the tables 

at 2-metre distances and 

all the customers who 

came in needed to register. 

Hopefully Editor: Interviews when by it Rowena goes to 

Level Singh. Watch 1 it’ll the be video back online to 

at: www. migrantnews. nz

w w w . m i g r a n t n e w s . n z I F A C E B O O K P A G E M i g r a n t N e w s N Z I Job Board : www.asia2nz.com 

P a g e 1 3 

B Y A B H A R A O 

Run a little faster, 

jump a little higher 

Coming to a new country 

is fairly disorienting for a 

new migrant. With a shaky 

grasp of English and an even 

shakier grasp of the local 

culture, they are strongly 

disadvantaged in the job 

market. 

The Advanced Career 

Planning Workshop organised 

exclusively during the 

Migrant News - Welcome 

to NZ Expo held nationwide, 

reaches out to the disenfranchised 

newcomers 

and gives them a step into 

the employment world. 

In the course of the seminar, 

participants are led 

through CV and cover letter 

writing, searching for jobs 

through various media 

sources, interview strategies, 

employment contracts, and 

even Kiwi English. 

Participants come in 

jaded, tired, and losing hope, 

but by the end of the seminar, 

they are more confident 

and prepared to face the real 

world. 

Why is it so difficult to 

find a job? A native Kiwi 

takes, on average, three 

months to find a job - this 

figure is exaggerated for 

migrants. Part of the problem, 

is that the jobs generated 

are often in very specific 

fields, such as senior hairdressers 

or yacht riggers. 

Employers spend only 

seven seconds looking at one 

application, and the key is 

New Zealand experience 

and English communication 

skills. Applicants with little 

or no experience, or poor 

English skills, are dismissed 

summarily. 

The NZ Experience issue 

is akin to the chicken and 

egg problem. Without NZ 

experience, it seems impossible 

to get a job, but without 

a job, how does one go about 

gaining NZ experience? A 

new migrant has to gain 

experience through a volunteer 

job - although it is difficult 

for a new comer to 

spend a few months without 

pay, the eventual returns are 

well worth it. They can also 

work through a contractor or 

a temp agency. 

As for improving English, 

the new migrant needs to 

register with the local college 

or ESOL for classes. He 

or she also has to spend time 

outside talking with locals, 

and listening to the local 

radio and watching local television 

to try and improve 

their knowledge of English 

and its accent. 

Another important, but 

often overlooked factor is 

presentation. Proper presentation 

is essential - whether 

in the form of a CV or cover 

letter, a telephone conversation, 

or in the shape of an 

interview. 

They all need to be clean, 

neat, confident, and without 

excess. They have to show 

that the applicant is all there, 

and perfect for the job. 

Not surprisingly, a large 

section of the job search 

seminars are devoted to this. 

Participants saw slides of 

CVs and cover letters written 

by other people, and 

through discussion, decided 

what was and was not needed, 

such as age and residential 

status. 

They need to have confidence 

when they answer the 

phone, and this confidence 

needs to be evident to the 

caller. While New Zealand is 

a fairly informal society, it is 

imperative to dress formally 

for a prospective job, for a 

well-dressed person shows 

preparedness. 

A sensitive, but significant 

topic, is prejudice. Kiwis 

are, in general, friendly people, 

but an unfortunate number 

are prejudiced against 

migrants. 

They may mistake lack of 

English as lack of knowledge, 

or poorly accented 

English as stupidity. They 

may also be acting out of 

fear, or self-protection of 

one’s jobs or interests. Some 

participants also believed 

that their dark skin worked 

against them. Since changes 

in attitude take a long time; 

the best that one can do is to 

show their friendly face to 

society. This may convince 

any potential employer that 

your position is non-threatening, 

and even advantageous. 

The seminars are as much 

lecturing as participation. 

All the participants actively 

involved themselves in discussions 

and exercises, and 

all of them like the interactive 

nature of the seminar. 

The participants may be 

asked to complete assignments 

such as completing 

their CV or contact list, by 

Education Booth at the 

‘Migrant News’ Welcome 

to NZ Expo 

searching through various 

sources for jobs. Each participant 

is given individual 

feedback on their exercises 

and provided contact names 

and numbers by the director 

of the program. Practical 

concerns like the Employment 

Relations Act and 

minimum wages are also 

discussed. 

On the last day a little 

Maori culture may be shared 

with them. 

The seminar was about 

finding a job, but it was not 

just about finding a job. 

Everyone was given confidence 

and faith in their abilities, 

strategies to overcome 

obstacles, hope to find the 

perfect job, and a few 

laughs. 

Editor - The Advanced 

Career Planning Workshop is 

an upgraded version of the 

‘OrientatioNZ Job Search 

Seminars’ run by Mel 

Fernandez since 1991. 

It was one of the first program’s 

of its kind designed 

specifically for newcomers. 

Contact Mel at: migrantnews 

@xtra. co.nz 

More Settlement Support 

articles and videos at: www. 

migrantnews.nz

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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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P a g e 1 5 

Prolific filmmaker 

inspiration for neophytes 

By MEL FERNANDEZ 

AUCKLAND - NZ On 

Air’s 2018 Diversity 

report reveals that Asian 

producers are underrepresented 

in proportion to 

their population – just 

three percent of its funded 

projects featured a 

pan-Asian producer, five 

percent featured a pan 

Asian director and seven 

percent featured a pan- 

Asian writer. 

The good news is that 

in the shadow of the big 

budget international productions 

companies and 

the Hobbit there is a 

small but dynamic group 

of Asian creators in New 

Zealand – Karpal Singh, 

Roseanne Liang, Shuchi 

Kothari, Selina Joe and 

Marc Laureano, to name 

OPINION: 

By ROWENA SINGH 

Income stream from this 

sector is vital to jumpstart 

economic and employment 

growth and progress, say 

insiders. 

There have been strident 

voices calling for New 

Zealand’s borders to be 

opened up so that international 

students can return 

and drip feed a substantial 

amount of money during 

their stay here which will 

help jumpstart our sluggish 

“I see the future as 

very positive, 

because there are 

thousands of 

stories that we 

need to tell from 

Aotearoa and from 

around the world.” 

– Karpal Singh 

just a few – who are passionate 

about making 

content that resonates 

with the migrant population 

and that also wows 

mainstream audiences. 

Migrant News reporter 

Rowena Singh interviewed 

a member of the 

inner circle – prolific 

filmmaker Karpal Singh, 

whose star shines brightly 

in the industry and 

who is an inspiration for 

neophytes who might feel 

some trepidation about 

venturing into the 

Pakeha dominated celluloid 

world. 

There are pros and 

cons of being an ethnic 

filmmaker in New 

Zealand, says Singh. 

“I’ve been privileged to 

work on many national 

and international productions 

in various roles 

in the last 3 years after 

studying. 

“Some of the cons are 

that it is still a challenging 

field; not regarding 

Karpal Singh on extreme 

right. Photo supplied. 

Karpal Singh is an inspiration for neophytes who 

might feel some trepidation about venturing into the 

Pakeha dominated celluloid world. 

economy. 

The loss incurred to the 

economy and to universities 

because of the border closure 

has been quite substantial. 

Questions are being asked 

why we are not tapping this 

income stream when New 

Zealand may be in a good 

position to manage the 

return of the international 

students safely. 

In late April, there were 

13,101 students from China 

in the country, 12,226 from 

India and 2788 from South 

Korea. The US was the only 

country with fewer students 

with valid study visas in 

New Zealand, 870, than out 

of New Zealand, 1064. 

the racism aspect at all, 

but more around the culture. 

When you look at the 

percentage of the Asian 

population of NZ and 

compare it with how 

many of them are in the 

creative world, it is quite 

a shocker. 

“But I feel that times 

are changing and that 

this is the right time to 

ride that wave. I believe 

that there are a lot of 

individuals choosing this 

field as a career.” 

Editor: Karpal Singh can 

be contacted on 021 352185. 

Should NZ open it’s borders 

to international students? 

The figures highlighted 

the downturn of about $5 

billion from the international 

student industry. 

Universities New Zealand 

Chief Executive Chris 

Whelan said in an article 

which appeared in 

Insidehighered.com, that it 

would cause New Zealand’s 

eight universities a loss of 

FINDING HIS ROOTS 

VIA FILMMAKING 

By ROWENA 

SINGH 

AUCKLAND – Karpal 

Singh is a Sikh from West 

Bengal, India, who came to 

NZ in 2001. He studied hospitality 

at MIT (Manukau 

Institute of Technology) for 

two and a half years. He 

then worked in the hospitality 

industry for 6 years, but 

being a bit bored and alone, 

he decided to move on to a 

different industry. 

He restarted his career in 

the banking field. “I started 

as a bank teller in 2006 and 

continued in the banking 

industry for 10 years,” says 

Singh. “In 2016 my role was 

made redundant. But I think 

that it was a blessing in disguise, 

because it gave me a 

chance to reflect on what I 

really wanted to do in life. 

So I took that opportunity, I 

was 35 at that time, to follow 

my passion.” 

Singh joined South Seas 

Film and TV School (now 

Yoobee Colleges). He was 

one of the few senior students 

there and says that he 

was supported by his tutors 

and school, otherwise he 

wouldn’t have gone down 

that path. He eventually 

graduated with a double 

major in Production 

Management and Drama 

Directing. 

Singh’s student short film 

‘Best of Both Worlds’ was 

part of the Cannes Film 

Festival (on-demand platform). 

It was picked up by 

an American based film distributor 

and later played on 

Amazon (in the US and the 

UK). Currently the film is 

available on YouTube. 

The concept for ‘Best of 

Both Worlds’ was drawn 

from Singh’s own life journey 

in New Zealand. “It was 

an arduous journey for me 

around $200 million in international 

enrolment this year 

and that the loss would double 

next year if graduating 

international students went 

home and no newly recruited 

students were allowed in 

to replace them. 

The loss applies also to the 

international students who 

miss out on their education 

and to the multi-cultural 

community that they contribute 

to New Zealand. 

International students 

could pay for the 14-day 

accommodation while they 

trying to blend in with Kiwi 

society. At times you feel 

that you have lost your bearings 

in terms of who you 

are. So the realization of 

missing my own culture and 

reconnecting with my roots 

is where the story for my 

first film came from,” says 

Singh. 

Currently Singh is part of 

a TV drama series called 

‘Mystic’, which is a co-production 

between the UK 

between UK and NZ that’s 

on TV and on TV On 

Demand. 

“The second stream of my 

work is my passion project. 

It is my second short film 

called ‘Impossible’, which 

is supported by the NZ Film 

Commission. It is another 

cross-cultural film. 

“We will be making a feature 

film of the same story 

for which we have the script 

ready,” says Singh. “My 

role in that film is as the 

producer and I’m working 

alongside a well-known 

Wellington based line producer, 

Belindalee Hope. 

Belindalee has worked on 

many big Hollywood as 

well as NZ productions, 

including Peter Jackson’s 

The Lord of the Rings and 

Hobbit trilogies. 

“The third stream of work 

is my own production company 

called Kapow NZ. I 

make promotional videos 

for small to medium companies,” 

says Singh. “I have a 

team that works with me – 

camera, sound and editor – 

and I act as director, producer 

and writer.” 

Singh says that as a creative 

person you have to satisfy 

your soul, as that’s the 

reason that you are in that 

industry, but you also have 

to earn a decent living. 

are in managed isolation if 

they are able to do so. In 

some cases this could be 

considered under the hardship 

grounds and paid for by 

the New Zealand government. 

As international students 

bring colossal amounts of 

revenue to the economy 

through enrolment, food and 

accommodation some commentators 

feel that supporting 

their quarantine costs 

would be deemed an investment.

16 ELEKSYON | ISSUE 147 | FILIPINO NEWS NZ : www.filipinonews.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | Mobile : 027 495 8477 | https://facebook.com/filipinokiwi/

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