Filipino News 157

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BUHAY NZ 06 ISSUE 157 MAGANDANG BALITA | www.filipinonews.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | www.pinoynzlife.nz | MOB: 027 495 8477 www.filipinonews.nz : North Island Edition - 22nd Anniversary | www.pinoynzlife.nz : South Island Edition. Print and Online! By QUEENIE LEE TANJAY ROTORUA - If you’ve acquainted yourself with young Miguel Macaraig in one of the community hubs in Rotorua, you’d be surprised to know that this young gentleman has only moved to New Zealand two years ago. With several accolades now under his name in the academic and community engagements, this trailblazer is on his way to amplify youth and community empowerment. Miguel, now in transition to university, arrived with his family in 2020 just two weeks before the lockdown was initiated to arrest COVID transmissions. For the whole family it was a dream come true; finally stepping on the ‘promised land’ after months of planning and praying. Regarding himself as fortunate for the opportunity, Miguel perseveres with excelling in his academic and community endeavours to gradually build the life he envisioned for his family. With only 24 months in New Zealand, one could call it premature to say tell that Miguel has found his niche here in his newfound home. But glamorous as it may sound, his journey of becoming was not a straight-line path. Prior to moving to New Zealand Miguel experienced his share of lows and stabs to his selfesteem being, being dumbfounded by the immense expectations of being an achiever. “Some things didn’t turn out well in the process. From being a performer I suddenly shied away from the limelight and just focused on other things. Suddenly I feared public speaking.” But waiting for his time to shine again proved to be transforming as it turned out. It was then that he found a greater sense of purpose through community service. Miguel was able to tap into his confidence and innate leadership skills again by leading the campus ministry in his school in Calamba. “God has reinstilled my passion for public speaking through the ministry. It was a privilege of to help our church win more souls by ‘Honoring God and Making Disciples’. What started as sharing with a small group of 4-5 students led to 70-80 attendees weekly,” he recalled. Moving to New Zealand, he brought with him all the learning and inspiration he reaped from the experience serving as the guiding light of his pathway. “My desire has always been to organize campus ministries. ‘Change the campus, change the World’ is a principle that has been instilled in me by our local church in the Philippines. I believe that this is my calling, which will never change no matter where I may be.” As it turned out, this Miguel Macaraig has been nominated to receive the 6th Filipino-Kiwi Hero Awards – YOUTH ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 2022. passion was also the key to achieving milestones in his career. Miguel has recently made headlines representing the Rotorua Boys High School in the Race Unity Speech, not to mention being the only Filipino in the bunch. “This passion gives me an opportunity to voice my opinions and ideas about serious issues in our society such as Racism. It serves as a platform for me to influence others and hopefully to remind them of the values that may have been forgotten while growing up. Such as compassion, kindness and empathy reflected in the story of the Good Samaritan, reminding us to be good to our neighbors.” Since then Miguel shows no signs of stopping excelling in this field after participating in another speech contest and being invited as a guest speaker to a Rotary Club meeting. This endeavour, he said, has also paved the way for his involvement with important community events, such as the Filipino Multicultural Lunch, the multicultural volleyball event and the local Hui in coordination with the Rotorua Multicultural Council. In the realm of academics, Miguel also bagged Of excellence and community service MIGUEL MACARAIG: Excelling in his academic and community endeavours. (above) Miguel Macaraig was invited to be a guest speaker in a Rotary Club meeting. several leadership awards and successive NCEA endorsements with Excellence honours to wrap up his decorated high school life. With these he has become one of the faces of the youth in the community and among the young Filpinos worth emulating. Looking back on all of these milestones, Miguel does not forget to acknowledge the people pushing him to do great things, primarily his tutor and his family. “First of all, I would not be where I am now if it were not for their unwavering support and guidance. The role of parent is very important to a child, because they have the most influence on him/her. And for me, knowing that they always have my back, it boosts my confidence to stand up and speak out no matter how huge the crowd is.” Moving forward, Miguel seeks to fuel his passion by continually engaging with the community and “sharing the messages worth sharing”. “I believe that I can influence others to take action, particularly my fellow students. In so doing, I believe, I am able to contribute in the upliftment of our youth,” he ended. 6th Filipino-Kiwi Hero Awards 2022 Filipino of the Year • Frontline Heroes • Community Heroes Business Excellence • Sporting Achievers • Creative Arts Music Awards • Media Awards • Chef of the Year Submit nominations to: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz
ISSUE 157 | ASIAN NEWS - the voice of Asians in Aotearoa : www.asiannews.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | MOB: 027 495 8477 07 www.migrantnews.nz : Aotearoas’s first and only multicultural newspaper for migrants - published since 1991. Keeping people safe has always driven our COVID response – and now that we’re facing Omicron, our focus is no different. That’s why, ever since this new variant emerged overseas, we’ve been preparing for its arrival by getting a head start on boosters, fine-tuning our testing, tracing, and isolation strategy, and ensuring our traffic light settings are fit for purpose. It’s been great to see everyone looking out for each other by masking up, scanning in, keeping a safe distance, and using vaccine passes. At Red, these behaviours become even more important to slow the spread, keep each other safe, and reduce pressure on our health system. Minimising the risk of Omicron We know that we’re likely to see many more cases than we have previously, but there are ways we can all help to protect each other. You’ve probably heard that mask requirements have been strengthened, because we know from the experience of countries overseas that wearing a mask, when done right, has a significant role to play in managing Omicron. The stronger requirements include wearing an actual mask, not wrapping a bandana, scarf, or t-shirt around your face. This is because evidence shows that masks that fit properly around the nose and mouth help to reduce the spread of COVID. The widely available blue medical masks are a great choice. We’ll also need to mask up in more places, including restaurants and cafes, when we’re not eating or drinking. As a simple rule of thumb, aim to wear a mask whenever you leave home and might not be able to keep a safe distance. By using masks effectively, we can minimise the risk of Omicron and safely continue to roll out booster doses. That’s essential, because the data shows that boosters can provide better protection against Omicron, making you less likely to get seriously ill or end up in hospital. If you’re over 18 and it’s been four months since your second dose, you’re now due for your booster. I encourage you to get it as soon as you’re able to. You can book it today, or find your nearest walk-in or drive-through clinic, by visiting BookMyVaccine.nz or by calling 0800 28 29 26. More than one million Kiwis are already boosted, and most of us will be eligible by late February. Thanks to everyone who’s already stepped up to get that extra layer of protection. Children aged 5 to 11 are also now eligible to get vaccinated. This is a great way to keep tamariki as safe as possible and minimise their likelihood of migrantnews.nz passing COVID on to vulnerable whanau. If you’re a parent or caregiver, I encourage you to seek out information to help you make this decision. Over the past two years, our community has pulled together to respond to COVID-19. Our approach has worked: New Zealand has some of the lowest rates of cases and deaths in the OECD, as well as a stronger-than-expected economy. It’s been a huge team effort – and, together, we can all help to reduce the risk of Omicron. The best way we can each play our part now is by getting boosted. Article by Bridie Chetwin- Kelly on behalf of the Labour Ethnic Caucus. Covid-19 vaccine booster dose: What you need to know EXPLAINER From early January, New Zealanders who have had two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine for at least four months * can get their booster dose. * (For updates call the Covid-19 Vaccination Healthline on 0800 282 926. The timing of the rollout had previously caused some confusion about when people should go and how it all works. There's also a difference between booster doses and third primary doses. What is the booster dose? The Pfizer vaccine is being used in New Zealand for boosters, regardless of what vaccine was used for earlier doses. The booster is different to the third primary dose recommended for people who are immunocompromised. People eligible for a third primary dose can access a booster dose six months after receiving their third primary dose. When can you get your booster? In early December, the government announced it would shorten the required gap between the second dose and booster, from six months to four months. For people who don't mind going to a walk-in vaccination centre, they are able to get your booster dose from 5 January. Find locations by clicking here. For those who prefer to book in, appointment slots will be available from 17 January via Book My Vaccine online. While the rollout with shortened intervals officially starts in early January 2022, people who have had their second shot for six months were encouraged to go get their booster dose right away. Others wanting to get in early before 5 January were advised to check with their local vaccination provider to ensure they have appointments and supply available. The Ministry of Health has said there were plenty of booster doses available and no one would miss out. Other options for booking If you cannot book online, you can call the Covid-19 Vaccination Healthline on 0800 28 29 26 (8am to 8pm, seven days a week). Interpretation services, and text, email and NZ Relay options for deaf and hearing impaired are available if you need them via the 0800 number. There is also a specialist team for disabled people (option 2 on the 0800 number). You can also make an appointment with your doctor if they are providing Covid-19 vaccines. Who is eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine booster? Healthcare and border workers have been the priority for booster doses since large numbers of people in those industries had their primary doses at least six months ago. When you arrive for your booster, the date of your last dose will be checked in the booking system to ensure you have gone through the required interval period. People aged 12 years and older have so far been able to get their primary Covid- 19 vaccine courses throughout 2021, but the booster dose is currently only going to be available for those aged 18 years and above. (For most people, a primary course is two doses, for some people a primary course could be three doses.) Potential side effects of boosters You may experience some side effects with the booster similar to that of the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine, according to the Ministry of Health. These include muscle aches, pain at the injection site, headaches, nausea, and feeling tired or fatigued. For most people, these tend to be mild effects and don't last long. Some side effects are more serious but very rare, like a severe allergic reaction or an inflammation of the heart (myocarditis). An online reporting form for adverse events following immunisation with Covid-19 vaccines is now available. If you develop difficulty breathing, a racing heart, chest pain or feel faint immediately or in the days after the vaccine, you should seek medical attention. If you're unsure about your symptoms or if they get worse, call Healthline: 0800 358 5453. - Printed with permission from RNZ.
Page 1 and 2: 22 YEARS in print & online! Issue 1
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