Filipino News 166

23 

YEARS 

in print 

& 

online! 

Issue 166: WAITANGI DAY 2023 

TE WAKA PIRIPINO MANENE 

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WHY WE CELEBRATE 

WAITANGI DAY 

pg 4 

pg 13 

pg 11 

pg 10 

WORST STORM 

THIS CENTURY 

THE 

QUAINT 

SULTANATE 

As one 

door 

closes, 

another 

opens 

Tres Marias closes its 

iconic grocery store to 

shift the focus to its 

growing balikbayan service 

and expanding import, 

export and distribution 

business. 

“We just want to thank our loyal customers 

for supporting our business for more than 20 

years," said Mercy Catoto. "We loved serving 

not only Filipinos, but anyone who wanted to 

try Filipino products. Now that we are in our 

70s, for me and Oscar, that will be enough." 

This outstanding duo is looking forward to 

their retirement and to spending quality time 

with their grandchildren. 

“Thank you for being a part of Tres Marias' 

journey!” 

pg 8 & 9 

Tres Marias Trading 

Limited,was founded 

by Oscar and Mercy 

Catoto in 1991 as a 

small family-run 

business. 

ASIAN WOMEN 

GETTING BREAST 

CANCER EARLIER 

AKLD CAB 

ON COUNCIL 

CHOPPING 

BOARD pg 5 

The 7th Filipino-Kiwi Hero Awards - 17th June 2023, Auckland 

The nationwide search is on for Filipino-Kiwis who are outstanding in their fields of endeavour and also 

have a passion for community service. If you would like to nominate an individual, group or organization 

please contact Filipino News NZ at email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz or text: 027 495 8477 

7TH FILIPINO-KIWI HERO AWARDS 2023

BUHAY 

NZ 

02 ISSUE 166 7th HERO AWARDS | 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! 

Advice for renters about 

requirements for warm, 

healthy homes 

As winter sets in, and 

leaks and mould appear in 

homes around the country, 

the Citizens Advice Bureau 

wants renters to be aware of 

what can legally expect from 

their landlord. 

Even though it's landlords 

who hold the power, especially 

in the current rental 

market, tenants are being 

forced to chase them up for 

fixes, says acting CE 

Andrew Hubbard. 

“Tenants are being relied 

on to know that there's a 

problem, know that the landlord, 

try and remedy it with 

the landlord and take them 

to the tenancy tribunal,” he 

tells Kathryn Ryan. 

Tenants with houses that 

are substandard tend to fall 

into two groups, Hubbard 

says - those who have no 

idea what they can expect 

from their landlord and 

those who know their rights 

but struggle to have them 

honoured. 

Either way, it shouldn't be 

up to the tenant to take 

action in these cases. 

“If you're struggling to 

make ends meet, the hassle, 

concerns about the implications 

(of requesting fixes) 

for your relationship with 

your landlord… all of those 

things are incentives not to 

take action.” 

The impact of poor housing 

on health and wellbeing 

is now well known, Hubbard 

says, and New Zealand landlords 

have had plenty of 

time to familiarise themselves 

with the Healthy 

Home standards introduced 

in July 2019. 

It makes no sense that in 

the case of tenancies that 

began before 1 July 2021, 

landlords can legally ignore 

these standards for another 

two years, Hubbard says. 

“If you're in a pre-existing 

tenancy from before that, 

your landlord doesn't need to 

comply until [1 July] 2024, 

which is a crazy amount of 

implantation time.” 

So what are landlords 

legally required to provide? 

1. An efficient source of 

heating in the main living 

area 

2. Adequate floor and ceiling 

insulation 

3. Adequate ventilation in 

every habitable room and 

extractor fans in kitchens 

and bathrooms 

4. Adequate drainage 

facilities and protection 

against moisture 

5. Adequate protection 

against draughts 

If you're in a rental property 

that needs work, start by 

trying to have a constructive 

conversation with your landlord 

to the effect of ‘Hey 

look, we're worried about .. 

what can you do about it?’, 

Hubbard suggests. 

If you're more comfortable 

talking in person, follow up 

the conversation with an 

email so you have a record. 

If nothing happens, you 

can then look at issuing a 

Notice to Remedy, which 

gives the landlord 14 days to 

act. 

For help communicating 

with landlords, issuing formal 

notices and, if necessary, 

taking them to the 

Tenancy Tribunal, Hubbard 

suggests contacting your 

local Citizens Advice 

Bureau, community law centre 

or tenant's organisation. 

These organisations, 

although understaffed and 

underfunded, can also help 

to outline your rights as a 

renter and the landlord's 

obligations, he says. 

The Citizens Advice 

Bureau also recommends 

checking with Work and 

Income on whether you're 

eligible for any financial 

support with your heating 

bills. 

- Reproduced with special 

permission from RNZ 

Production 

Workers 

Receptionist / 

Housekeeper 

Experienced 

Residential 

Painters 

Blind Assembler 

Roofing 

Geotechnical 

Driller 

Leading Hand 

Carpenters 

Aluminium 

Installers 

Hammer Hands 

Carpenters 

Skilled 

Upholsterer 

www.trababo.nz

ISSUE 166 FILIPINO-KIWI HERO AWARDS | www.filipinoheroes.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | www.filipinonews.nz | 03 BUHAY 

www.filipinoheroes.nz : Over a 120 Filipino Kiwi Heroes have been recognised over the years by Filipino News NZ. 

NZ 

Community rallies to confront an alarming 

spike in the Filipino suicide rates 

By Ricky Matthew 

AUCKLAND - The 

Filipino suicide figure doubled 

in 2021, despite overall 

suicide numbers falling 

since 2017. This led to a 

hastily organised response 

from communities and 

agencies late last year to 

raise awareness of the disturbing 

suicide statistics 

and to take a closer look at 

the wrap around services 

that are currently available. 

Information obtained 

recently by Migrant News 

from the Ministry of 

Justice reveals that Filipino 

suicides rose in 

2020/2021 to six, up from 

three in 19/20, a doubling 

of the figure. The figure 

then eased back to four in 

21/22. Comparatively, in 

21/22 there were 8 Indian 

suicides, 7 Fijian Indian 

suicides and 5 Chinese suicides. 

Asians made up 32 of the 

538 New Zealanders lost to 

suicide in the 21/22 financial 

year, with a rate of 3.8 

per 100,000 Asians in NZ. 

This is relatively low compared 

to Maori (15.9 per 

100,000), European (10.1 

per 100,000) and Pacific 

(9.9 per 100,000). 

However, Filipinos surpassed 

their Asian counterparts 

with a suicide rate 

of approximately 5 per 

100, 000 Filipinos in 21/22 

(based on the census figures). 

So, what is the reason we 

are unable to stamp out 

suicide and depression in 

the Filipino community? 

Loneliness? Lack of wrap 

around services? Or lack 

of funding? 

According to the New 

Zealand Asian Wellbeing 

and Mental Health Report 

2021, Filipinos have the 

highest level of satisfaction 

with life in NZ among the 

Asian ethnicities surveyed 

(97%). They also have the 

highest level of feeling that 

life is worthwhile in NZ 

(91%). 

But on the flip side, 

Filipinos are third most at 

risk of depression (after 

Koreans and Indians), are 

more likely to express stigma 

from mental illness 

around being less worthy, 

have difficulties in accessing 

language and/or cultural 

support and are more 

likely to feel stigma and 

low confidence in the 

mainstream mental health 

and addiction services. 

The alarming rates within 

the Filipino community 

led to a community and 

agencies' response with a 

Hui on the 19th of November 

2022 at Three 

Kings, Auckland. The 

objective of the Hui was to 

create awareness of the 

alarming rates of suicide in 


and the wider community. 

Guest speakers at the 

Suicide Awareness and 

Prevention Hui included: 

Dr Geraldine Anne Lobo, 

child and adolescent psychiatrist, 

Jordyn Johnston, 

suicide prevention postvention 

coordinator and 

guests from the Mental 

Health Foundation, Youth 

Line, New Zealand Police, 

the Ministry of Health and 

Filipinos working in mental 

health. 

Speakers at the event 

informed the community 

about the warning signs of 

people at risk of committing 

suicide, the impacts of 

suicide on families and 

highlighted the services 

and professional help that 

are available. 

When Father Mario 

Dorado, a Capuchin Friar, 

was asked his views about 


organised Hui he said: “It 

is a beginning. Whatever 

families are going through, 

we must let them know 

that they are not alone.” 

To elaborate on this 

point, in the 21/22 financial 

year an estimated 72,630 

people have been affected 

by the 538 suicides. This 

includes the families of 

those who took their own 

life. 

“We are always here to 

help as much as possible 

and we are trying our very 

best to prevent this kind of 

thing from happening,” 

added Father Mario. 

He drew attention to the 

fact that. “We are not in 

New Zealand just to make 

money or to work, but also 

to be happy and to have 

peace; that is our purpose 

in life.” 

Another speaker at the 

Hui, Constable Ding 

Capunitan, 55, of the NZ 

Police, agreed. “My advice 

is for us to be aware of 

what’s happening in our 

community and to watch 

out for signs of depression 

PINOY POLIS: Constable Ding Capunitan, CAPUCHIN FRIAR: Father Mario Dorado 

SUICIDE PREVENTION OFFICE: Matthew Tukaki 

amongst our family and 

our friends. 

“This is not only happening 

to Filipinos, but to 

everyone in New Zealand. 

If we don't try to help these 

people, then things might 

end tragically. 

“If you know of anyone 

who is depressed or very 

worried and anxious, 

please report their plight 

right away to the Police. If 

not the Police, then you 

can refer them to other 

agencies that can help 

them. 

“When you report to the 

Police, we visit them and 

talk to them and refer 

them to agencies or mental 

health services – even if the 

person is just thinking 

about suicide.” 

According to the 

Ministry of Health, some 

* This article discusses suicide and 

mental health. 

of the risk factors associated 

with suicide are 

bereavement by suicide, 

access to means of suicide, 

a sense of isolation, a history 

of mental illness, addiction 

or problematic substance 

abuse, previous suicide 

attempts, experience 

of trauma and exposure to 

bullying. 

Matthew Tukaki, Director 

of Suicide Prevention 

Office said: “There are a 

few signs to watch out for 

if you’re worried about a 

member of your whanau 

or a friend. 

“You might have noticed 

changes in their behaviour, 

sleeping patterns or mood. 

They might have started to 

withdraw socially or stay 

home from work or school. 

Their eating may have 

changed or they’ve stopped 

eating completely. Often 

they start talking about 

wanting to die or a plan to 

kill themselves, or are 

reading or posting online 

about death and they may 

start to give away things 

with personal meaning to 

them. 

“If you think that someone 

might be at risk of suicide, 

trust your instincts 

and ask them directly if 

they’re okay. It could save 

their life. Listen to them 

without judgement or distraction 

and then help 

them find support. There 

are a number of services 

that can help. 

Lifeline – 0800 

543 354. 

Youthline – 

helpline for 

Kiwis aged 

between 12-24 

years. Free call 0800 376 

633. You can also text 243 

to chat or email talk@ 

youthline.co.nz 

If you think they’re in 

immediate physical danger 

to themselves or others, 

call 111. 

Victim Support is the goto 

place for the following: 

help with support for emotional 

issues, safety, information 

and advice, dealing 

with the justice system, 

financial issues, advocacy, 

or referral to specialist 

agencies. Phone 0800 842 

846, 24/7. 

Some other services that 

provide support to those 

who are at risk of suicide 

or who have lost a loved 

one to suicide are: 

1737 – free text 1737 to 

talk to a trained counsellor 

or peer support person 

24/7. 

Suicide Crisis Line – 

0508 828 865 (0800 TAU- 

TOKO). 

Kenzie’s Gift – supports 

the mental health of 

tamariki and has grief and 

loss resources for children. 

Adhikaar – rainbow support 

for the South Asian 

community.

04 ISSUE 166 CYCLONE GABRIELLE | www.filipinonews.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | www.trabaho.nz | Facebook: Filipino Migrant News 

MIGRANT NEWS - www.migrantnews.nz : New Zealand’s first Migrant community newspaper. Published since 1991. Print. Online. Social Media. 

PM praises the “community driven response” to 

the worst storm this century 

By RICKY MATTHEW 

Photo: Jaymin McGuire 


AUCKLAND, Henderson 

– Prime Minister Chris 

Hipkins has praised the 

“community driven response” 

to Cyclone 

Gabrielle as a National 

Emergency is declared – 

for only the third time in 

the country’s history - to 

cope with the worst storm 

New Zealand has seen this 

century. 

As this unprecedented 

weather event poses a real 

threat to the lives of New 

Zealanders, the government 

has unveiled a $11.5 

million package for community 

groups and 

providers responding to 

the crisis. 

Addressing media at the 

Trust Arena in West 

Auckland, Chris Hipkins 

said that West Auckland is 

one of the worst hit spots 

by the cyclone. The Trust 

Arena is one of numerous 

shelters in the area that are 

offering displaced members 

of the community a 

place to sleep and food to 

eat. 

Hipkins said: “I want to 

acknowledge the situation 

that New Zealanders have 

been waking up to this 

morning. A lot of families 

displaced, a lot of homes 

without power, extensive 

damage done across the 

country.” 

The Prime Minister later 

added that 2,500 people 

have been displaced, 

including 1,000 people in 

Hawkes Bay alone. 

Additionally, 225,000 people 

are without power. This 

hasn’t been seen since 

Cyclone Bola in 1988. 

The Prime Minister 

praised what he called the 

“community driven response” 

and said that: “The 

volunteer response around 

the country has been a 

phenomenal one. We have 

seen community groups 

coming together to support 

their fellow Kiwis who 

have been in need and I 

really want to thank 

them.” 

This praise comes after 

an announcement on the 

13th of February by Hon 

Carmel Sepuloni, Minister 

for Social Development 

and Employment, about a 

much-needed increase in 

funding for community 

groups that assisted in the 

Auckland flood response. 

Sepuloni said that a 

$11.5 million package for 

community support has 

been rolled out, $2 million 

of which has been allocated 

to grants for community 

groups to support the flood 

response. The amount that 

community groups can 

receive under the fund will 

be capped at $3500. 

The additional funding 

will be important for supporting 

the numerous 

migrant community 

groups that were assisting 

in the Auckland flood 

response and who are now 

likely to be called upon for 

the Cyclone Gabrielle 

response. 

Many migrants who had 

just begun to steady themselves 

after the floods were 

faced by a new threat and 

had to turn back to the 

very community organisations 

and agencies that had 

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins 

assisted them to getthrough 

the floods. 

These groups have, in 

the past, provided shelter, 

food, cultural support, 

counselling and financial 

support to the migrant 

communities in Auckland. 

One of these organisations 

is the Supreme Sikh 

Society NZ. “So far, we 

have provided over 5,000 

hot meals and food parcels 

to flood victims. 

“Our aim is to serve 

humanity without knowing 

their culture, religion, cast, 

creed, or gender.” 

The Chairperson of the 

Ethnic Women’s Trust, 

Fadumo Ahmed said that 

her team was concerned 

about those who are facing 

a language barrier when 

trying to access support. 

“It is really hard to go 

through the system for 

some. They are victims 

once they’ve lost their 

house. 

“They feel as if they need 

more help and they feel 

isolated. Each person has a 

different culture and different 

food and clothing 

needs; we respect that.” 

The Ethnic Women’s 

Trust has 3500 people 


ready to help, many are 

women and all are 

migrants. 

They are providing 

emergency shelter, food, 

and bedding to support 

Muslim women and children 

who have been 

impacted by the flood. 

Meanwhile Ikhlaq Kashkari, 

President of the New 

Zealand Muslim Association, 

said that his group 

has “opened its mosques 

across Auckland as emergency 

shelters for people 

affected by the floods and 

the cyclone. 

“Separate areas will be 

dedicated to men and 

women.” 

Rohan Jaduram, Community 

Resilience Manager 

for Auckland Emergency 

Management, conveyed 

his appreciation for 

the community shelters 

that groups such as the 

Ethnic Women’s Trust 

provide. 

“I really want to thank 

people who shelter families 

and individuals - whether 

its in their homes, whether 

its in a community shelter, 

school, or an early childhood 

education shelter. I 

thank you so much. You 

make our job so much easier, 

especially within a 

response of this scale.” 

When asked if the government 

will commit additional 

funding to support 

the cyclone recovery, the 

Prime Minister said: “We 

will do what we need to do 

in order to support New 

Zealanders through this. 

“Our focus right now is 

on the immediate response, 

it’s on making sure people 

have a roof over their 

head, that they have a 

meal, that their families 

are well cared 

for. That’s the 

immediate focus. 

“The recovery 

effort is something 

that we 

will absolutely 

be placing at the front and 

centre of the government’s 

program over the next few 

weeks and months. 

“We know that this 

won’t be an overnight 

recovery, it’s going to take 

a while, some people are 

going to be displaced from 

their homes for an extended 

period of time and we 

will need to support them 

through that. 

“Businesses will continue 

to feel the tail end of this 

for some time and we will 

need to support them 

through that as well. We’ll 

work out in the next few 

days and week how best to 

do that.”



NZ 

Asian Kiwi women getting 

breast cancer younger 

A report by the Breast 

Cancer Foundation found 

the median age for invasive 

breast cancer diagnoses 

for Asian Kiwi 

women was 52 - the lowest 

among all major ethnic 

groups. 

The findings were based 

on analysis of data 

between 2003 and 2020. 

The study also found 

that compared to other 

ethnic groups, Asians had 

the largest proportion of 

diagnoses in the premenopausal 

age group 

between 45 and 54. 

The Breast Cancer 

Foundation's research 

manager Adele Gautier 

said more needed to be 

done to understand breast 

cancer among diverse 

Asian populations in 

Aotearoa. 

She said despite Asians 

overall higher survival 

rates, it's important to 

understand where the 

pockets of risks were. 

"We do know Asian 

(right): An Asian lady consulting with 

a mammologist. Photo credit: Dreamstime 

women have much better 

survival, but we need to 

know which ones don't 

have such good survival 

and why that might be, 

and so now we can 

start breaking down 

some of that data, to 

understand. 

"Because in each 

population there 

are still sub pockets 

that have a 

higher risk than 

others, and those 

are the people you 

really want to talk 

to," she said. 

Gautier said Asians 

were the ethnicity least 

reported on in breast cancer 

studies in Aotearoa, 

and that there needed to 

be more research into patterns 

and changes the 

group was facing. 

She said recent international 

studies were showing 

an increase in rates of 

breast cancer 

for Asian women living 

in western countries. 

Meanwhile, the report 

also showed Asian Kiwi 

women had the lowest 

breast screening rates, 

with just over 60 per cent 

participating 

in screening 

pre-pandemic, and less 

than half of Asian women 

with breast cancer being 

diagnosed through 

screening. 

Aucklander Sara Chin 

was diagnosed with grade 

By Lucy Xia of RNZ 

(published with 

special permission from RNZ) 

than any other ethnic group, report shows 

2 breast cancer at age 31. 

Her diagnosis came 

about after she noticed a 

lump in her breast and 

got checked at a general 

practice. 

Chin said she was fit 

and healthy at the time 

of her diagnosis, and 

was encouraging 

young women to be 

vigilant and get 

checked if they're 

concerned. 

Breast cancer survivor 

Lyn Wayman 

was just 32 when she 

first got diagnosed in 

the Philippines, before 

she migrated to New 

Zealand. 

Wayman, now 73, had 

been through surgery 

three times. 

She said people should 

get checked if they notice 

something abnormal, 

even if they're of prescreening 

age. 

Wayman said she hoped 

the screening age in New 

Zealand could be lowered 

to include younger 

women. 

Currently, all women 

between 45 and 69 were 

eligible for a free mammogram 

once every two 

years to check for breast 

cancer. 

Meanwhile, Te Whatu 

Ora did not give specific 

answers to RNZ's questions 

on whether there 

would be any targeted 

campaign towards 

younger Asian women 

about breast cancer 

symptoms - given the 

younger trends. 

A spokesperson said 

they're aware of the low 

screening coverage for 

Asian New Zealanders, 

but couldn't answer 

specifically what would be 

done to help lift participation 

for Asians. 

They said the 2021 

budget included $55.6 

million to replace 

BreastScreen Aotearoa's 

information and communications 

technology system 

over the next four 

years, which was expected 

to reduce barriers to 

screening and improve 

equity of access. 

- RNZ

BUHAY 

NZ 

06 ISSUE 166 BOOK REVIEW | www.filipinonews.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | www.pinoynzlife.nz | MOB: 027 495 8477 


WELLINGTON – 

Mark Paguntalan, more 

commonly known by his 

pseudonym ‘Oliver 

Dace’, began writing his 

debut novel, The 

Wellington Alternate, on 

19 August 2014 when he 

looked outside an airplane 

window and imagined 

giant fish swimming 

underneath the streets of 

Wellington. 

It is a contemporary 

New Zealand Magical 

Realism novel about a girl 

who wants to be an academic 

because she was 

eaten by an egg. 

Oliver describes how he 

aims to allow the reader 

to see what they are reading. 

“I aim for my writing 

style to be lyrical. I want 

the sentences in the book 

to, quote-and-unquote, 

taste good.” 

Due to his full-time day 

job, music became an 

integral part of his writing 

process. So much so 

that he designated a 

theme song for each chapter 

and each of the four 

main characters – 

Merinette, Mandy, 

Josefina and Arissa – 

have their own playlist. 

The Wellington 

Alternate may be a 

Magical Realism story, 

but it is ultimately a character-driven 

novel. 

The story centres 

around a young woman 

named Merinette Dace 

Nadean who, despite 

wanting to focus on her 

studies rather than working 

in the family business, 

has a tendency to be selfish. 

Oliver says that he 

wanted to challenge himself 

to write authentic 

characters that can stand 

outside the plot of the 

novel. It works, as 

Merinette’s relationships 

and interactions with the 

other characters were 

more engaging than the 

surreal was. 

The book is also relat- 

“… I would like to showcase 

Philippine creativity through the 

creation of original creatures 

and authentic characters,” 

reflects Oliver Dace. 

OLIVER DACE 

THE 

WELLINGTON 

ALTERNATIVE 

able on another level 

because a major character 

in the book is a 

Filipina - Josefina Santa 

Maria Franken y Jaena, 

the rival of Merinette. 

Josefina hails from 

Iloilo, but was sent to New 

Zealand after a tragic 

family incident. The only 

way she can go home is to 

work alongside Merinette's 

aunt. 

“Josefina was created 

as a result of homesickness 

and represents my 

home region of Iloilo,” 

shares Oliver. 

This novel is centred 

around Oliver’s intrigue 

or even addiction to the 

Magical Realism and 

Horror Genres. 

Oliver explained in a 

recent interview that he 

enjoys writing Magical 

Realism because it allows 

him to spice up reality. 

Instead of using fantasy 

creatures such as elves, 

dragons or goblins, the 

novel features floating 

stars, colour-eating fogs, 

sentient roads and underwater 

fires. 

Oliver hails from Iloilo 

in the Philippines where 

he attended a private 

school that urged the students 

to speak English 

and only English. 

“I entertained the idea 

of becoming an English 

teacher in the Philippines 

Book Review 

By RICKY MATHEW 

A SURREAL 

STORY THAT 

SEEMS SO 

RELATABLE 

or of teaching creative 

writing in the Philippines,” 

he recalls. 

“However, for the 

moment I am focused on 

honing my writing and 

establishing myself as an 

author.” 

He moved to Wellington, 

New Zealand, in 

2007. And not only does 

Oliver reside in 

Wellington, but so does 

the protagonist in his 

novel - Merinette Dace 

Nadean. 

Founder: Jade-Ceres Munoz 

FB: filipinochildrenslibrary 

“I enjoy writing Magical 

Realism because it allows 

me to spice up reality.” 

- Oliver Dace 

SYNOPSIS: 

The Wellington 

Alternate is a magical 

realism story set in the 

capital of New Zealand. 

It is a story involving 

floating stars, family, 

friendship and the 

extraordinary ordinary. 

Ever since an egg had 

devoured her, eighteenyear-old 

Merinette Dace 

Nadean has wanted to 

escape her destiny. 

She longs to be an 

academic instead of 

continuing her family’s 

century-old position 

maintaining the various 

surreal entities called 

Fiction. 

She would become 

only a glorified maintenance 

worker. That life 

is a chore. 

So Merinette, as stubborn 

as she is, refuses, 

However, in the novel 

we are introduced to a 

new alternate dimension 

eager to prove that she 

is more than the talents 

she was born with. 

She wants to turn her 

love for books into an 

alternative way to help 

her family, rather than 

confronting the Fiction 

head-on. And, when an 

opportunity arises in a 

dingy car park, 

Merinette will do anything 

to achieve her 

goal. 

The author’s style is 

all his own; it mesmerizes 

and fits the story 

well. 

Even if it is inspired 

by anime, the style is 

much more literary 

classic. It reminds you a 

bit of books like Jane 

Eyre and Emma, in the 

way that sentences 

move and the mood is 

introduced. 

to the Wellington that we 

all know. 

Such is the style of his 

“Over the last few years we've put together a 

project of collecting Filipino books for children 

and young adults in order to help migrant kids 

re-learn our language and culture,” reports 

Jade-Ceres Munoz. 

“It has been pretty successful so far. We've 

worked with the Philippine Embassy in New 

Zealand and with several publishers and 

authors in the Philippines. 

writing. Oliver has intertwined 

the realities of 

Wellington with the fantastical 

aspects of the 

novel’s world. 

The inclusion of iconic 

Wellington settings such 

as the Wellington 

Waterfront, Island Bay, 

Mt. Victoria and quite fittingly, 

the Wellington 

Library, are examples of 

how The Wellington 

Alternate introduces 

readers to a new alternate 

Wellington that we all still 

recognise. 

The thing that separates 

Oliver Dace from 

the rest is his originality. 

He has avoided using 

well-known mythical 

creatures such as zombies 

or vampires and has 

instead taken inspiration 

from the New Zealand/ 

Maori culture, with the 

use of red-headed fairies 

and of course, Wellington. 

While his love for New 

Zealand is clear throughout 

the book, Oliver has 

said that he ultimately 

wants to write a novel set 

in his home region, Iloilo 

City, a novel that he hopes 

will inspire future generations 

of writers in the 

Philippines. His love for 

writing was spurred on 

there and one of his main 

characters – Josefina 

Franken y Jaena – was a 

homage to Graciano 

Lopez Jaena. 

The good news is that 

he is already preparing to 

write a second book, 

which is titled ‘Kiwi 

Pinas: A Magical Realism 

travel guide to the 

Philippines’. 

It is a contemporary 

magical realism novel 

involving two cousins who 

will have their heritage 

set in Iloilo. They met for 

the first time and will go 

to the Philippines for the 

first time. 

More details about this 

book can be found on 

Dace’s official website. 

Meanwhile, to purchase 

your copy of The 

Wellington Alternate, 

visit Dace’s website: 

writeoliverdace.com/shop 

, The Underground 

Bookstore, The Writer’s 

Plot, or Marsden Books. 

The Ebook is available on 

both Kobo and Amazon. 

It is also available to 

loan from libraries in 

Wellington, Christchurch, 

Vigan, Manila, 

Baguio and Iloilo.



NZ 

WAIKATO - Filipino 

Kiwi Hero Award winner 

and New Zealand Dairy 

ed to come here just to 

visit my sister and my 

brother in law. Basically, 

before I got the opportunity 

to manage a farm. It 

was very hard for a 

shock. 

But second, it’s the isolation. 

Basically, you are 

From Farm Assistant to 

Manager of the Year 

about dairy farming. You 

can be a vet, you can be a 

plumber, a carpenter and 

all sorts of other things. 

Of course, Kiwis always 

have a big thing for recommendations. 

trying to move up the 

ranks. 

One of the biggest 

things to get people to 

trust you here in New 

Zealand is through recommendations. 

That is 


Manager of the Year 2021, 

Christopher Vila, shares 

his story of moving up the 

ranks from a farm assistant 

to winning the top 

prize in dairy farming in 

New Zealand. 

A story involving 

switching both countries 

and career. A story that is 

echoed in the lives of 

other migrants like him. 

What was your occupation 

in the Philippines and 

why the dairy industry? 

I was a licenced veterinarian 

back home and 

when I first finished uni I 

worked for a multinational 

company as a farm consultant 

and as an area 

manager of a big firm 

which is concentrated 

mostly on swine and poultry. 

After a year and a half 

of working there I decid- 

their whole family had 

started dairy farming. 

They asked me, why not 

try it? It was related to 

my profession anyway. So 

that is how it all started 

thirteen years ago. 

With all of your awards, 

what are your success 

secrets? 

There is no secret to 

having a successful 

career. You just need to do 

your work, have passion 

for it, do the best you can, 

stick to your principles 

and have a goal. That is 

very important, to have a 

goal, because if you have a 

goal, then you are going to 

do the right things to 

achieve the goal. 

How long did it take to 

rise up the ranks from 

farm assistant to farm 

manager? 

It took me about six 

years. I went to about 

three different farms 

Christopher Vila (left) receiving the 

the ‘Dairy Farmer of the Year’ 

award at the Filipino-Kiwi Hero 

Awards in Auckland. 

The official awards website is at: 

www.filipinoheroes.nz 

migrant like me, even 

though I have the CV to 

back it up, to have a management 

role back then. 

So it took me six years 

and about another six 

years or so to give me the 

courage to enter the 

industry awards. 

What are some of the 

challenges for an immigrant 

entering the dairy 

industry? 

First and foremost, the 

culture. It is a big culture 

in a 

farm 

a n d 

you are very isolated. 

And thirdly, it’s the 

thing they call the Kiwi 

way of farming. New 

Zealand has a different 

way of farming compared 

to other countries. 

Even as a trained vet it 

was hard for me, because 

you are not only focused 

on one thing, but you are 

focused on everything 

When you are starting 

out you do not have the 

right network. I have 

been dairy farming for 

about 13 years and it is 

only now that I 

have this much 

of a network 

in the industry. 

This is a big 

help, especially 

when you are 

really one of the biggest 

factors; it’s just networking.

08 ISSUE 166 BUSINESS NEWS | www.filipinonews.nz | filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | mob: 027 495 8477 | 

www.filipinonews.nz : Headline News. Videos. Migrant News. And more. | www.trabaho.nz : The Filipino Job Board. mob: 027 387 7680 

GO NEGOSYO 

By Mel Fernandez 

AUCKLAND – Tres 

Marias Trading Limited, 

a Filipino grocery store in 

Panmure, Auckland, has 

served the local Filipino 

community since 1999. 

Founded by Oscar and 

Mercy Catoto in 1991 as a 

small family-run business, 


Limited has since become 

a well-established import 

and distribution company, 

specialising in a wide 

range of home brands 

from the Philippines such 

as popular sauce mixes, 

condiments, snacks and 

beauty products. 

The retail shop operation 

was strategically 

located in close proximity 

to a large Filipino settlement 

in the Mt Wellington 

area. 


Limited was the first 

Filipino grocery store to 

ever open on a high street 

in New Zealand and it 

quickly became popular 

among Filipinos and non- 

Filipinos alike. 

In an interview with 

Filipino News ten years 

ago, Oscar and Mercy 

recalled how they went 

about launching their 

business. 

It was a family environment 

where the mantra 

was “everybody does 

everything”. “We started 

with frozen foods like longanisa, 

tocino, corned 

beef and bacon and I 

myself was making the 

food,” said Oscar. 

“We used our garage 

and a small extension in 

front of our house in Mt 

Wellington and that's 

where we started our little 

sari-sari store in 1994,” 

explained Mercy. “We 

also operated a 'rolling 

store' from 1994 to 1996, 

going door-to-door to 

supply Philippine products 

to customers,” reminisced 

Oscar. 

The next stage was to 

launch a dedicated 

import business to supply 

Philippine products to 

their outlet and the other 

Asian stores that kababayans 

frequented. 

By 2000 the company 

was experiencing rapid 

growth. “Lots of Filipinos 

started coming to the 

country from 2003 

onwards,” said Oscar. 

“This was the turning 

point,” said Mercy. 

“Before it was just knocking 

on the doors of 

Filipino homes to sell the 

products, but now people 

were looking for us. We 

realized that our determination 

and hard work 

had paid off.” 

As Tres Marias flourished, 

Oscar and Mercy 

branched into freight forwarding. 

Tranfex New 

Zealand Limited started 

in 2001, shipping balik- 

AS ONE 

DOOR 

CLOSES, 

ANOTHER 

OPENS 

Tres Marias closes its iconic 

grocery store to shift the 

focus to its growing 

balikbayan service and 

expanding import, export 

and distribution business. 

bayan parcels to the 

Philippines. Around this 

time a second store was 

opened in Hamilton, 

which was later sold to 

other Filipinos. 

In 2016 Oscar and 

Mercy Catoto received 

the prestigious Filipino- 

Kiwi Hero Award for 

Business Excellence in 

recognition of their 

courage, perseverance 

and hard work. 

24 years since they 

opened the doors of their 

Panmure store, Tres 

Marias Trading Limited 

is entering a new chapter 

of its existence. 

Sadly, at the end of 

February 2023, the 

Catotos are closing their 

retail operation. 

The company 

will now be focusing 

on its thriving 

import, export 

and distribution 

operation and 

Tranfex New 

Zealand Limited - 

their balikbayan 

box service, which 

is based in a warehouse 

in Pakuranga 

Heights, 

Auckland. 

"We just want 

to thank our loyal 

customers for supporting 

our business 

for more than 

20 years," said 

Mercy. 

“We loved serving 

not only 

Filipinos, but anyone 

who wanted to 

try Filipino products. 

“Now that we 

are in our 70s, for 

me and Oscar, that 

will be enough.” 

This outstanding duo is 

looking forward to their 

retirement and to spending 

quality time with their 

grandchildren. 

“Thank you for being a 

part of Tres Marias' journey!” 

DOWN MEMORY LANE ... 

Mercy Catoto and team exhibiting at 

Fiesta Filipinas at the Auckland Showgrounds. 

Oscar and Mercy Catoto at the Sharon Cuneta 

Concert ‘Meet and Greet’ function in Auckland. 

Joy Catoto and team promoting Mama Sita products at the Food Show 

held at the Auckland Showgrounds.

ISSUE 166 BUSINESS NEWS | www.filipinonews.nz | filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | www.pinoynzlife.nz | 09 

www.filipinonews.nz : Headline News. Vlogs. Migrant News (www.trabaho.nz : Filipino Job Board. trabaho@xtra.co.nz) 

Tres Marias Trading Ltd and Tranfex NZ Ltd: 

Transforming and recreating an 

iconic Filipino business powerhouse. 


AUCKLAND - Tres 

Marias started from humble 

beginnings and for 

over 20 years the company 

has been able to capitalize 

on opportunities, 

reinvent itself and establish 

a comfortable niche 

in the marketplace. 

Today it is one of the 

most successful importer, 

exporter and distributor 

of Philippine products 

businesses in New Zealand, 

with warehouses 

located in 

Auckland and 

Christchurch. 

Joy Mead, the 

Managing Director 

and daughter of 

Oscar and Mercy 

Catoto, said: “We 

want to let the 

community know 

that it is the end of 

an era - for the 

retail store, but we 

are progressing to 

something bigger 

and better.” 

She further 

explained: 

“The retail 

store has 

been a focal 

point for a 

lot of migrants 

coming 

to New 

Zealand. 

“If you 

were a new 

migrant 

and you 

didn’t 

know anyone 

in 

Auckland 

you would come to Tres 

Marias and it would feel 

like home. 

“So I know that for a lot 

of migrants who have 

been here for a very long 

time it will be a bit of a 

nostalgic feeling for them 

to come back and see the 

retail store gone.” 

According to Stephen 

Mead, the Sales and 

Marketing Director of the 

company: “Previously, 

the retail store was the 

Joy Mead envisions a 

bright future for 

Tres Marias Ltd, 

because demand for 

their products and 

services is increasing 

exponentially due to 

the growth of the 

migrant population, 

driven by immigration. 

Tres Marias has a warehouse in Pakuranga Heights 

in Auckland (pictured here) and in May 2021 

opened a second warehouse in Christchurch. 

hub of the business, but 

now the focus is on 

Tranfex NZ Ltd and the 

import, 

export and 

distribution 

business. 

“ W e 

want to 

focus our 

time, energy 

and resources on growing 

these areas.” 

Joy Mead agrees. “For 

Tres Marias, our focus is 

now on import, export 

and wholesaling. We want 

to support Filipinos in 

business. We’ve been 

there and we know how 

challenging it can be, so if 

we can help other 

Filipinos start up a life 

here and have opportunities, 

then why not? 

“For Tranfex, we intend 

GO NEGOSYO 

"We opened a 

warehouse in 

Christchurch in 

May 2021 and we 

are trying to 

mainstream a lot 

of Filipino-loved 

items by putting 

them into the main 

grocery stores like 

Pak’nSave and 

New World." - Joy 

Mead 

to grow this business and 

offer more products and 

services that allow 

Filipinos to connect to the 

Philippines and vice 

versa.” 

Regarding the company's 

exciting plans, Joy 

revealed: “We opened a 

warehouse in Christchurch 

in May 2021 and 

we are trying to mainstream 

a lot of Filipinoloved 

items by putting 

them into the main grocery 

stores like Pak’nSave 

and New World.” 

She further explains the 

logic behind this move. 

“Supermarkets are a onestop 

shop. If you want to 

make sinigang, you can go 

to Pak’nSave to get your 

veges and your meat, but 

you still need to go to an 

Asian store to buy your 

sinigang mix. Why don’t 

we put the sinigang mix in 

Pak’nSave to save Filipinos 

time? That is the 

thinking behind that.” 

The Meads envision a 

bright future for their 

company, because demand 

for their products 

and serv- 

Joy Mead, the 

Managing Director of 

Tres Marias Ltd and 

Tranfex NZ Ltd, 

with Oscar Catoto. 

ices is 

increasing 

exponentially 

due 

to the 

growth of 

the migrant population, 

driven by immigration. 

As Joy puts it: “Our 

objective is to make 

Filipino products household 

names in Kiwi homes 

so that they will ideally 

become like the Kikkoman 

brand; most 

households in New Zealand 

consume Kikkoman 

soy sauce. Why can’t it be 

like that for Filipino 

brands? That’s our vision. 

“If you are interested in 

selling Filipino products 

or balikbayan box services, 

contact us on 09 

2747595 or sales@tresmarias.co.nz.” 

Pictured left is a small 

selection of the many 

food products from the 

Philippines which are 

imported by Tres Marias.

The one and only 

Filipino Job Board 

www.trabaho.nz 

Employers - list your jobs here 

at very affordable rates! 

Job-seekers, check out new job listings. 

mob: 027 387 7680 

trabaho@xtra.co.nz 


33 

YEARS 

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 

• NZ’s first Multicultural Newspaper • 

Circulation 

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

SCAN THIS QR CODE 

on to your mobile 

phone and be up-todate 

on Migrant News 

www.migrantnews.nz 

JOB 

BOARD 


The Auckland Citizens 

Advice Bureau could see 

its doors close permanently. 

Auckland Council will 

meet next week to consider 

making significant cuts to 

spending in the upcoming 

budget. 

The council wants to 

make $20 million of cuts to 

regional services, and axeing 

Auckland Citizens 

Advice Bureau would save 

it $2 million. 

Auckland Council 

Group currently faces a 

budget deficit of $295 million 

for the 2023-24 financial 

year. 

The Public Service 

Association (PSA) has 

urged the council to keep 

Citizens Advice Bureau 

Auckland Citizens 

Advice Bureau on the 

council chopping board 

open. 

PSA national secretary 

Kerry Davies said its message 

to mayor Wayne 

Brown and councillors was 

not to cut the services that 

help communities the 

most. 

Citizens Advice Bureaus 

provide essential support 

for residents, she said. 

The President of the 

Migrant Workers Association 

said closing Citizen's 

Advice Bureaus across 

Auckland do more harm 

than good. 

Anu Kaloti said many 

migrant workers rely on 

the Advice Bureaus to navigate 

New Zealand's difficult 

immigration laws. 

"With our immigration 

policies, the way they are 

set, people have had to 

apply for temporary visa, 

another temporary visa, 

another temporary and it 

takes years and years. 

"The immigration law, 

like all other laws, is not 

easily decipherable for 

these people." 

Kaloti said Citizen's 

Advice Bureaus provide 

much needed support for 

migrant looking for legal 

aid. 

Anyone can walk into 

the 32 bureaus in Auckland 

to get free and confidential 

legal advice. 

The final budget will be 

approved in June. - RNZ 

Lunar New Year: Year of the Rabbit 

When is Lunar New Year 

in 2023? 

In 2023, Lunar New Year 

begins on Sunday, January 

22 and ends on Sunday, 

February 5. In China, this is 

a 15-day span that lasts from 

the new moon to the next 

full moon. The first day of 

the festival is called Spring 

Festival, and the final day is 

the Lantern Festival. 

Lunar New Year is celebrated 

in many Asian cultures, 

including Chinese, 

South Korean, Vietnamese, 

Singaporean, Malaysian, 

Filipino and Indonesian cultures. 

Additionally, each country 

has its own name for Lunar 

New Year. In South Korea, 

for example, it’s Seollal. In 

Vietnam it is called Tet, 

short for Tet Nguyen Dan. 

2023 in the Chinese 

Zodiac is Year of the 

Rabbit. Other years of the 

rabbit include 2011, 1999, 

1987, 1975, 1963, 1951, and 

1939, so those born in these 

years all have something in 

common. 

According to Chinese 

astrology, rabbits – and 

therefore humans born in 

this year – are predicted to 

be gentle, quiet, elegant and 

alert. They’re also supposedly 

quick, skilful, kind, and 

patient. 

The mythology of the rabbit 

is summarised by 

ChineseNewYear.net. “The 

Rabbit is the fourth of all 

zodiac animals. Legend has 

it the Rabbit was proud— 

arrogant even—of its speed. 

He was neighbours with Ox 

and always made fun of how 

slow Ox was. 

“One day, the Jade 

Emperor said the zodiac 

order would be decided by 

the order in which the animals 

arrived at his party. 

Rabbit set off at daybreak. 

But when he got there, no 

other animals were in sight. 

Thinking that he would 

obviously be first, he went 

off to the side and napped. 

However, when he woke up, 

three other animals had 

already arrived. One of them 

was the Ox he had always 

looked down upon.” 

It is thought that men born 

in the Year of the Rabbit are 

extraordinarily polite and do 

whatever they can to avoid 

conflicts, while woman born 

in this year love being social 

and are thoughtful and 

extremely polite too. A 

desire to avoid confrontation 

throughout life is said 

to be salient. 

When it comes to relationships, 

both romantic and 

platonic, rabbits are most 

compatible with dogs, pigs, 

and goats from the Chinese 

Zodiac. They’re apparently 

least compatible with roosters, 

dragons, and rats. 

Naturally rooted in superstition, 

lucky colours for 

rabbits are red, pink, blue, 

and purple, while lucky 

numbers are 3, 4 and 9. 

Unlucky colours are brown, 

grey, and white, and the 

numbers 5 and 11. 

Rabbits are reported 

attracted to creative jobs 

with wide social networks. 

They are good at observation 

and tasks that require 

fine detail. Industries such 

as art, music, architecture, 

as well at networking-based 

jobs such as in public relations, 

may be ideal fields to 

work in. 

On the downside, rabbits 

are said to experience insecurity. 

They may suffer from 

anxiety and depression. 

They may also have a problematic 

relationship with 

food and struggle to maintain 

a balanced diet because 

they eat too much or too little. 

- Asia Media Centre

ISSUE 166 WAITANGI DAY | www.migrantnews.nz | email: migrantnews@xtra.co.nz | www.filipinonews.nz | Facebook: Migrant News 11 

MIGRANT NEWS - Immigration News, Settlement Support ... New Zealand’s first Migrant community newspaper. Published since 1991. Print. Online. Social Media. 

Jade-Ceres Munoz Thelma Trono Bell Miguel Manaig Romelyn Fernandez Garde Noel Bautista Laddie Lou Corpus 

Acknowledging those who came first 


AUCKLAND - For 

some, Waitangi Day is simply 

a public holiday. It’s a 

chance to go on a road trip 

with the family or to kick 

your feet up for an extra 

day. For others, Waitangi 

Day is much more than 

just a public holiday. It is a 

day to remember the pain 

and suffering in the early 

days of New Zealand and a 

chance to jubilate over the 

agreement reached between 

the Maori and the 

Pakeha to coexist. 

The document which set 

this agreement in stone is, 

of course, the Treaty of 

Waitangi. The purpose of 

which was essentially to 

allow for the co-existence 

of the Maori and the 

Pakeha peoples, to protect 

the culture, land and rights 

of the Maori and to give 

the Crown the right to represent 

the interests of all 

New Zealand with their 

governance. 

While NZQA has implemented 

the teaching of 

Maori culture and the 

Treaty of Waitangi into 

high school subjects such 

as history and the government 

has pressed for more 

education around the 

Treaty, it is the new 

arrivals of New Zealand 

that are the least educated 

on the matter. This makes 

the participation in 

Waitangi Day celebrations 

quite a confusing topic for 

migrants, especially newly 

settled ones. 

In this survey we asked 

migrants how they celebrate 

Waitangi Day and 

their understanding of the 

significance of the Treaty 

of Waitangi. 

Some migrants celebrate 

Waitangi Day by organizing 

their own community 

events. “I am involved with 

a group that organizes the 

Ashburton Multi Cultural 

Bite, which has been 

held during Waitangi 

Day weekend every 

year since 2010,” 

shared Thelma Trono 

Bell, JP. “It’s a celebration 

of Mid 

Canterbury's diverse 

community by showcasing 

the different 

cultures through food 

and performances. 

We cancelled the 

show last year for the 

very first time due to 

Covid-19 restrictions. 

The event is back this 

year.” 

A former Ashburton 

City Councillor, 

Thelma is the first 

Philippines-born 

City Councillor in 

New Zealand. “I am 

proud to be a connection 

between the 

locals and the 

migrants, blending 

together, integrating 

together and becoming 

one community,” 

she added. “No doubt 

we have a lot to learn 

from each other and 

it’s pragmatic for us 

to keep on doing so 

for future generations.” 

Filipino-Kiwi Roy Bustenera, 

a senior citizen and 

board member of the 

Filipino Society Inc., has 

lived in Auckland for several 

decades. “When I first 

arrived in New Zealand I 

attended a Waitangi Day 

Celebration at the Treaty 

Grounds,” he said. “I 

recall that there was much 

discord and protests happening 

during the event, so 

I never returned.” 

Waitangi Day is all about 

unity, says Romelyn 

Fernandez Garde, 35, 

interim Director of the 

Philippine Club of 

Rotorua Inc., “It’s accepting 

one another because 

here we are, shining our 

own light, representing 

ourselves, our community, 

and our family. 

Waitangi Day celebrations in Rotorua on 6th February 2023. 

Photo credit: Queenie Lee Tanjay 

“This is my third 

Waitangi celebration as a 

Filipino community coordinator 

and the experience 

has been amazing. It has 

connected me to a lot of 

people, not just knowing a 

specific culture, but multiculturally, 

and more 

importantly, reconnecting 

to my own roots.” 

For Marjorie Luxford, 

27, from Rotorua. Waitangi 

Day is a memorable 

experience, “because we 

don’t have anything like 

this in the Philippines. This 

is my 4th time already to 

attend this occasion and I 

really enjoy it. We are 

already living here in NZ 

so it’s a good time to feel 

part of the local community 

and connect as a citizen 

of Aotearoa.” 

Keith Patangan, 10, 

from Rotorua says: “It’s 

always about the community 

and the culture of all 

kinds that come together at 

the end of the day. Clearly, 

rain or shine, it’s a good 

day to celebrate each 

other’s culture.” 

Argine Patangan, 10, 

from Rotorua also shared 

her viewpoint: “I like it 

when all people embrace 

each other’s culture, the 

past, present, and the past 

altogether. It’s good to see 

everyone embracing and 

helping each other and 

despite the hail, rain, or 

shine, we are still all here 

united as one.” 

Noel Bautista, a Filipino 

Overseas Worker in NZ, 

had this to say: “Beyond 

the momentary respite 

from their workaday 

drudgery, most migrants’ 

awareness is barely 

touched by the historical 

importance of 

Waitangi Day. Which 

is a pity, as the event 

produced consequences 

that are still 

felt today. 

“New Zealand’s 

birth and the continued 

imbalance in 

society are lessons all 

migrants would benefit 

from by understanding 

Waitangi 

Day.” 

“When I first 

moved to New 

Zealand about 8 

years ago, one of our 

first family road trips 

was to the Bay of 

Islands. We stopped 

at the Waitangi 

Treaty Grounds,” 

recalls Jade-Ceres 

Munoz, a Filipino IT 

professional. “Being 

new migrants then, it 

was such an amazing 

experience for us to 

connect to New 

Zealand's history and 

rich culture. It was 

only the second time 

we had seen a kapa 

haka performance, so it 

was quite a treat. We had 

our daughter with us and it 

was a great way to introduce 

her to the country 

that we wanted her to grow 

up in. It's been a while 

since we've been there, so 

we're planning another 

visit soon.” 

“I first learned about 

Waitangi Day in my secondary 

school, Rotorua 

Boys High, which is known 

for being culturally expressive,” 

recalls university 

student Miguel Manaig. 

“It is a public holiday that 

commemorates 

the signing 

of the 

Treaty of 

Waitangi in 

1840 - which 

is considered 

to be New 

Zealand’s founding document. 

“Understanding its 

meaning and significance 

helped bridge my own values 

to those of Maori. Like 

the value of Araw ng 

Kasarinlan (Philippine 

Independence Day) for us 

Filipinos, Waitangi Day 

means the same for Maori 

- freedom from colonial 

oppression. 

“Celebrating it alongside 

my Kiwi-Maori friends 

meant acknowledging 

their history and treating 

both their culture and my 

culture with significance.” 

One man from Kosovo, 

Vullnet Abdylli, who visited 

the Treaty Grounds at 

Waitangi in Northland, 

says: “I’ve been to the Bay 

of Islands and seen the 

house where they signed 

the document. I watch the 

news on TV every day and 

see them trying to work it 

out. The Maoris feel that 

the Europeans cheated 

them, but the Maoris have 

also benefitted from the 

Europeans coming here.” 

Hilary Martin Patrao, 

from India, said: “I know 

that they (Maori) are the 

people who were uprooted 

because of the cultures that 

came after them. I feel that 

we should learn Maori culture 

when we are in the 

country and make our lives 

easier.” 

Filipino-Kiwi nurse, 

Laddie Lou Corpus, said: 

“Waitangi Day is New 

Zealand Day. It was the 

time that Maori signed a 

treaty that opened their 

country to immigrants. A 

day we appreciate and celebrate.”

BUHAY 

NZ 

12 ISSUE 166 7th HERO AWARDS | www.filipinonews.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | www.trabaho.nz | MOB: 027 495 8477 


The 7th 

Filipino-Kiwi 

Hero Awards 

17 June 2023 

Auckland 

official website: 

filipinoheroes. 

nz 

Over 120 super 

heroes 

honoured to date. 

To nominate your 

hero for 2023 

please contact 

us at: 

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xtra.co.nz 

Gore franchisee achieves 

his wellness goals with 

CrestClean 

When Millard Macairan had a 

heart attack at the age of 52, he 

knew something had to change — 

so he bought a CrestClean franchise. 

Millard had been working on 

dairy farms for 12 years, when the 

early starts and demanding workload 

started to take a serious toll 

on his health. 

“It was three days after my 

grandson was born. My son had 

taken a day off and I was alone on 

the farm,” he recalls. 

“I was feeding the cows and 

there was a break-out, so I had to 

round them up. I felt as if I was 

running out of breath. 

“I called my wife to give me a 

hand and after we rounded up the 

cows I had to sit down. Then I felt 

my chest tightening up, and I told 

my wife to call an ambulance. It 

happened really fast.” 

Millard, who had no history of 

heart problems, was rushed to 

hospital where he was stabilised 

and underwent tests to try and 

determine the cause of the heart 

attack. 

“They found nothing wrong 

with my heart. Everything was 

normal and 

my cholesterol 

was 

excellent. 

The cardiologist 

concluded 

that it 

was stress. 

So she asked 

me to take a 

break and 

relax for a 

bit.” 

That’s 

when the 

couple decided 

to invest 

in a CrestClean franchise in Gore. 

“A friend had been encouraging 

us to join CrestClean for five 

years, but I resisted because I find 

transitions quite challenging. But 

after the event I thought ‘okay, 

this is it’,” says Millard. 

He is thankful to CrestClean’s 

Invercargill Regional Manager 

Glenn Cockroft, who helped him 

and Christine build up a solid customer 

base, which saw them double 

their turnover in the first six 

months. 

Millard says that they are earning 

more than when they were 

dairy farming but, more importantly, 

it’s much less stressful and 

has given him time to focus on his 

health and wellness. 

“It’s less physical and we operate 

on our own time. It’s more 

flexible, not like having to wake at 

4am to get the cows in for milking,” 

he says. 

“My wife has been doing yoga 

for years and now I have the time 

to join her. It’s definitely helping, 

especially with my back and flexibility. 

And I’ve gained about 9kg. 

I’ve been wanting to gain weight 

because I’m usually very skinny, 

so for me it’s good.” 

“Christine has been my inspiration 

and the wind behind my sails 

throughout this journey. Her support 

is all that matters to me. Her 

whole-hearted effort brought 

forth all the positive feedback we 

are getting from our customers.” 

With a regular income, there is 

also less financial stress, he adds. 

“We can manage our finances 

more easily. We hope to get a 

mortgage and buy a house next 

year,” says Millard. 

“Now we are encouraging our 

friends to join CrestClean. We are 

hoping that they will listen to us!” 

Glenn says that he continually 

gets positive feedback from 

Millard and Christine’s customers 

and he is grateful to have them on 

board as franchisees. 

“It meant that we were finally 

able to expand further into the 

region,” he says. 

Gore is a big growth area for 

CrestClean, says Glenn. 

“Millard and Christine were 

happy to take on additional work 

to expand their business right 

from day one. Just 18 months 

after they purchased their franchise 

with us their business has 

grown to a point that they are now 

turning over three times their 

original purchase value.” 

- SUPPLIED

BANDAR SERI BEGA- 

WAN - You get that million-dollar 

feeling the 

moment you arrive in 

Bandar Seri Begawan 

(Bandar for short) - 

Brunei’s capital city. I 

would best describe my 

experience as being akin to 

entering Aladdin’s cave. 

This tiny nation, awash 

with its oil wealth, displays 

breathtaking opulence at 

every turn. It appears that 

no expense has been 

spared in constructing the 

Sultan’s grandiose palaces, 

its incredible 

mosques, the glamourous 

buildings, the flashy 

tourist attractions and also 

for tourists, an extravagant 

7-star hotel that 

should be on your 

travel bucket list. 

This oil rich sultanate, 

sandwiched 

between the East 

Malaysia states of 

Sabah and Sarawak, 

is accessible by either air 

or sea. 

There are no direct 

flights to this destination 

from New Zealand, so you 

need to fly on a couple of 

carriers and put up with 

some stops to get there. 

Some of the carriers flying 

directly to the state include 

Malaysian Airlines, 

Singapore Airlines and 

Philippine Airlines. 

Once neglected by the 

travel agents, Brunei 

gained ground as a 

tourist destination once 

the state-owned Royal 

Brunei Airlines (RBA) 

started operations in 

1974. Over the years, 

flight capacity to and 

hotel accommodation in 

this destination were 

boosted as tourism was 

actively promoted by 

Brunei Tourism and 

RBA. 

Today Brunei is an 

attractive stopover and 

tourists will find their visit 

to this land of plenty richly 

rewarding. There is so 

much to take in during 

your visit - the natural 

bounty, the modern 

delights, the history, the 

culture and of course, the 

cuisine. It is also good to 

know that 90% of the population 

is fully vaxxed. 

There is a wide range of 

accommodation available 

in Bandar, but I wouldn’t 

go past the 7-star Empire 

Hotel in Jerudong which 

overlooks the glittering 

South China Sea. 

One of the hotel executives 

fondly describes this 

tropical retreat as a ‘little 

palace’. How true. You will 

be mesmerized by its 

grandeur - the juxtaposition 

of old-world charm 

and elegance with modern 

gold fixtures everywhere, 

spacious and exquisitely 

designed guest rooms, private 

beaches, a championship 

golf course, five 

pools, six restaurants and 

even a cinema. I was not 

surprised to hear that it 

took 6 years to build this 

tropical retreat. 

Here's a travel tip. Note 

that entertainment, on the 

scale that tourists are 

accustomed to in most 

Asian tourist hot spots, is 

practically non-existent 

here. 

In this strictly Islamic 

state there are no nightclubs, 

the sale of alcohol is 

not encouraged and there 

is a clamp-down on gambling 

and prostitution. 

Some would call it a ghost 

town after dark. 

So, what is there to do 

once you get there? Lots of 

exciting things, actually. 

My first stop was the 

very source of Brunei’s 

wealth - the oil towns of 

Seria and Kuala Belait. 

They almost resemble 

Texan oil towns with their 

huge and impressive oil 

and gas work complexes. 

The trunk road from 

Bandar to these towns is 78 

km long and is Brunei’s 

only highway. 

Nearly everyone of 

Brunei’s population of 

500,000 is either employed 

by Brunei Shell or associated 

with the oil business 

in some way. 

For the moment, revenue 

(above:) The luxurious Empire Hotel. (right:) Kampong Ayer 

For the adventurous there 

are the nature reserves. 

The Quaint 

Sultanate 

from the gushing crude oil 

and gas enables the people 

there to live in relative 

prosperity. The richest little 

kingdom in the region, 

it enjoys one of the highest 

living standards in Asia 

and is gearing up to 

achieve a per capita 

income within the top 10 

countries in the world. 

It is good to know that 

there is no income tax in 

Brunei and education and 

medical care are free. 

C I T Y T O U R : 

Bandar still retains its 

small-town charm, as towering 

skyscrapers have yet 

to take over the town. I 

drove around the Istana 

Nurul Iman (the royal 

palace), the golden Sultan 

Omar Ali Saifuddien 

Mosque (which is among 

the largest mosques in 

Southeast Asia) and the 

even grander Kairong 

Mosque, the largest in 

Brunei. 

A visit to one of these 

grandiose mosques is an 

eye-opener with their marble 

minarets, gold domes, 

the mixture of Malay and 

Mughal elements and 

Saudi Arabian carpets covering 

the floors as British 

chandeliers hang from the 

ceilings. 

Two other city attractions 

worth visiting are the 

Royal Regalia Museum 

and the 1 Billion Dollar 

Jerudong Theme Park. 

TOUR 1: 

A not-to-be-missed slice 

of life attraction is 

Kampong Ayer (nicknamed 

the Venice of the 

East) - the largest water 

village in the world. 

This is where 50,000 

Bruneians, or a quarter of 

the population of the city, 

live in houses perched on 

stilts. It is the home of fishermen, 

silver craftsmen 

and locals who find living 

on the river much cooler. 

TOUR 2: 

The rainforest is just 3-5 

km from the city. For the 

adventurous there are the 

nature reserves, caves and 

a waterfall to explore. If 

time permits travel by 

longboat to Temburong 

National Park, 45 minutes 

away, for a close-up view 

of the jungle. You might 

even glimpse some of the 

abundant native species 

that have survived here. 

If you are in a hurry then 

sign up for the Mangrove 

and River Safari - this is an 


www.travelgalore.nz 

exciting speed-boat trip to 

the ‘Everglades country’ 

up the Brunei River. 

TOUR 3: 

The immensity of the 

Borneo jungle becomes 

apparent when you visit 

the Iban longhouse at 

Temburong. The Ibans are 

very hospitable people and 

they go to great lengths to 

make you feel at home. 

Their community life and 

primitive hunting are truly 

fascinating. 

If you have the time, 

travel further to visit the 

Limbang longhouses inside 

Sarawak. Travel documents 

are necessary for 

this journey. 

FOOD TOUR: 

It is no surprise that 

there is a thriving restaurant 

scene in town. Highly 

recommended eateries are 

the Aminah Arif Restaurant 

and the Rizquan Café, 

which offer the superb 

local favourite ‘nasi katok’ 

- rice with chicken or beef 

and anchovies and a spicy 

sauce wrapped in banana 

leaves. Another version of 

this rice dish is the Loklo 

Nasi Campur at Westpark 

Corner. 

Other must try dishes 

are soto (liver and intestine 

noodle soup), grilled 

clams, satay, pulut panga 

(sticky rice) and do try the 

national dish of Brunei - 

ambuyat – sago palm jelly. 

Preferring the street 

food experience, I tried a 

variety of popular fare at 

the Pasir Gadong Night 

Market. 

To wrap up I’d say that 

Brunei is a great travel 

experience, because it is literally 

out of this world. 

Comparing it with my 

Ambuyat - the national dish 

of Brunei. 

sojourns around bustling 

South East Asia, I found 

that the main difference in 

the quaint sultanate is that 

it is not swamped by 

tourists and it offers a 

relaxing, slower pace of 

life. A great place to 

recharge. 

Selamat datang! (welcome). 

Mel Fernandez travelled to 

Brunei from Singapore courtesy 

of Brunei Airlines.

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SCAN TO VIEW 


B l i n d A s s e m b l e r 

Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics • Assembly & Process Work 

$23.50 - $26.00 per hour. Full time. 

Mr Blinds New Zealand Limited 

Mt. Wellington, Auckland 

Mr Blinds is a growing, kiwi owned and 

operated blinds manufacturer based in 

Mt. Wellington. We pride ourselves on the 

quality and outstanding workmanship of our 

products and making a positive difference to 

our customers and their homes. 

We have some core values that are 

important to us; positivity, respect of others, 

always communicate, take responsibility, treat 

all fairly, celebrate success, have a can do 

attitude, support each other. 

Send your Resume and cover letter to: 

charlie@mrblinds.co.nz 

Or give us a ring on 09 2749313 

and ask for Charlie to inquire further 

about this vacancy. 

Your base hourly rate is dependent on your experience plus we have attractive bonuses and 

a good performer could expect to earn from $28.50 to $32 per hour gross. 

We are looking for someone who can work 

across our factory learning how to make 

blinds as well wrapping and packing 

blinds to send to our customers. 

Previous blind experience, while an 

advantage, is not necessary as we will 

teach you our ways. 

More important is your attitude and work 

ethic. 

IF YOU: 

• Are a strong team player as well as able 

to work on your own 

• Take pride in producing a high quality 

product 

• Have proven ability to follow set 

processes and learn new skills 

• Are reliable and punctual 

• Are able to work well with people from 

all backgrounds 

• Have a high sense of ownership and 

responsibility 

• Have good communication skills 

• Have great attention to detail 

• Then we would like to hear from you. 

Applicants for this position should have 

NZ residency or a valid NZ work permit. 

Please note we have a zero tolerance 

policy regarding drugs and you may be 

required to pass a drug test prior to 

employment. 

Production Workers 

Wanted 

- HIRING NOW! 

Tel: 09 478 6200 

Email: hevens@nz. 

drakeintl.com 

Contact Drake Albany 

today for a confidential 

discussion. 

Housekeeper 

Responsibilities: 

• Perform a variety of cleaning activities such 

as sweeping, mopping, dusting, polishing and 

other motel housekeeping work. 

• Ensure all rooms are cared for and inspected according to standards. 

• Check stocking levels of all consumables and replace them when 

appropriate. 

Requirements: 

• Ability to work with little supervision and maintain a high level of 

performance. • Customer-oriented and friendly. • There will be around 

15-20 hours or more of work per week at $22 per hour. 

Please drop your resume to: info@takapunainternational.co.nz 

Come join the A-Team 

Wall Treats is a premium house painting service in Auckland. We are looking for experienced 

residential painters who can deliver the high-end finishes on which we have built our 

reputation. If you’d like to boost your resume and skills, this might be the role for you! 

Our team is family-friendly, driven, and paid well for their quality work. 

We paint interiors and exteriors for clients in blue-chip Auckland suburbs who are prepared 

to invest in the best possible results. 

Their villas and luxury homes require precise workmanship and premium service. 

The right person for this role will be: 

• A New Zealand citizen or permanent resident, without convictions. 

• Possessing a minimum of five years’ experience in professional house painting 

with both brushes and rollers. 

• Clean-cut, well-presented, punctual, reliable, and adept at time management. 

• Polite and discreet, able to deal decorously and professionally with high-profile clients. 

• Tidy and careful, capable of protecting furniture, flooring, and anything else while painting. 

• Calm and steady under pressure, and able and willing to carefully follow instructions and 

established systems. 

• Possessing a reliable vehicle. 

• We provide top-quality work to our valued clients at Wall Treats, and we treat our team 

well to ensure that they can maintain our high standard. 

You’ll enjoy: 

• Working for—and gaining experience with—one of Auckland’s best premium painting 

providers. An opportunity that can open doors. 

• Pay that’s above market rate for the right person, including overtime. 

• Health and life insurance cover as part of your salary package. 

• Family-friendly culture, including perks such as later starts, early finishes on your kids’ 

birthdays, decent breaks over the holiday period, and additional leave days on your 

birthday. 

• A structured and organised work environment. 

This role also offers the opportunity to work on some of Auckland’s most beautiful houses, 

from gorgeous old villas to designer contemporary homes. If you’d like to take your residential 

painting career to the next level, apply now—we are in need of great people to join this 

skilled and hardworking team. 

Email: admin@walltreats.co.nz or call 0800 008 168 to clarify our requirements.

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