Filipino News 167

BUHAY
NZ
02 ISSUE 167 FILIPINO HERO AWARDS | www.filipinonews.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | www.trabaho.nz | mob: 027 495 8477
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By Sheila Mariano
AUCKLAND - A Filipino
publisher based in Australia
once sent me a bunch of
interesting books to review.
One of the books that I
particularly enjoyed reading,
because of the humour, was
'Learning and Speaking
Filipino' by Renato Perdon.
According to the author, it
was dedicated “To the
Filipino expatriates around
the world and their families
and foreign friends who
wish to learn and speak the
Filipino language”.
I was also drawn to another
book in the collection
titled 'As I See It, Filipinos
and Philippines' by Pura
Santillan-Castrence.
The book was published
as a tribute to Dr Castrence
for her 100th birthday in
March 2005. Born in 24
March 1905, she died at the
age of 101 in January 2007.
The writer was an experienced
journalist, university
professor, essayist, columnist,
critic, Barbour Scholar,
and above all she was a
mother of four girls and two
boys - now all successful in
their chosen fields.
“It's a compilation of her
articles, which were all published
in a Filipino community
newspaper, distributed
Australia-wide, between
1999-2005”, said Mr Perdon.
I was only planning to flip
through some pages in the
book, but for some reason
found myself reading the
entire book. This was the
very first black and white
book (I'm partial to glossy
entertainment magazines)
that I finished reading from
cover to cover. God knows
when I last got interested in
any historical book, which is
what I believe
this is.
N a n a y
Pura had
seen it all,
from Spanish,
American to
Japanese colonization.
From Quezon,
Roxas, Macapagal,
Marcos, Aquino, Ramos,
Estrada to the Arroyo
administration. This is history
lesson 101 for me. But the
most interesting article in
her book; which inspired me
to go back to reading books
and challenge her statement,
is 'Filipinos' reading habits'
written in September 2002.
I felt that her observations
were uncanny and spot on.
She said that “Filipinos are
not readers. They are not
what may be called 'book
people'”.
She added that “the
Filipinos have always been
As I read it.
“Filipinos are not readers. They are not what may be
called 'book people'”, says Pura Santillan-Castrence
copy-cats, but they have not
copied the American habit of
reading.
“Filipinos have imitated
American songs, short stories,
dances - indeed many
By Mila Baker
American ways of doing
things.”
According to her, “The
Filipino masses cannot help
being non-readers. Even the
most literate of them, however,
are more involved in
themselves and in their family
than in reading.
“Students, office workers
and others alike would
rather watch the TV, listen to
the radio, use the computer
or the Internet, or read light
magazines, comics, cartoons
and horoscopes (not to mention
showbiz magazines).”
I admire and highly regard
those who are well read and
can write, speak and express
themselves flawlessly.
People like Oprah, Sarah-
Kate Lynch, Sharon Cuneta,
Kris Aquino, my award winning
journalist friend who I
met overseas, my husband -
my walking and handy dictionary,
newspaper and
horoscope reader all in one.
Since I read Dr Pura's
book, I've gone on to read
several books from the local
library and, dare
I say, I am getting
addicted to
reading.
I'm always
seeking the best
titles that the
library has to
offer and worry
that there might
not be enough books for me
to read - what a worrier.
When my son started
schooling I enroled him in
the Summer Reading
Programme - cost free – to
WHAT A FIND ...
I found a ‘Little
Library’ in Blockhouse
Bay next to the Community
House.
This is an awesome
way to encourage our
people and young children
to read - because
you can borrow books,
swap it or donate it with
no money involved.
I believe there are also
other areas where you
can find these mini
libraries.
Libraries are amazing
as they allow people to
borrow books and enjoy
reading them at no cost.
If we want our young
children to excel, this is a
smart start !
Our kids will learn to
enjoy books and other
resources only if we
encourage them to do so
at an early stage and it
costs nothing.
Reading is powerful for
ongoing learning and
helps many of us to gain
knowledge for our daily
lives.
For those looking for
answers or seeking exciting
adventures and discovering
new pathways
or even searching for
careers, it's a bonus.
And it’s good to have a
chat with real people
with a smile at the
library. That's another
extra bonus!
introduce him to the joy of
books.
He received a gift from the
librarian every time he
checked-in (four sessions in
all) and a Prize Pack on
completing the programme
at a well attended graduation
ceremony at Te Atatu Peninsula
Community Centre.
The reading habit is now
instilled in my son’s psyche
and I marvel at his astonishing
creative writing skills.
I salute New Zealand for
inculcating the reading habit
in our children and for providing
state-of-the-art facilities
in the libraries. They
have books there for everyone.
Audio books are getting
popular too.
I saw one teenage guy
lying face down in the middle
of the long padded couch
in the reading area. I think
he was sleeping, but nobody
minded. You may even come
without jandals on (although
I haven't seen anyone do so),
as they have a very laid back
atmosphere. I also find the
librarians are quite friendly
and extremely helpful.
Membership to the library
is free. Those living in
Auckland, thanks to the
Super City, can now borrow
and return books from and to
the 55 different library locations.
You can save time browsing
by finding a book of
your choice directly from
their website and it can be
reserved for you. They can
email reminders of due dates
and there's a link to renew
your books online from the
comfort of your home.
Happy reading!
PH ANNOUNCES NEW
AMBASSADOR TO NZ
MANILA – A new Ambassador
of the Philippines to New
Zealand has been named.
For H.E. Kira Christianne
Danganan Azucena, a Dumaguete
native, this post will be her
first assignment as an ambassador.
She will also serve as envoy to
the Pacific islands close to New
Zealand, including Fiji, Samoa,
H.E. Kira Christianne Danganan
Azucena, the newly appointed PH
Ambssador to New Zealand.
Photo: screen grab from Twitter.
Tonga, and Cook Islands.
A seasoned diplomat, Azucena
had previously been deployed to
Philippine missions in Rome,
Italy, Hong Kong, and New York
City.
In a message of support for the
new appointee, Manuel “Chiquiting”
Sagarbarria, member of
the Commission on Appointments,
had this to say at a plenary
session at the Philippine
Senate in February this year:
“With her extensive background
and efforts for the welfare of the
Filipino community both here
and abroad, it is no wonder why
she is highly-respected and
admired as a persevering and
hardworking career Diplomat.”
Azucena is a graduate of the
Silliman University College of
Mass Communication.
Azucena said: "(I am) very
thankful and very humbled and
also very challenged because as
ambassador, kita man ang highest
representation of the
Philippine government in that
country so there's a lot of expectations
and higher set of standards
to adhere to."
Look out for the interview with H.E.
Kira Azucena on our website: www.
filipinonews.nz