Filipino News 172

BUHAY
NZ
02 ISSUE 172 | FIESTA PILIPINAS | www.filipinonews.nz | filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | www.migrantnews.nz | Facebook: Migrant News
www.filipinoheroes.nz : Over a 120 Filipino Kiwi Heroes have been recognised over the years by Filipino News NZ.
Fiesta Pilipinas has come full circle.
continued from pg 1 Leo Fernandez, a NZ
munity and culture focused, their culture and reinstate
By Ricky Matthew
Masterchef runner-up and
and Mel says that this their sense of pride.
We’ve had the likes of celebrated vegan chef rise of the Filipino population
year’s event will not stray For the youth, it is an
A n g e l
Apun; who
is pioneering
over the last few years,
as Mel explains. “When we
launched Fiesta Pilipinas,
away.
“One of our objectives is
to provide a space where
ideal opportunity to
learn about their culture
and participate in
plant there were around 20,000 Filipinos can appreciate the traditions of their
b a s e d
Filipino
Filipinos in New
Zealand. Now the
parents and grandparents.
food, who number exceeds
“On the 8th of
have been 100,000 to 120,
June at Auckland
honoured in 000. That’s why
Showgrounds will be
the past, the scale of our
our Fiesta Pilipinas
and this Fiesta this year has
Independence Day
year our to match the size
Commemoration.
awardee
does not fall
of the population.
Responding to the
This FREE event
with lots of parking
short of need for expansion,
will run between
excellence.”
we have gone
10am and 4pm, with
T h e back to where it all
special events and
growing began at the
entertainment running
demand for Auckland Showgrounds.”
at different
Filipino
events can Past iterations of
times of the day.
Look out for a huge
be put down the event have
display of Filipino
to the rapid always been com-
food, Filipino businesses,
community groups,
information stalls and cultural
displays.”
www.fiestapilipinas.nz
Many are called but few are chosen.
By Ricky Matthew
In a foreign land that
scarcely echoes the familiarity
of home, Filipino
migrants often find themselves
navigating a delicate
balance between assimilation
and preserving cultural
identity. Yet, through the
veins of every Filipino-Kiwi
runs a spirit of patriotism
and cultural pride that is
undeniable.
Over the last decade, the
Filipino-Kiwi Hero Awards
has recognised countless
Filipinos for their contributions
to the community or
success in their respective
fields.
Adjusting to a wildly different
culture and having to
fight to survive and thrive in
a new country are common
experiences that every
Filipino migrant faces. The
awards are a chance for
community to recognise and
celebrate the successes of
their fellow Filipinos that
have fought and come out on
top.
“Pinoys love what they do
and love their hosts and fellow
migrants, manifesting it
in their daily deeds,” says
Kiwi Hero Award recipient
and blogger, Noel Bautista.
“Having dedicated themselves
to their second home,
Pinoys likewise dedicate
themselves to their jobs and
communities. Just as importantly,
Pinoys show how
grateful they are to be adopted
members of the New
Zealand community by giving
the latter their fullest
measures of effort, respect
and cooperation.”
Business achievers,
migrant advocates, doctors
and nurses, outstanding
youth, community leaders,
X-factor musicians, international
athletes, chefs and
many others are among the
prestigious group that have
walked across the same
stage to accept their Hero
Award. These Heroes share
the determination to overachieve
that migrant communities
have always been
known for.
In 2014, the first ever
Filipino-Kiwi Hero Awards
Some of the 2024 Filipino-Kiwi Heroes: Jade-Ceres Munoz, Katharina Weischede,
Ding Capunitan, Louie Bretana, Seth Boy and Alfred Dela Pena. www.filipinoheroes.nz
was held at Auckland
Showgrounds in Auckland.
Since then, the community
has crowned 150 Filipino-
Kiwi Heroes that have flourished
in the new homeland
of New Zealand.
This year, a decade on, the
awards are returning to
where it all began. On the
8th of June 2024, the 7th
Filipino-Kiwi Hero Awards
will be celebrating Filipinos
that have gone beyond the
ordinary at the Auckland
Showgrounds.
The 2024 award categories
are sports, community
hero, youth, professional
and civic engagement, business
excellence and creative
arts. “Ever since 2014,
Filipino News NZ have
sought to recognise Filipino
Kiwis individuals that the
newspaper’s editors have
determined have made significant
contributions on
many levels. As journalists,
we are at the forefront of
breaking news, so we are
privy to the achievements of
our kababayan,” says Mel
Fernandez, Director of
Filipino News.
“We undertake in depth
research and interview
potential candidates, their
mentors and their supporters
to produce profile articles
about them that are published
in our newspapers to
garner feedback from our
readers and the general public.
“Our rigorous selection
process seems to have
worked well, as in one case
we have received 100 letters
of support for an awardee
from those they have interacted
with in a positive fashion.
If no negative feedback
is received on the way, the
candidate progresses to the
next stage of the process.
These members names are
published as potential
awardees and shared to a
cross section of community
leaders and the embassy to
elicit more feedback,” articulates
Mel.
As with every year, the
awards come with a unique
twist. “Over the years, the
concept for the awards has
evolved to keep the interest
going. This year we are
bringing a ‘barrio fiesta
feel’ but at a large scale.
Cultural theatre, multiple
high-voltage fashion shows
and for the first time we are
dedicating an entire segment
to the Filipino Kiwi Music
Awards where our music
award recipients, past and
present, will be performing,”
Mel explains.
The 2024 Filipino-Kiwi
Hero Awards is FREE to
celebrate at the Auckland
Showground on 8th June.
More updates can
be found at:
www.filipinoheroes.nz
and
www.fiestapilipinas.nz