Key Points
- The Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll 2022 recognised the local individuals promoting culturalism and diversity.
- The Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll replaces the Meritorious Service to the Community category from the VMC’s annual Multicultural Awards for Excellence.
- Filipino inductees of VMHR shared message of inspiration to the next generation of leaders through a student forum.
With more than a hundred nominees, the Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll 2022 has recognised 28 unsung heroes with four coming from the Filipino-Australian community.
Speaking to SBS Filipino, inductees shared their passion for helping people and being grateful for having an opportunity to serve.
May Red-Zafra
"It's actually because of my work in Tagalog Learning Incorporated wherein I try to propagate and maintain the Filipino language and I think it's really important to really work with our community, and understand the needs, especially with our kids.
I think that it makes me really value the work that I'm doing for the community. I know there’s a lot of work to be done but we have a good start. This recognition of our work and I'm sharing it with my team really motivates us to really keep going."
Melvin Mata
"Good Vibes Pilipinas has just been around for three years but maybe the timing of COVID is a blessing in disguise since a number of associations are missing at the time, we are very active.
During that time, you will see who is present at times of disaster. For example with COVID and bushfires happened, that's what when we contributed to the community, not only to Filipinos but to the rest of the multicultural community."
Beng De Leon
"I think it's very flattering in fact I'm deeply honoured. This is an award not only for me but more for the organisations that I have been involved in for the last three decades. In particular, the Couples for Christ, CFC-ANCOP which is our work for the poor and also being part of the media which is 3ZZZ 92.3 in Melbourne where I have served as a volunteer broadcaster every Friday since 1991.
This is really a recognition for all the work that my fellow broadcasters and fellow ANCOP and CFC workers in being part of a wider community of Victoria, in particular, promoting this multiculturalism in Greater Melbourne and greater Australia as well."
Shirley Hart
"Ballarat is also a home for many many Filipinos. It is a progressive regional and a big city now. Not only in Ballarat, but I also mentored all the way to the other side of regional like Horsham, Hamilton, and Bendigo.
All the rest I am connecting them because it is important because there are more areas there that are now inhabited by many Filipinos."
In a student forum recently held at the Consulate General in Melbourne, the four awardees shared inspirational messages to the next generation of leaders.
Aside from the inductees of the Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll 2022, Marisa Vedar, who was recognised this year for her efforts as a community leader by Victorian Honour Roll of Women 2021 also addressed the students.
Marisa commends the volunteers working behind the scene and look forward to passing on leadership to the next generation.
"I'm actually very very happy, the award is an affirmation that we are on the right track in doing whatever we are doing. It's also a confirmation that we are reaching the right target people. It's an affirmation that our vision and mission are correct."
"It's also a celebration of the hard work that we've been doing and I share this with all the volunteers of Gawad Kalinga, especially with the Director who has been so hardworking, especially during the pandemic times in helping our kababayans needing help."
