Key Points
- Apat ang Filipino-Australian na napabilang sa Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll 2022.
- Ang Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll ay ang dating kategorya na Meritorious Service Community sa taunanang Multicultural Awards for Excellence ng Victorian Multicultural Commission.
- Isang student forum at networking ang ginanap sa Konsulado ng Pilipinas sa Melbourne kamakailan at dito nagbigay ng mga mensahe ng inspirasyon ang mga ito.
Mula sa daan-daang nominado para sa Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll 2022, dalawampu't walo ang napili at apat dito ay mula sa komunidad ng Filipino-Australian.
Sa panayam ng SBS Filipino, nagpasalamat ang apat na mga naparangalan at ibinahagi ang kanilang mga nais pang magawa para sa komunidad.
Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll 2022 Inductees. Credit: Victorian Multicultural Commission
"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."
May Red Zafra teach students the Filipino language. Source: SBS / May Red Zafra
"3 years pa lang ang Good Vibes Pilipinas but siguro blessing in disguise nung magka-COVID kasi nung tinatag namin yung Good Vibes Pilipinas and by that year bigla ring dumating yung COVID. And it shows na kung kailan maraming associations ang nagkawalaan, kami naman ang active.
During that time, makikita mo kung sino talaga ang mga nandyan kapag may mga sakuna na for example yung COVID and also bushfires na nangyari and that’s what Good Vibes Pilipinas contributed to the community hindi lang sa Pilipino kundi sa multicultural community."
Melvin Mata 'On Air' on his radio program. Credit: Melvin Mata
"I think it's very flattering in fact pero deeply honoured. This is an award na hindi lang para sa akin but more for the organisations that I have been involved in for the last three decades. In particular, yung 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."
Beng De Leon speaking at the Laverton Community Hub. Credit: Beng De Leon
"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."
Sherley Hart speaking in front of Filipino/Australian Association Of Ballarat Inc. (FAABI) event. Credit: Filipino/Australian Association Of Ballarat Inc. (FAABI)
Bukod sa mga inductees ng Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll, isa rin sa nagbigay ng mensahe si Marisa Vedar na napabiling sa Victorian Honour Roll of Women 2021 na pinarangalan ngayong taon.
Pinasalamatan ni Marisa ang mga tumulong at nagboluntaryo sa kanilang mga ginagawa.
"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."
Marisa Vedar received the Victorian Honour Roll of Women recognition. Credit: Marisa Vedar
"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.
So we would like to do more capacity-building training para sa mga volunteers who will be working in social enterprise. Gusto namin magkaroon ng team buidling, we want to do more networking, more partnership with schools, with young groups, we’re planning for the next generation of volunteers."
