MESSAGE
Paskong Pinoy ...
KRISTOFER ONATE
Enjoying the fishballs at the Pasko Festival . “ Talagang nakaka-miss ang pasko sa Pilipinas
– lalo na ang mga pagkain natin . Kaya nga ako nagpunta dito dahil nakita ko na may festival pala dito , I saw it on Facebook .”
Kristofer Onate Alexandria , NSW
Philippine Christmas Festival
Paskong Pinoy at
Thousands trooped to the Tumbalong Park in Darling Harbour over a weekend last month at the ‘ Philippine Christmas Festival ’ held as part of the celebration of the 70th Anniversary of Philippine-Australia Diplomatic Relations .
The event displayed a variety of Filipino food , products , and services and cultural presentations spread out over two days . It featured carols on stage , Filipiniana dances and songs , and other presentations highlighting the spirit of Pinoy Christmas .
The festival was organised by the Philippine Community Council of New South Wales in cooperatin with the Philippinne Consulate General and the Offices of the Philippine Department of Tourism and the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry in Sydney . This event is supported by the Philippine Tourism Promotions Board and Multicultural NSW
Photos by Bob Reyes
MESSAGE
JAZEL BUOT & MARIANNE IBARRA
' We love and enjoy being a part of this festival ' - Jazel Buot and Marianne Ibarra after their presentation on stage at the Pasko Festival . The girls are from the Youth of St . Therese Church in Mascot , NSW .
She flashes a ‘ Wish You Were Here ’ sign saying she got her Christmas wish this year . “ This is really a wonderful Christmas for me ! I just got my permanent residency visa . This is the best gift that I received this year . How I wish my family can also join me here in the future . Right now , I am excited because I will also go home to the Philippines for a while to celebrate Christmas there .”
Jenny McGregor Carringbah NSW
The year 2016 has been ausp1c1ous for the Filipino Community in Australia . Throughout the year , the Philippines and Australia have been jointly celebrating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with commemorative activities both here and in the Philippines .
Last month , the Philippine Embassy and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade jointly sponsored the exhibit " Reimagining Australia : Voices of Indigenous Australians of Filipino Descent " based on the book by Dr . Deborah Ruiz Wall . The enthusiastic support we received both from the Filipino Community and other sectors in Canberra paralleled that of various Filipino communities across Australia during commemorative events and townhall meetings . This is a testament to the strong sense of nationalism of Filipinos in Australia , while at the same time continuing to contribute in strengthening the bonds of friendship between our two nations . Our sense of solidarity enables us to integrate well with communities we choose to live in .
In recognition of the Filipino-Australians ' significant contributions to Philippine nation-building and to the enhancement of Philippine- Australian people-to-people relations , two Filipino-Australian individuals and one organization are among this year ' s recipients of the 2016 Presidential Awards .
The Filipino trait that stands out and carries us through every challenge is our deep religiosity . As we celebrate Christ ' s birth with great joy and look to 2017 with anticipation , let us take this opportunity to collectively express our gratitude to our Creator for the bountiful blessings He has bestowed on us all . It is time to reflect on how we have been as a community and also chart where we want to take ourselves , our country and our communities in the future .
Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon !
JENNY MCGREGOR
H . E . MINDA CALAGUIAN AN CRUZ Philippine Ambassador to Australia
14 DECEMBER 2016 | ANG KALATAS www . kalatas . com . au