Paskong Pinoy...
A Perth Family’s Christmas wish
A high school student,
she’s the drummer
girl for the marching
band at the Pasko
Festival. She still
remembers something
about Christmas in
the Philippines. “I
remember there were
lots of food, the church
services, firecrackers,
and most of all, the
caroling in the streets
– yeah, sometimes I
miss that.”
Alessandra Delfin
Rooty Hill NSW
ALESSANDRA DELFIN
MILA ANCHETA &
MARISSA YONGCO
They arrived in Australia during the 1970s. For
them, Christmas season in Australia means a time
to beat the summer heat. They are here at the park
resting while feasting on a Pinoy favourite – halohalo. “Christmas here is very different, sometimes it’s
just like an ordinary day – I’ve been a nurse for many
years and most of the times had to be on duty even on
Christmas day,” says Marissa. Mila is from Leichardt
while Marissa is from Summer Hill.
As a husband of a
diplomat based in the
consulate, he says he
could be celebrating
Christmas in the
Philippines in the
years to come. He
was one of marshalls
at the Pasko Festival.
“One thing we
really do during
Christmas is attend
the Simbang Gabi,
dama mo ang Pasko
doon, masasarap na
pagkain at siyempre
nagkikita-kita ang
pamilya.”
Stroke survivor
appeals for their visa
A widower with a disability is hoping that the Ministry of
Immigration will finally grant their permanent residency
visa before Christmas. Rene Matados, a father of two,
has been residing in Perth for years now on a bridging
visa. Their family has been coping with the tragic loss
of Rene’s wife who succumbed to breast cancer in May
2012.
Grieving over the death of his wife, Rene suffered
a debilitating stroke that left him with disability.
“It has been a long wait yet I’m hoping for the best
decision for my children.” “I do believe that there is
always a shining light at the end of the tunnel,” Rene
said.
He says their family have been good residents in
Australia since they moved here from the Philippines
on the strength of a 457 visa in 2008. The father
takes pride in his children – Renzon, 20 and Robin,
14 – who have been doing well in their studies.
Renzon completed his Trade Cert 111 Vehicle
Painter awarded by the Department of Training and
Workforce Development last month. Renzon also got
an RAC Award for his workmanship. The eldest son
is keen to look for work as soon as they heard from
the Minister. Rene added that Renzon has a greater
chance of getting a job on a permanent residency
visa.
Rene is equally pleased with the academic
achievement of Robin, a Yr 9 student at Belmont City
College. The Task Mark Report, Semester Two 2016
of Robin shows excellent academic results in Maths,
English and all his other subjects.
A community campaign for the family’s residency
visa started over four years ago in May 2012 when
Migrante brought to then Minister Chris Bowen his
plight, a 457 visa worker appealing to consider his
residency visa on compassionate grounds.
Christmas of 2014 did not bring good tidings for
the family when the immigration office informed
them that the appeal for the visa was refused. They
were given a few days to file for an appeal at the
immigration tribunal.
A year later, in November 2015, the same sad
news from the tribunal came informing him of refusal
of the residency visa. They were then advised to seek
Ministerial Intervention.
Nelson Mapaye of Migrante lodged an appeal to
Honourable Minister Dutton in behalf of the Matados
to intervene and consider their application and
further to uphold The Convention on the Rights of
the Children, Article 18 ( Best Interest of the Child );
in relation to providing access to public education
to Robin and employment opportunities to Renzon.
Migrante believes that the children have worked
hard for their schooling and deserve to be rewarded.
Now the family is anxiously waiting with prayers
that Christmas of 2016 will be a better one for them.
“Christmas season is here once again and I am
getting anxious. I hope the Minister will give my children
a fair go in Australia, a country we now call home for over
eight years,” Rene said. “They said that justice delayed is
justice denied, I certainly hope not in our case.”
Joselito Morales
Sydney NSW
JOSELITO MORALES
06
DECEMBER 2016
|
ANG KALATAS
“CHRISTMAS SEASON IS HERE ONCE AGAIN AND I AM GETTING
ANXIOUS. I HOPE THE MINISTER WILL GIVE MY CHILDREN A FAIR
GO IN AUSTRALIA, A COUNTRY WE NOW CALL HOME FOR OVER
EIGHT YEARS,” RENE SAID. “THEY SAID THAT JUSTICE DELAYED IS
JUSTICE DENIED, I CERTAINLY HOPE NOT IN OUR CASE.”
www.kalatas.com.au