Consul Jan Sherwin Wenceslao from the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) Melbourne embarked on a rural meet and greet trip during the Easter break, much to the delight of the Filipinos living in Northern Victoria. He was accompanied by Jason Cordi, Editor-in-Chief of The Philippine Times, and Peter and Mila Cichello, who tapped into active Filipino health, academic and community networks in the region.
The first stop on Good Friday, 7 April, was Pyramid Hill, 240 kilometres northeast of Melbourne. The small town has a population of 598, around 150 of whom are Filipinos. In 2008 local farmer Tom Smith went to Manila and recruited experienced vet doctors to address the shortage of qualified vets to manage the piggeries. This has since led to the revitalisation of the town, which includes a Filipino Store that was started by the local Bendigo Bank Manager.
From Pyramid Hill, the group drove to Kerang, 53 kilometres away, to attend a solemn reflective Good Friday pasyon service at St Patrick’s Church, Kerang. Rev Father Dean Bongat, the Parish Priest for Pyramid Hill, Kerang and Cohuna, was instrumental in coordinating the visit and hosted the meet and greet with Consul Wenceslao.
Early the next day, Consul Wenceslao’s group drove south from Kerang to Bendigo, 130 kilometres away. Members of the Bendigo Filipino Foundation Inc (BFF) hosted a delicious breakfast of fried eggs, tortang talong, fried tuyo, and more. “BFF was formed in 2013 to raise funds for the victims of Typhoon Haiyan. Dr Voltaire Nadurata and Filipino nurses at Bendigo Hospital led the way, inviting other Filipino groups to work with us”, Maria and another officer, Liwa Araos, explained.
During the visit to Kerang and Bendigo, Consul Jan spoke about the desire of the PCG to reach out to all Filipinos in the regional areas, describing the various services available to them.
On Easter Sunday, the BFF Philippine Sarimanok Float was paraded in full glory at the annual Easter Gala Parade with the participation of several Filipinos in cultural attire.
