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NSW Legislative Council Candidate Ronaldo Villaver of Australian Democrats.

Ethnic Communities’ Council of  New South Wales (ECC NSW) Vice Chairperson Ronaldo Villaver will stand as one of the candidates of the Australian Democrats Party in the NSW Legislative Council (Upper House) in the upcoming 26 March 2011 election.

Villaver was the 2009 President of the Philippine Community Council of New South Wales (PCC NSW Inc) and currently the Public Relations Officer of the Filipino Communities Council of Australia (FILCCA).

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Filipino Seminarian Reynold Jaboneta delivering his message during the Sinulog Fiesta at Bathurst, NSW.

We are here this afternoon at the cathedral of St. Michael and St. John, in Bathurst, New South Wales and the cathedral parish was established in the year 1839.  Tayo po ngayon ay nagtitipon sa isang simbahan at lupang banyaga.  At ang taong 1839 seems old enough. But not old enough when we travel back to 1521.
 
Pakinggan po natin ang kuwento ni Yoyoy Villame, the great Visayan composer.  Yoyoy Villame tells us that “on March 16, 1521 when Philippines was discovered by Magellan they were sailing day and night across the big ocean until they saw a small Limasawa island.  Magellan landed in Limasawa at noon the people met him very welcome on the shore.  They did not understand the speaking they have done because Kastila gid at Waray-waray man.  When Magellan landed in Cebu City, Raha Humabon met him, they were happy all people were baptized and built the church of Christ.  And that’s the beginning of our catholic faith.”
 
Bakit po ba nagtitipon tayo ngayon?  We are here because of our faith.  We are here because of the history of our faith.  We are here because that faith and history of ours as a people are leading us to the feet of the Holy Child, to the Sto.Nino.  1521 was the beginning of our catholic faith and it points to the Sto.Nino.  It was and shall continue to be the story of the Sto.Nino.
 
Today in the Philippines there are only three original image of Sto.Nino and the oldest is found in Cebu, the second is in Tondo, Manila (1572) and the third is in Arevalo,Iloilo (1581).
 
Such is our history, our stories, our collective consciousness as a people from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao that even in this continent it continues to consume us for love, for God.
 
Manny Pacquiao knows that faith when he said, “Naniniwala ako na ang mahal na Panginoong Diyos ay nasa aking tabi palagi kaya siya na ang magbibigay sa akin ng tagumpay.”  Ninoy Aquino relied on that faith when he said, “I return from exile and to an uncertain future with only determination and faith to offer-faith in our people and faith in God.”
 
1521 to 2011 the dates become a colorful stories of miracles and healing, of answered prayers, of an encounter with God, of being embraced by God dahil sa ating pananampalataya.  At napakasarap makita at maramdaman na tayo ay pinagbubuklod ng ating pananampalataya kahit nandito tayo sa bansang banyaga.  This is our faith.  This is for the Sto.Nino.  This is for God.
 
Kabay pa nga aton mabaton ang bendisyon ni Senor Sto. Nino.
Mapasaating lahat ang biyaya at bendisyon ni Senor Sto.Nino…ngayon at magpakailanman.
 
Viva! Senor Sto.Nino. Amen.
 
by: Reynold Glenn S. Jaboneta
Filipino Seminarian
Catholic Diocese of Bathurst

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The Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported Sunday that more than 3.4- million foreigners arrived in the country last year, despite the series of travel warnings against the Philippines.

Records showed that the figures were up by almost 20 percent, compared to those who entered the country in 2009.

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