FILIPINO couple Samuel and Lai-Lani Aum have met 50 Filipino people in a month and this weekend they will meet 650 more.
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The Albury-Wodonga Filipino Community is holding a Fiesta Filipina that will celebrate traditional dance, music and dress.
It comes in perfect timing for the Aums, who moved to Wodonga a month ago under the skilled migration program.
“We were here for two days before the Filipino community contacted us and already we have a fiesta to celebrate our traditions, so we have not had the chance to miss home yet,” Mr Aum said.
“When we had fiestas at home, everyone would come and although we have already met about 50 people we hear there are more than 700 Filipino people in this region.”
Many members are looking forward to a speech from Victoria’s Philippine Consul-General Raul Hernandez.
Mr Hernandez will speak on becoming an Australian citizen without losing Filipino citizenship.
“I became an Australian citizen years ago and did not realise there was the option of keeping citizenship in the Philippines,” Filipino community vice-president Josie Maxwell said.
Ms Maxwell said it was vital that the Filipino community gave each other support.
“When people come over through the skilled migrants program, they are expected to know what to do when they get here — and as far as work goes, they do,” she said.
“But when it comes to Australian systems, they are often lost on how to get a tax file number, how to access the health system or how to set up a household.
“Events such as the fiesta help these people to build contacts so that they have people to call on for help.”
The fiesta will be at the Catholic College auditorium, Wodonga, on Saturday at 4.30pm.
There will be a dinner, music, dancing and a traditional dress competition.
