Famous NZ businessman leaves legacy to Filipinos

Tindall leaves legacy for Philippines poor (By Grant Flemming from The New Zealand Herald, 14 January 2007)

CEBU - Stephen Tindall started visiting the Philippines in the 1980s to source product for his then fledgling company, The Warehouse.

Twenty years on, the visits have stopped, but founder of one of New Zealand's most successful businesses is still leaving his mark on the lives of some the country's poorest citizens.

NZ: Acute nursing shortage hits hospitals

from The New Zealand Herald (12 Nov 2006):

"The largest numbers of overseas nurses come from Britain, South Africa and the Philippines, but Filipino nurses claim they are discriminated against because of their accent, and many will no longer be able to fill nursing jobs in New Zealand."

 

NZ and Asia: Reaching out across the cultural divide

NZ and Asia: Reaching out across the cultural divide - 04 Jul 2006 - Immigration
Source: NZ Herald

"The Herald put three questions to seven people about ties with Asia.

1. Does New Zealand need to foster stronger links with Asia?

2. Should New Zealanders learn Asian languages, culture or history?

3. How are Asians in New Zealand treated?

Here are their responses:"

Ignore Asia and its peoples at your peril, report warns

Ignore Asia and its peoples at your peril, report warns - 04 Jul 2006 - Population
Source: NZ Herlad

"New Zealanders need to learn about Asia or risk a lower standard of living, fewer economic opportunities and a less secure future, a new report warns."

NZ Government to welcome more immigrants

Government to welcome more immigrants - 30 Jun 2006 - Immigration
Source: NZ Herald

"The number of immigrants accepted into the country is being raised to meet the need for more skilled workers, the Government said today."

NZ Herald: Immigrants increasingly from UK

Immigrants increasingly from UK
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=231&ObjectID=10362223
03.01.06
By Julie Middleton

The proportion of new Kiwis coming from the United Kingdom has more than doubled over the past three years, according to new statistics.

The report Migration Trends shows that 31 per cent of the 48,815 people who were granted residency in the last financial year were citizens of the United Kingdom.

Their number as a proportion of all migrants has been rising steadily since the 2002-03 year, when they totalled 14 per cent, behind Chinese and Indian people.

NZ Herald: International student numbers dive

International student numbers dive
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=35&ObjectID=10362311
03.01.06 4.00pm

International student numbers arriving in New Zealand have continued to fall in the past year, down about 10,000 on the previous year, but nearly 10,000 more temporary workers came here than the year before.

Asians in NZ subjected to racism, study finds

A study in New Zealand confirms that most Asian in New Zealand are victims of discrimination.

Quoted from: Asians in NZ subjected to racism, study finds. 14.09.05 NZ Herald

Asians in NZ subjected to racism, study finds

14.09.05 1.00pm

Many Asians living in New Zealand are subjected to some form of racism, a new study has found.

The Asia New Zealand Foundation report, Engaging Asian Communities in New Zealand, revealed the most common form of racism was verbal abuse and rude gestures, often by teenagers or children.

Overt racism included damage to cars identifiable as Asian-owned, having bottles or stones thrown at them, and being mocked for poor pronunciation.

Asia New Zealand's research director, Dr Rebecca Foley, said the main purpose of the research was to look at ways that engagement between various Asian communities and other communities happened -- "or does not happen, as the case may be"

Quoted from: Many Asians in NZ suffer racism - study. 14.09.05. Stuff.co.nz

In employment, for instance, some felt they missed out on jobs and promotions because of their ethnicity, and workmates pretended not to understand them or patronised them.

Some Asians reported being deliberately misunderstood in shops, cafes or a supermarket "in order to humiliate", being snubbed by other mothers in schools when greeting their children and being avoided in public places, like a swimming pool.

Dr Foley said the report went beyond research on what problems Asian migrants face and examined what worked in terms of engaging with the host community.

New Zealand employers were often reluctant to employ new migrants, claiming they would not have "local knowledge"

i've used up my bandwidth at my http://marikenyo.i.ph blog
i may be forced to close that blog and find a different host.

october30 = marikenyo.i.ph

marikenyo

I have been blogging since August 2003 under the name of October30. Why October 30? It is the day I first arrived in New Zealand.

On August 10, 2005 I have decided to assume a new identity as Marikenyo (owing to the Philippine city where I grew-up) and blogging using i.ph's service. If however, if I am not completely satisfied with i.ph's blogging service I will shift back to Google's Blogger. My October30 blogs are: My Life at Large and Letters from New Zealand.

I am trying to transfer most of my work on the blogs that I have created. I have been using the cumbersome and tiring 'copy-paste' method. So far I have transfered or rather 'copy-pasted' My Life at Large to marikenyo.i.ph. I think I have spent 12 hours online in creating, customizing and transfering to the other blogging service.

Details of immigration policy of the National Party

These are the highlights of the National Party's immigration policy. It will only take effect if they win the election in September 17 this year.

A focus on skilled immigrants and giving greater recognition to those with proven work experience.

Immigrants will have to satisfy a good conduct requirement for four years before they can qualify for permanent residence. Those who break the criminal law will be sent home immediately.

Immigrants will not be able to qualify for welfare benefits for four years.

People sponsoring family to come to New Zealand will have to prove they can support them for the four-year benefit stand-down period.

The refugee quotas will be cut to the United Nations approved quota of 750, and savings will be reallocated to help refugees improve their English.

Investor Category immigrants will have to invest their money for a minimum of four years.

Business immigrants will have to create at least two permanent full-time jobs for non-family members.

The Immigration Service and the Citizenship Office will be merged.
Source: Brash announces immigration policy 09/08/2005. National Party.

On a personal note, the proposal of National seems sensible but like what a friend had said it could confuse wannabe immigrants and go to other countries instead.

Links:
Nats tout immigrant benefit stand-down. 09/08/2005. Stuff.co.nz
National sets out 'disciplined' immigration plan. 09/08/2005. NZ Herald.
NZ Population close to static. 09/08/2005. NZ Herald.

Four year probation plan for would be NZ immigrants

If the National Party wins this election would be immigrants would be given four years probation before attaining permanent residency. Full information about the immigration policy will be released on Tuesday. (To gain New Zealand citizenship one must be a granted permanent residency for five years.)

Under the current policy eligible people are immediately granted permanent residency to live in New Zealand.

The National policy may be in response to a number of immigration blunders under the Labout government. One scandal was letting a former minister of Iraqi Dictator Saddam Hussein to live in New Zealand.

It may be understood that under a National or possibly in coalition with right-wing New Zealand First, immigration criteria will become tougher.

Sources:
Nats to launch immigration policy. 08/08/2005. TVNZ
National's probation plan for immigrants. 08/08/2005. NZ Herald
Nats pledge probation for immigrants. 08/08/2005. Stuff.co.nz

Links:
New Zealand First Party's Immigration Policy 2005

Election Time In New Zealand

New Zealanders will go to the polls on September 17 to elect their new Members of Parliament and a new government.

The current Labour Party government headed by incumbent Prime Minister Helen Clark is seen to have a very close fight to be government against the National Party headed by Don Brash. (Labour is a centre-left party and National is a centre-right party)

In the last opinion surveys National is up against Labour. The former's popularity may be due to the party's promise of tax cuts to individuals and corporation.

It is unclear yet to what will about immigration policy if National wins the election. However, if Labour will win another term it will likely be status quo.

I do miss New Zealand but I'm not coming back just yet

I have decided to stay in the Philippines because of the current political instability. This is why I could be back in New Zealand most likely next year.

I am definitely missing the thinks I like and left behind in New Zealand. I miss my flatmates and the house, street, suburb and city we lived. I miss the savoury mince and steak pies and quiche. I miss the low fat ice cream. I miss the public transport. I miss using my ATM/EFT-POS card to make cashless purchases from almost any store in New Zealand. I miss my cousin and my Pinoy friends. I also miss my New Zealand and international friends. I miss my former job and workmates.

By the way I made a new blog about my life in the Philippines. It's URL is http://lettersfromph.blogspot.com

but I'll be back as soon as August

There have been indications that could bring me back to New Zealand by August 2005.

I'm Leaving New Zealand

I've fully paid my airticket and I am leaving New Zealand on the 27th of April 2005.

Mabuhay, Long Live Pope Benedict XVI !!!

Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger is Pope Benedict XVI


=================================================
My Personal Account of this Global Event:

About 3:30 AM New Zealand time I was still awake and browsing the Internet and also listening to BBC World simulcast on TV One. (This is the webpage I was reading.) There was a special segement on the news broadcast, apparently the smoke stack over the Sistine Chapel is giving out white-ish smoke. I thought that it was another false alarm like the prior election when the smoke first looked like white and then turned black. Suddenly, there was talk that there might be a new Pope elected but if there is a new Pope elected bells will ring at the Vatican.

I began to send SMS/text messages to my family and friends in New Zealand and other Filipino friends back home and in Europe. I told them to watch TV news as there may be a new Pope.

Around 4:00 AM NZ or 6:00 PM in Rome I heard the bell rang on TV. The reporter Mr. Brian Hanrahan of the BBC said that it was the hourly clock bell at St. Peter's Basilica. It was a false alarm.

It was I think about 4:05 AM here and I was hearing bells again from the TV. Mr. Hanrahan said that it could be official that a new Vicar of Christ has been elected. I called my Filipina neighbour and were on the line until the eldest cardinal came out of the balcony and said, "Habemus Papam!" and the new Pope is Joseph Ratzinger and his chosen name is Benedict XVI. The cardinal went back to the church as the new pope prepares to meet the people and lo and behold the new Pope Benedict XVI. He was waving to the people, gave his first greeting and his first blessing. When I looked at my clock it was about 5:00 AM here.

(Image source: Wikipedia - Pope Benedict XVI)

New NZ passport and citizenship rules

Last night, 14 April 2005, the controversial Identity (Citizenship and Travel Documents) bill passed its final hurdle in parliament. The following are some of the major changes.

New Zealand passport changes:

New NZ passports will have a validity of only 5 years from 10 years.
The law also gives the government the right to revoke or cancel New Zealand passports.

Citizenship grant:

A five year standown period for NZ permanent residents before they can apply for NZ citizenship. Prior to this it takes three years as permanent resident including while under a temporary permit (work, visitor, study).

Citizenship by birth:

From 1 January 2006, a child born in New Zealand should have at least one NZ citizen parent or a parent granted to stay in NZ permanently under the Immigration Act of 1987 or permanently reside in the Cook Islands, Niue, or Tokelau.

These changes automatically come to affect after Royal Assent except for the citizenship by birth which will take effect on 1 January 2006.

Sources:
Passport law will protect NZ, Government says. 15/04/2005. The New Zealand Herald
Hawkins: NZ "citizenship that's worth the wait" (Press Release). 15/04/2005. Scoop.co.nz
MP Criticises Passport Laws. 15/04/2005. xtraMSN-Newstalk ZB

Special Blog Announcement

Dear Readers,

I know I don't have much readers compared to other popular blogs but I am obliged to tell you that this blog, Letters from New Zealand will end soon. I am going back to the Philippines by May this year and will not be coming back to New Zealand in the near future. I guess there is no point in writing letters from New Zealand if I won't be in New Zealand in the first place.

However, I am creating a new blog about my experiences since I came back to the Philippines. Its working title at the moment is "The Pinoy Repatriate" or I could name it "Letters from the Philippines." I have weeks to think about it.

This is not my last post yet.

Thank you and kind regards.

Sincerely,
October30

PS. You may be wondering here in New Zealand I am writing from. I am writing from a place called by Maori as "Te Upoko o te Ika a Maui."

Clark hurt in mid-air scare

BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | NZ's Clark hurt in mid-air scare