........life further down under

(Nang matapos) ang 30 minutong paglalakbay...

2009-05-14T09:00:00.007+12:00

...ikaw ay makakarating sa beach ng Muriwai. Maraming magagandang lugar o tanawin ang mararating ng 1 -3 oras na pagmamaneho lamang mula sa auckland - ang beach ng muriwai ay bantog sa itim nitong buhangin at colony ng gannet s na namumugad dito.

Muriwai Beach one of the most ruggedly, picturesque wilderness beaches in New Zealand. Pictured is one of only 2 onshore Gannet Colonies in the country, flowers of the Pohutukawa Tree - New Zealand's own Christmas Tree, which abound the landscape - looking north along the Kaipara Coast with Flat Rock in the foreground, and provides access to some of the best surf fishing in the world.

LP:57

simula pa lamang...

2009-05-06T22:16:00.003+12:00

Simula pa lamang pagkabata ay nakikita ko na ang mga ganitong tanawin sa mga kommersyal ng gatas sa tv. Mga tupa at baka pinapastol sa abot tanaw ng iyong paningin.

LP-56

Eksena ng masasayang batang tumatakbo o pamilyang nagpapagulong-gulong sa gitna na malawak na damuhang napapaligiran ng mga tupa o baka - STOP!

....kasinungalingan! ang tutuoo eh hinding-hindi mo gagawing tumakbo ng ganuon dahil malamang magti-tip toe ka ng dahan-dahan para lamang makaiwas sa sangkatutak ng ebak na nagkalat.

Myth: New Zealand has 3 million people and 60 million sheep

According to the latest statistics, there were 40.1 million estimated resident sheep at 30 June 2006 and an estimated resident population of 4.18 million people as of 2006 - which means that the sheep-person ratio has halved in the last 20 years, and now stands at 10 sheep per person.

However, to put this in an international context, New Zealand's ratio is still twice as high as Australia's, which is currently less than five sheep per person. As with New Zealand, this is due to declining sheep numbers and a growing human population. There were 132.6 million sheep in Australia in 1994, but this had fallen to 101.3 million a decade later, with the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics's Agricultural Census putting the figure at 91.9 million sheep at 30 June 2006 - the lowest estimate since 1925.

- dami pa ding sheeps hehehehehe.

SIDENOTE:

- 4th in world's top cities offering the best quality of life (read) - not bad, not bad at all.

harbour bridge

2009-04-29T23:56:00.000+12:00

LP-55

Looking out our second floor balcony you can catch a glimpse of the waitemata harbour and beyond that is ragitoto island. The name Waitemata is generally considered to mean “sparkling waters”.

Few of the world’s developed harbors have survived unscathed by bridges. Auckland managed to use ferries to resist the need for a bridge until 1955. Since its completion in 1959, the bridge across Waitemata Harbour (parly covered by tree above) is almost single-handedly credited with opening up the North Shore to rapid development. Previously, the North Shore was a vacation destination with pockets of development. Now it’s become a collection of modern suburbs (prefered residential area by pinoys in auckland), and with that transformation came problems with traffic congestion. An innovative approach was taken in the late 1960’s when two lanes were added to each side of the bridge. The expansion was created by a Japanese company, and thereafter became known as the "Nippon Clip-ons." These served the city well until the late 1980’s, when congestion once again became a problem. By 2000 160,000 vehicles were crossing the bridge each day and now the city is considering adding a second span, or a tunnel so people can get across the harbor.

click to see aerial view of bridge via google map

gusali sa queen street

2009-04-22T22:00:00.002+12:00

LP-54

ang queen street sa downtown ang matatawag na "golden mile" ng auckland city, karamihan sa mga malalaking kumpanya ay may opisina rito. kapansin-pansin sa queen street ang sari-saring style ng arkitektura ng mga gusali - mula sa moderno tulad ng imax theatre sa larawan (gitna), art deco tulad ng civic centre sa gawing kanan at classical na torre sa may kalayuan.

mapapasin din na lahat ng intersection sa kahabaan ng queen street ay maaring tawirin diagonally ng mga pedestrian at hindi lang perpendicular tulad ng ating nakagawian.

Hardin...hardin...everywhere

2009-04-16T08:27:00.004+12:00

LP53

This photo was taken at the formal garden of "michael joseph savage memorial" , a small park on top of a hill overlooking mission bay. Auckland is blessed with a very nice climate all-year round - plenty of rain and sunshine, nice cool autmn breeze and no snow during winter; the city is unrivalled in the number and quality of its parks and beaches. How many cities offer more than 800 parks and reserves for everyone to enjoy? It's easy to find somewhere different to play, explore and be inspired! Best of all, they cost nothing to visit.

paboritong litrato

2009-04-03T00:00:00.001+13:00

View of the tip of the north and south islands mula sa international space station, bihira ang makakakita ng nz mula sa vantage point na ito. The closest any of us can get to this point of view is by taking the x-flight, taking off the north island and parachuting down picton sa south island....cool!

paboritong alahas

2009-03-19T21:52:00.002+13:00

LP50

iba ang appeal ng antigong alahas tulad ng kakaibang pocket watch na ito. ano-anung kuwento kaya ang masasabi nito kung ito ay nakakapagsalita lamang.

dito sa auckland ay maraming mga antique shops kung saan makakabili ng mga lumang alahas - kailangan lang ay masipag kang maghanap. karaniwang ini-insure sa pagkawala o pagkasira ang mga mahahalaga at mamahaling alahas dito.

Polong - Loko

2009-03-12T17:59:00.005+13:00

LP:49

polo ng kapre?

Censya na po kayo at autumn na dito kya wala na gaanong nagpopolo dahil malamig na ang simoy ng hangin. Ang mamang ito ay umaaliw sa mga taong namamasyal sa auckland domain nuong nakaraang linggo, kapansin pansin ang kulay ng kanyang kasuotan (not to mention ang kayang kataasan).

kung mamimili ka dito ng mga damit theres only one place to go to score a good bargain with superb quality at yang ay sa Dress-Smart.

An outlet shopping centre where most of the stocks of ‘branded’ items of past seasons go. It is similar to the outlet shopping centres in the US. Brands like Just Kids, Adidas, Mi Piaci , Barkers, Canterbury, Levi’s, Fila, Cheapskates, Cue, Esprit, David Lawrence, Bras n Things and Amazon are just some of the stores that you can find there!

Click HERE for directions.

Pano!...kita-kits na lang tayyo dun at bka may sale na naman hehehehehe.

an apparition?

2009-03-07T00:16:00.003+13:00

sa aking pagbabalik sa LP after a very very long sabatical, ang aking handog para sa LP48 ay mahahalintulad isang kaluluwang nagbabalik sa lupa.

LP:48

this ghostly image is nothing more than a "whiteplastic bag", tulad ng mga platic bag na pinaglalagyan ng mga inyong napapamili sa supermarket. sa lahat ng bag bakit ito naman ang aking napili? dito sa nz ay masyadong "environmentally concious" ang mga tao - if its reusable they'll find a way of reusing it. kya imbes na bumili pa ng itim na garbage bag ay ito ang aking pinaglalagyan ng basura - by using a simple holder na nabibili sa 2 dollar shop ay nagagamit ko ito bilang isang "chic" na basurahan - di ba mala-"ikea" ang dating! :)

how "sandflies" when your having fun.

2009-03-06T23:44:00.002+13:00

-after a rather long sabatical (ala grissom ng csi), im back to posting sa blog kong ito. patapos na ang summer dito kya medyo late na ang impormasyong ito pero you'll never know when it could come in handy.

Native New Zealand Sandfly: Maori name: Namu , family name: Simuliidae blackfly

sandflies are quite common in nz, kya kung medyo sensitive ang iyong skin sa mga kagat ng lamok ay better prepare before you go out into the boondocks.

There are some simple things you can do to avoid the tiny itchy bites.

1. Cover your skin; Cover your arms and legs with long sleeve garments
2. Wear a hat; Always wear a hat (sandflies don’t really go for your face)
3. Cover yourself in Botanica; this is the best Sandfly repellent as it has natural ingredients and does not contain the Deet chemical.
4. Put Botanica on your hat; Cover your hat in Botanica
5. Take your vitamin B; Sandflies don’t like vitamin B
6. Eat Marmite or Vegemite; Marmite and Vegemite the table spreads contain vitamin B. Some of this on your morning toast might also help. You would have to eat a lot of this to make it your only form of defence
7. Avoid wearing dark colours; Sandflies go for dark colours

kung ikaw ay makagat - please refrain from scratching as much as possible, also the itchiness gets worse after a few days, lalo mo itong wag kamutin at bka maging bakokang yan at masira ang flawless mong skin.

"Sandflies are located in wetter areas of New Zealand and can be pests, but are effectively controlled by use of an insect repellent."

i beg to disagree, base on my personal experience once the smell of the insect repellant wears off (after minutes not hours) ay puputaktihin ka na naman ng mga hinayupak na sandflies - don't ever use "OFF" insect repellant by johnsons&johnsons pagkat ito ay walaaaannnnng kakuwenta-kuwenta.

dentista ko!

2008-08-18T11:37:00.002+12:00

TAKE NOTE: Free dental care is available for children aged 0 years to Year 8 (Form 2) by the school dental service. Dental care from Year 9 (Form 3) until their 18^th birthday (adolescent dental service) is provided by a contracted dental provider.

- in other words libre po ang dentista till 18th na ang bata!

get more info HERE.

Download the Clinics Open document for clinics available in your area.

pinoys sa NZ sites

2008-08-06T16:43:00.003+12:00

http://www.pinoy.net.nz/
a publication by Filipinos for Filipinos but without excluding people of other nationalities who are related to Filipinos by marriage and others

http://www.tambayang-pinoy.com
for those looking for a temp place to stay in auckland.

http://www.backpack-newzealand.com/nz/cat8.php
tons of resource bout pinoys wanting to migrate to nz.

iskul bukol

2008-07-16T17:30:00.003+12:00

Dito sa NZ, di maaring tanggihan ng isang state school ang isang mag-aaral (maliban sa kolehiyo) na pumasok sa kanilang paaralan - as long as ang iyong tirahan ay within their school zone. kaya napakaimportante dito lalo na sa mga bagong saltang pamilya na malaman kung anong eskuwelahan ang malapit sa kanilang tirahan.

eto ang LINK - kung saan maari mong ma-input ang iyong tirahan ng malaman kung anong skul ang malapit dito.

NZ GST

2008-07-16T17:27:00.003+12:00

GST (Goods and services tax)
there are two things you cant escape in life - death and taxes - check mo dito how to get the amount of GST you'll have to pay

convoys

2008-07-05T13:43:00.004+12:00

iba talaga dito, naturigang protest pero peaceful pa rin at orderly. this was the scene yesterday sa auckland city centre - hundreds of trucks converge to protest the latest road user levy (READ).

i maybe in hiatus for a while - but i will be posting sa pinoyandpinay.com from time to time.

kalayaan o kaginhawahan?

2008-06-12T07:44:00.007+12:00

LP-Kalayaan

Sa loob ng Auckland Museum ay makikita ang mga pangalan ng mga kiwing nagbuwis ng kanilang buhay para sa bayan. Kahit saan man ang kalayaan ng bayan ay laging nakabigkis sa digmaan - may alam ka bang bansa kung saan ang "araw ng kalayaan" ay di patukoy sa isang madugong nakalipas ng kanilang kasaysayan?

Magandang isiping ang kasunod ng kalayaan ay kaginhawahan - asa balita ngayon na ang siyudad ng auckland ay pang-lima sa "the best cities in the world". Hinanap ko ang maynila o kahit na anong siyudad sa pilipinas sa bandang taas ng listahan - sa aking pagka-dismaya halos nasa dulo na ang siyudad ng kamaynilaan.

kalayaan o kaginhawahan ano ba ang mas mahalaga?

...Bayan pa kayang sakdal dilag
Ang di magnasang makaalpas!
Pilipinas kong minumutya
Pugad ng luha ko't dalita
Aking adhika,
Makita kang ~~sakdal laya~~ maunlad ang madla.

kiwi wiki

2008-06-05T00:01:00.001+12:00

LP-Pagiisang dibdib

Simbolo ng NZ ang kiwi, ito ay mga ibong di nakalilipad at kadalasang sa gabi lamang lumalabas. Sila ay lumalaki ng kasinlaki ng isang manok at nakakabigat ng hanggang tatlong kilo. Matalas ang kanilang pang-amoy - isang katangiang di pangkaraniwan sa mga ibon.

Once ma-in-love at magsama, ang babae at lalaking kiwi ay nananatiling tapat sa isa't-isa for the rest of their lives -na maaring tumagal ng dalawampung taon. [ kiwi wiki ]

What a Watawat!

2008-05-29T00:01:00.006+12:00

LP-Ihip ng Hangin

Ang watawat na ito ay pumapagaspas dahil sa malakas na ihip ng hangin mula sa dalampasigan ng Howick. Kapansin-pansin ang ilang bahay sa lugar na iyon na may flagpole sa kanila bakod kung saan nakawagayway ang kanilang bandila - ito marahil ay ekspresyon ng kanilang pagkamakabayan, nakalulungkot isiping sa pinas ay bihira akong makakita ng ganitong paglalahad ng pagkamakabayan ng mga pilipino.

Iyan po ay watawat ng New Zealand at di ng Australia, kung kayo ay nalilito din tulad ko kung ano ang pinagkaiba ng dalawa hayaan ninyong mapaliwanag ko sa ibaba.

NZ FLAG ORIGIN

The Flag's origins date from 1865, when the British Government issued instructions that all vessels from the colonies should fly the Blue Ensign, with the seal or badge of the colony on it. New Zealand did not have a recognised badge at the time, so its vessels just flew the Blue Ensign without any markings until reprimanded by the British Government. Mr G Eliott Eliott, the Secretary of the General Post Office, recommended that the four stars of the Southern Cross be used as New Zealand's badge but this was rejected. Instead the words "New Zealand" were added to the Blue Ensign, and later shortened to "NZ" in red letters with white borders.

In 1869, Governor Sir George Bowen directed that the Southern Cross replace "NZ" on the Blue Ensign. The Southern Cross was represented by four five-pointed red stars, with white borders to correspond with the colours of the Union Jack. Even though the flag was still officially a maritime flag, it was used on land and gradually became recognised as New Zealands national flag. In 1902, the flag officially became the National Flag of New Zealand.

DIFFERENCE OF NZ & AUS FLAG

Both Australia and New Zealand chose the Southern Cross constellation for their flags because it is only seen in the Southern Hemisphere. The stars on the Australian Flag are white and have more points than the New Zealand Flag to depict their brightness in the sky. The fifth smaller star used on the Australian Flag can be seen when looking at the Southern Cross and there was some debate in New Zealand as to whether the fifth star should be included in the New Zealand Flag. It was decided only to use the four stars that mark the points of the compass. The sixth, and largest star on the Australian Flag, that sits below the Union Jack, is the Federation Star which represents the federation of the colonies of Australia on 1 January 1901. There is one point for each of the six original states, and one to represent all of Australia's internal and external territories. The colours of the stars on both flags were chosen to complement the colours of the Union Jack shown in the top left-hand corner of both flags.

...yan po ang kuwento, so next time ay madali ng madistinguish ang kanilang pagkakaiba.

tuuuubiigggg!

2008-05-22T00:01:00.004+12:00

LP: Tubig

ang tubig sa NZ ay maiinom ng diretso mula sa gripo, tulad na lamang ng drinking fountain na ito sa parking area - di ka mag-aatubiling uninom sa sandaling makaramdam ng uhaw. I can't recall when was the last time na uminom ako ng diretso sa gripo sa pinas, either kailangang dumaan sa purifier or filtration ang tubig o di kaya ito ay pinakuluan. may pagasa pa kayang bumalik ang linis ng tubig sa kamaynilaan?

DAGDAG LANG PO - sa ibaba ay makikita naman ang larawan ng hamog sa umaga at ang epekto sa waterdroplets kapag tinamaan ng araw.

temp is dropping -

2008-05-19T12:00:00.001+12:00

morning fog

- its definitely gettin colder, makapal ang fog yesterday morning and the mist forms tiny ice crystals floating in the air. i came from a very dry climate kya bihira akong makakita ng makapal na fog or dewdrops sa umaga.

this morning ay panay ang ulan naman but a break in the weather brought this very nice view - unang rainbow kong nakita sa NZ - hehehehehe.

Umaapoy?

2008-05-15T00:05:00.004+12:00

LP-Umaapoy

Oo na, nagbabaga lamang ang litrato ko at di umaapoy - dang kasing lugar ito, ilang buwan na akong di nakakakita ng tunay na apoy. pacensya na po, puro kasi cooking hob ang kalan dito at di yung di gas. Umaapoy man o nagbabaga lamang - maluluto pa din ang aking almusal "6 inch vienna sausage with fried tahong on the side", masarap at mura ang tahong dito - anlalaki pa! tawag nila dito ay "cockle" - ano ba yan! mapatagalog o ingles man may berdeng connotation yata...is it me or talagang puro kaberdehan lamang ang naiisip ko nitong mga nakalipas na araw.

pirated pandesal

2008-05-14T12:19:00.002+12:00

ang pandesal na binili sa panmure - pupusta ako pinoy may-ari nun bakeshop, look at the label "goldiluck", di ba parang goldilocks bakeshop sa pinas? the name may sound like "goldilocks" but the taste doesnt even comes close to the original pandesal.

PSP sa NZ

2008-05-12T11:18:00.003+12:00

"Personal Service Provider" - in short prostis!

Opo! legal ang prostitusyon sa NZ - mapababae, lalake, bakla, tomboy o transgen. Narito ang link sa site ng ministry of justice tungkol sa prostition law reform of 2003.

The Prostitution Reform Act was passed by Parliament in June 2003. Among other things, this Act decriminalises prostitution in New Zealand, and introduces provisions to protect the health and safety of sex workers and their clients. The Act prohibits anyone under 18 years old working as a prostitute and requires that sex workers and clients practice safe sex. Unsafe sex is illegal and both worker and client can be prosecuted and fined.

In brief
Sex workers have the full legal right to conduct their business
Sex workers may not be discriminated against
Sex workers and clients must practice safe sex
Sex workers must be over 18 years of age

...more.

at meron pa silang organisasyon- NZPC, kumpleto din sila ng guidelines mula sa gobyerno.

Mag-ina sa McDo

2008-05-08T08:12:00.005+12:00

Mag-inang kiwi sa Mcdo
(LP#6 - Mahal na Ina)

Wala na yatang ibang lugar dito kung saan ka makakakita ng kumpulan ng mag-ina kundi sa pinakamalapit na Mcdo - ang kanilang playground ay nagmimistulang daycare center sa dami ng bata. Ang insidente ng mga dalagitang ina sa NZ ay pataas, marahil dahil na rin sa dalagita pa kaya marami sa kanila ang di marunong manamit ng nararapat sa presence ng maraming bata.

Mahal na ina, ang iyong "butt crack" ay tawag pansin di lang sa mga bata kundi pati na rin sa mga matatanda. Di maikubli ng manipis mong palda ang iyong itim na thong. Ika nga ni didith reyes " Oh tukso! layuan mo ako...", bka kung ganito lagi ang makikita ko sa Mcdo ay duon na ako mag-almusal,tanghalian at hapunan - Mcdo, luv ko 'to!

hanap-trabaho

2008-05-05T17:41:00.004+12:00

A good place to start looking for work in NZ is by browsing through the sandamukal na recruitment agencies na nagkalat dito. some of these agencies specialize on certain professions only, kya make sure to check which is best suited for you.

kung maganda ang resume mo (im talking bout your background e.g. work experience, school, etc. at hinde yun how pretty your resume looks per se) siguradong tatawagan ka ng mga recruitment agencies na ito para maging ahente nila sa paghanap ng trabaho. don't worry hindi hihingi ng cut sa iyo ang mga ito dahil ang cut nila ay mangagaling sa magiging employer mo. either you'll be working under the agency's umbrella habang nagtatrabaho ka sa isang kumpanya - in which case the agency will pay your salary OR may makukuhang finders fee yung agency sa magiging employer mo - etchapuwera na sila once you start working.

last week nagpamudmod ako ng resume ko at tulad ng aking inaasahan may tumawag. after an initial interview (gusto makasigurado ng loka na tutoo pinaglalagay ko sa CV ko and to gauge me ng harapan) the agency volunteered to represent me, kya ngayon sitting pretty na lamang muna ko habang naghihintay ng tawag - bahala na silang maghanap ng work for me.

malungkot na pag-gunita

2008-05-01T07:30:00.004+12:00

isang kawal kiwi na mataimtim na nagbabantay sa libingan ng di kilalang sundalo.
(LP#5-Malungkot)

Di ko magawang makalapit kya ginamitan ko na lamang ng digital zoom ang eksena. Ito ay bahagi ng ANZAC day nuong nakaraang linggo. Sa araw ng ito ginugunita ang mga australiano at kiwing namatay sa dalampasigan ng gallipoli nuong 1915.

ang pelikulang " Gallipoli" starring mel gibson ay hanggo sa pangyayaring ito.

close-up ng nakayukong kawal.

ANZAC day

2008-04-25T19:45:00.003+12:00

Today is ANZAC day - a holiday!

katumbas ito ng "Bataan Day" sa pilipinas o "Veterans Day' sa estados unidos.

pansin ko lang na masyadong maantig ang pagdaraos ng mga taga-rito sa araw na ito - isang linggo bago ang araw ay mapapansin mo na ang mga poppy ribbons na nakasabit sa kanilang dibdib.

di tulad ng mga pilipino na halos nakalimutan na ang "Bataan Day".

naghuhumintig papuntang langit

2008-04-24T12:53:00.008+12:00

hello po sa lahat, welcome to my crib - NOT!

ang aking entry para sa LP #4"Hugis ay pahaba" (pun intended?)

- isang overly proportioned chimney with a bushy foreground,
humiga pa ako sa lawn to get this shot - buti na lang walang tao
dun sa bahay kundi baka napahabol pa ako sa aso.

Pagkaganda ganda ng mga bahay dito at take note - walang bakod! Di naman siguro masamang mangarap na one day isang araw ay magkakabahay ako ng ganito. Mula sa malayo ay kapansin-pansin ang chimney ng bahay na ito na tila ba marker sa goggle earth na nagsasabing "pssst! eto....dito...dito ako nakatira, ito ang bahay ko.".

cost of living sa NZ

2008-04-18T23:42:00.004+12:00

Mahirap magbigay ng figure o budget na maaring maging basehan ng cost of living dito sa NZ. ang sapat kay pedro ay maaring kapos para kay juan, there are many things to consider.

Mas makabubuting kayo na ang magkuwenta base sa lifetstyle nyo, sa link na ito makikita ang cost of living calculator for an 'average' family consisting of two adults and two school-aged children.

Kayo na ang humusga base na din sa salary bracket nyo kung mabubuhay kayo dito ng matiwasay - goodluck!

para sa mga may trabaho na at dito na naninirahan, singit ko lang ito kiwisaver calculator para sa mga nag-iisip mag-avail nito.

'...theres no such thing as unlimited'.

2008-04-16T09:42:00.001+12:00

ang aking entry para sa LP #3"Apat na Kanto"
ang larawan ay 'getting started' brochure ng telecom broadband

'...no such thing as unlimited' - ang mga katagang binitawan ng kausap ko ng ako ay mag-apply ng internet connection kailan lang. Sa apat na sulok ng mundo ay dito lang ata magwawakas ang aking walang pakundagang pag-download ng kung anu-ano sa internet. Dito kasi ay walang fixed rate unlimited broadband connection, di metro po ang linya - kapag lumagpas ka sa iyong bandwidth either sisingilin ka nila ng additional na bayad o ibabalik nila sa dial-up ang iyong internet connection. Paano na ang dinadownload kong latest episode ng "ugly betty"? via dial-up connection, my gosh! - thats like going back to the internet stone age.

gripes...gripes...gripes

2008-04-15T11:04:00.004+12:00

the net is full of gripes by pinoys who migrated to NZ, narito ang ilan - 1, 2, 3.

loose the "bad hair day" kid - it only works in the movies.

either its an individual who expect so much pagdating dito or someone who uproots his entire family sampu ng kanyang ari-arian (including the kitchen sink?) expecting to settle here kaagad permanently.

kahit saang sulok ng mundo ko pumaroon mayroong pros and cons, may nagtatagumpay at may nabibigo - so what is the secret? im no expert but IMHO it boils down to "planning".

sa mga nakikita ko at nakakausap the more successful pinoys here (by "successful" i meant yun naka-settle na dito with a good job) are those who planned their move. people who did their research muna - browsing the net and making queries (sampol). yung mga nagpunta muna dito ng mag-isa (di hatak ang buong pamilya) at nagtiis ng panahon till he or she felt financially stable to bring a family here. also, those who are 35 and above had a better chance, di sa minamaliit ko yun mga nakababata - but like in my profession if your below 30 i would still consider you na may gatas pa sa labi. i've seen know-it-all people who work overseas for the first time (board placers pa) who thought passing the board and gaining a few years experience is enough leverage - its a different ballgame na po paglabas nyo ng pinas.

IELTS

2008-04-14T09:53:00.005+12:00

...pasintabi lang po.

2008-04-09T20:00:00.001+12:00

ang aking entry para sa LP #2"Tatlo ang Sulok Ko"
Isang maliit na simbahan sa kanto ng picton street sa Howick.

kahit saan ako pumunta dito ay may mga maliliit na kapilyang nagkalat, either presbyterian, protestante o katoliko. Ang mga ito ay kalimitang may lumang desenyo tulad ng nasa itaas - masyado akong na-intriga sa "diamond pattern" sa pader nito. Sige nga, ilang tatsulok ang mabibilang ninyo sa bubong nito?

take note also sa puntod na asa foreground, 1880 pa po nakalibing si manong dyan.

liberated cfc?

2008-04-08T10:28:00.005+12:00

while on the motorway, pansin ko lang....

wow! may CFC din dito - how nice naman.

then i saw this...

read the stickers sa left at right side.
...could it be? there's a nudist colony ng CFC - i wonder.

a pinoy migrants tale

2008-04-04T22:20:00.003+13:00

eto ang magpapapintig ng inyong mga puso, its a pinoy migrant's plight as reported in the herald yesterday (its not about a whining migrant- tulad ng iba dyan hehehehe).

Cancer victim Roderick Catuday couldn't hide his elation when the Herald broke the news to him that he had got the work permit he wanted - which qualifies him for the treatment he needs at Auckland City Hospital.

"I can't believe it," said the 42-year-old, who had just returned from a four-day hospital stay for a blood transfusion. "I have been praying so hard for this and I really thank God and all the people who have made it possible."

A spokesperson for the Department of Labour, which oversees Immigration, confirmed to the Herald yesterday that Mr Catuday had been granted a two-year work permit, which qualifies him for publicly funded chemotherapy.

Mr Catuday was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia while waiting for his work permit - which he qualified for - to be approved by Immigration New Zealand.

Doctors told him that without treatment, he would have only months to live.

But an email from his doctor to the authorities asking them to speed up the process because of the cancer backfired, and his application was rejected.

Since the Weekend Herald reported his plight, donors have contributed about $40,000 to help him get treated - but it was still not enough to meet the $150,000 he needed as a deposit for Auckland City Hospital.

Only people with at least a two-year work permit, other than New Zealand and Australian citizens or residents, qualify for public health funding. (take note of this for future reference -kiwi.pino)

Mr Catuday said he had been spending his time in hospital writing a letter, which he has yet to complete, thanking everyone who has been helping him and his family during this difficult time, and had planned for the letter to be read "if something happened" to him.

"This is the best news I have had, and my next step is to go to the Auckland hospital to see when I can get my treatment started," he said.

Mr Catuday is the father to three children aged between 12 and 15 and is married to Emelita, 41, an accountant. The family came to New Zealand from the Philippines last September.

Social worker Agnes Granada, of the Migrant Action Trust, who is providing support for the Catuday family, could also hardly contain her joy when she rang the Herald with the news of Immigration New Zealand's decision yesterday.

"This is not just good news for the Catudays, but also good news for the whole Filipino community," Ms Granada said.

"I am really so happy and don't know how to thank everyone who has been helping the family."

read the previous newspaper article here.

salary bakit? - ops! salary bracket pala.

2008-04-04T11:14:00.005+13:00

ayan JC ng sa susunod alam mo na ang salary bracket mo.

narito ang listahan ng suweldo sa NZ as published sa herald last year. mind you kung bagong salta ka dito at limited ang experience mo expect something a bit lower than what was published, pero kung astig ka tapos may vast experience at mataas na ang market value mo you can demand a salary within the range specified.

you can also check salary brackets DITO - courtesy of HAYS (isang recruitment agency). ang susunod na tanong ay "kasya ba naman ang salary para mabuhay sa NZ?" - ang sagot ay abangan sa mga susunod na post.

pahabol: per annum (meaning - suweldo ng isang taon) po yan mga nakasulat na salary at di monthly baka lang kasi nabubulagan kayo, also di pa po nakakaltas dyan yun tax. keep in mind na depende din kung asaang city ka naroon, may konti pagkakaiba ang salary range between cities (auckland usually is the highest).

sus ginoo! i just remembered something, siguro yun kumausap dyan kay JC dati sa pinas ang akala ay monthly salary kaya tuloy ang akala nun tao pagkataas-taas ng suweldo dito.

pansin ko lang - keep left!

2008-04-03T08:25:00.002+13:00

whats wrong with this picture? cars are lined up on the wrong side of the road.

Repeat after me -"keep left, keep left, keep left!", always remember the right hand drive mantra and you'll never go wrong driving around NZ.

Oo nga pala, look right then left when crossing the street, not that your in any danger on a zebra crossing. kasi most of the time cars would literally stop to let your cross the street - can't remember when was the last time i had that experience in manila.

wait, let me think, hmmmm - i know! ...never hehehehe.

how to get to NZ?...via those POEA ads!

2008-04-02T15:07:00.003+13:00

lately theres been an influx ng mga hiring for canada, australia at NZ na inilalabas ng POEA. yes, there are companies in NZ who are hiring pinoys directly from the philippines- malay mo suwertihin ka at mapabilang sa iilan-ilang nakakalis sa ganitong paraan. getting to NZ via this method, you will be going in as an OFW (on a working visa)- meaning you have a contract kung saan nakasaad ang duration ng iyong trabaho just like any other OFW sa ibang lugar. also, kalimitan sagot ng kumpanya ang pabahay mo (wow! malaking tipid kaagad yun.) at in some cases - maari mong madala ang iyong pamilya. ang maganda sa lahat ay the option of applying for residency is there ones your here.

kiwi.pino - ang pagdating

2008-04-01T18:32:00.017+13:00

balik tanaw sa nakalipas -

yup! thats the plane that would take me to NZ. before boarding the plane i already spent 12 hours in transit via bus, train and another flight.

lcd display graphic representation of our approach to Auckland Intl airport.

my immigration odyssey begins...

i was tired and exhausted by the time our plane landed, kaya parang kinalaykay ng manok ang handwriting ko when i filled-up the arrival form (mistake no.1), the immmigration officer ask me some trivial question as he was reviewing my passport - i probably replied incoherently coz i was droggy for being awake for the past 24hrs (mistake no.2).

never did i realized that these mistakes would haunt me as i approach the customs baggage inspector. the officer ask me to transfer to another queue - duon sa pila na pang-suspicious characters, in this post 9/11 world where every airport ay praning any mistake you make can have undesirable consequences.

my luggages where turn inside out and swab for any drug residue, sa tingin ko akala nila i was carrying something and probably assumed i was high on drugs.

looking tired, worn out, shabby with a stuble, red eyed due to lack of sleep tapos incoherent pa sagot ko sa tanong sakin at terrible handwriting - siguro nga mapapagkamalan akong tumira during my flight.

i was finally allowed to leave when nothing was found. i wasnt maltreated or anything - the officer who was inpecting my luggage and asking me questions was very courteous. i cant say the same for the other people on that queue - some were really questioned intimidatingly, mostly the had undeclared taxable goods or restricted/unallowed items (READ).

moral of my odyssey - 'wag maging makulit - dont bring any restricted stuff, read the arrival form carefully-declare whatever you need to declare at write legibly, tandaan kapag natiklo ka - your salvation is dependent on the whim of the immigration officer (standard yan kahit saan) and finally, jetlag is always a bitch!

what a relief to finally exit that door.

first impression - looks like a domestic airport but sure is clean inside and out, also it felt provincial very provincial!

how to get to NZ? ...applying on-line!

2008-03-30T17:30:00.002+13:00

malabo ito, though meron din namang natatanggap. i know of several people who applied online while working outside the philippines, they had their interview done via video-conferencing. unless your highly qualified for the position at meron kang matching envious experience this method of getting to NZ is a long shot.

ang mabisang Visa

2008-03-30T15:53:00.000+13:00

ang aking visa....bow! this type of working visa doesnt limit the holder to any particular type of work. i can be a factory worker, mcdo crew, dancer, bartender, saleman, supervisor, manager or rocket scientist (provided i'm qualified) - sana may magkamali at ma-hire akong CEO.

how to get to NZ? ...tourist!

2008-03-29T19:19:00.009+13:00

hindi po ako isang immigraton expert, im just sharing my layman experience at baka makatulong sa inyong nagbabalak - if i can do it maybe so can you.

there are a number of ways to get to NZ; as a tourist, a student, applying for a job online or an immigrant (either skilled migrant or business migrant). ang pinaka-common ay yun bilang tourist or immigrant, you dont need to go through any so-called immigration agency to do this.

asa pilipinas ka man o nagtatrabaho sa ibang bansa ang requirement ay pare-pareho para sa isang filipino, basahin ang requirements DIT O. ang pinaka-importante sa mga ito ay; ang sulat na katunayang may babalikan kang trabaho (certificate of employment), police clearance (nbi clerance para sa mga asa pinas), sapat na pera bilang pantustos habang asa NZ (this is offset if you have somebody in NZ na mag-i-isponsor sa iyo).

gaya ng nasabi ko na, if your applying for visit visa ng 59days or shorter, you dont need to pay any visa fee - BASAHIN DITO.

you can apply at any NZ embassy sa buong mundo, sa pilipinas ay naka-outsource ito sa isang kumpanya - Philippine Interactive Services Incorporated (PIASI).

napabalitang kinu-control daw ng mga b----a kung sino lang ang na-aaprubahan ng visa sa pinas, wala po akong pruweba kung gaano katutoo ang tsismis na ito.

if you meet all of the requirements, theres no reason why you can't get a visa. depende na lang yun kung "limited" visa ang mabigay sa iyo. a limited visa means you can't extend your stay in NZ, you must leave NZ before yor visa expires. kung di naman "limited" ang visa mo, you can have it extended habang asa NZ ka.

kung suwertihin ka at makakita ka ng trabaho habang asa NZ ka as a tourist, you cant start work kahit tanggap ka na. you must wait till your working visa can be processed, either lumabas ka muna ng NZ ( kung limited visa ka) or tambay ka muna at papasyal-pasyal anywhere sa NZ till your work permit comes out. you can hire an immiration lawyer in NZ para maasikaso agad ang paperwork mo but make sure na yung kukunin mo ay di mo babayaran hangga't di nare-release ang work permit mo.

to give you an idea what type of jobs are in demand in NZ narito ang kanilang IMMEDIATE SKILL SHORTAGE LIST at LONG TERM SKILL SHORTAGE LIST.

madali bang maghanap ng trabaho sa NZ? depende na yan sa linya mo at sa experience mo, a little chutzpah won't hurt. on average a highly qualified pinoy can land a job within a month, ang importante ay makakuha ka ng trabaho sa line of work mo. once magustuhan ka ng isang kumpanya at sabihin sa iyong tanggap ka na ang susunod na hakbang ay ang pag-process ng work permit mo - kasama na dito ang pagkuha mo ng medical exam ( around 350nz dollars din yun!).

Just the facts jack!

2008-03-28T18:05:00.000+13:00

...or was it JC.

Forgive my outburst sa aking unang post, its just that i hate so called "mamamahayags" who speculate, theyre suppose to state only the facts - void of any innuendos.

to set the record straight i would attempt to give you filipino readers a factual and concise outlook of new zealand, info on how to get here, things you should consider as well as pitfalls you should watch out for.

Map of New Zealand

I'm not going to bore you with its history (i-google nyo na lang) nor any of the info you'll find in a standard alamanac. what i'm going to concentrate on are the facts of particular interest to those who wish to migrate here. kayo na ang humusga kung sa tingin nyo ay maganda ditong pumunta o mag-migrate -my bias notwithstanding.

Sagot ni Kiwi.pino

2008-03-28T13:49:00.001+13:00

Ito po ang aking masasabi sa sulat ng ating kababayang si JC na pinamagatang “Hindi paraiso ang buhay sa New Zealand”. Para sa hindi pa nakakabasa narito po ang kanyang sulat at aking mga komentaryo (in red).

Hindi paraiso ang buhay sa New Zealand
(pero mas malaparaiso kung ikukumpara sa pinas)

03/14/2008 | 08:23 PM
03/26/2008 | 08:00 AM

Babala: Hindi paraiso ang New Zealand
(no country is perfect, but nz surely beats the phil by a mile)

Nais ko lang magbigay ng babala sa mga kababayan natin na nagtutungo sa New Zealand sa pag-aakala na dito nila matatagpuan ang glorya na hindi nila natikman sa Pilipinas.

Marami na tayong mga kababayan na nabiktima ng naglipanang recruitment/immigration agencies d'yan sa atin sa Pilipinas at nagdurusa ngayon dito sa New Zealand .

Marami sa kanila ang nadaan sa sweet-talk ng agencies na ito. Halimbawa, madali raw makakuha ng trabaho, mataas ang sahod at maganda ang takbo ng pamumuhay.

the keyword here is “SWEET TALK”, wala itong pinagkaiba sa mga ibang mambobolang illegal recruiter na nagkalat sa pilipinas na nagpapa-alis ng ating mga walang malay na kababayan papunta kung saan-saang lugar.

Sinisingil sila ng P500,000 kapalit ng tourist visa. Ang sabi sa kanila, wala nang problema pagdating sa NZ dahil maraming available na trabaho. Kapag nakakuha na sila ng job offer, madali nang mai-convert ang tourist visa nila into work permit.

Actually ang panghingi ng malaking halaga kapalit ng pag-alis ay typical na Gawain ng mga illegal recruiter kahit saan man. Kung sa NZ ang punta mo as tourist ay di mo na kailangan ang 500,000 pesos, you should have gone through the process. Apply for a tourist visa sa kahit saang nz embassy, check if you meet the requirements – yun lang! bilang isang phil passport holder ay wala kang babayarang any visa fee if your applying for a tourist visa at intending to stay for less than 50 days. Also if your issued a “limited visa” it means your visa cant be extended and you’ll have to leave nz when your visa is up (all of this info is available online if your not too lazy to browse them)

Check if your profession is in the priority list ng mga kailangan nila – again this is available online (masuwerte pa nga tayong mga pinoy kasi ang ating work experience sa pinas ay credited di tulad ng sa ibang mga bansang wala sa listahan).

Kadalasang tumatagal ng isang buwan ang tourist visa sa New Zealand na ibinibigay ng immigration.

Kulit mo ah! Kapag 1 month binigay sa iyo at di “limited” yun visa ay maari mo itong ma-extend.

Sobra raw kung i-build up ng agencies na ito ang New Zealand na tila paraiso kaya mahahalina ka talagang lumipad. Sinasabing napakadaling kumuha ng trabaho, mura ang bilihin, at maganda ang buhay.

More sweet talk, lesson here – wag po kayong papa-uto!

Ang sales talk pa, ang P500,000 na ginastos nila na pambayad sa pagpunta sa NZ ay mababawi kaagad sa loob lang ng isang buwan na pagtatrabaho rito. Kaya naman hindi nakapagtataka na marami sa mga kababayan natin ang nabibiktima.

Isang buwan! Bka naman CEO ng isang kumpanya ang posisyon. Sa susunod tanong mo muna kung anong propesyon ng makapag-apply din ako.

Pagdating nila rito, pahirapan sa pagkuha ng trabaho, at kung may makuhang trabaho, maliit naman sa sahod pero mahal ang gastos, lalo na sa upa sa bahay. Mabuti na lang may mga kababayan tayo rito na kumukupkop sa kanila.

Again depende sa propesyon mo, kung maliit ang suweldo mo you have the option of getting a second job (its no different from what pinoy sa states are doing). Di naman kabigatan ang work load kya ang magkaroon ng dalawa o tatlo pang trabaho is feasible. Ang mga kaawa-awang pinoy na kinukupkop ay yuon mga napupunta ng di prepared (in other words, yun mga nagpabola sa mga illegal recruiters), kahit saan sulok ka ng daigdig pumunta ay naglapana ang mga kababayan nating nabola ng mga illegal recruiter, makikita mo silang nagkalat na walang patutunguhan o pupuntahan na mamatamisin pang bumalik na lang ng pinas.

Panahon na para magising ang ating mga kababayan sa katotohanan. Napakahirap ng buhay dito – mahirap kumuha ng trabaho, at hindi totoong maluwag ang pamumuhay.

Tumpak ka dyan! Panahon na para gumising mga pinoy at wag kayong pabola sa mga lintang recruiter. Sa susunod puwede ba siguraduhin nyo muna na ang linya nyo ay may opening nga, atsaka try to live within your means.

Ang totoo - grabe ang discrimination dito pagdating sa trabaho. Ang mga “puti" ang priority ng employers na binibigyan ng trabaho. Ang mga may kulay tulad ng mga Pinoy, kahit qualified sa trabaho ay hindi kaagad tinatanggap dahil wala daw silang "NZ o local experience."

Discrimination is prevalent everywhere, if you have work abroad you would know that. Also if you have work overseas you’ll know na tanga ang mga puti – kung walang pinoy na aalalay sa mga yan eh walang matatapos na trabaho ang mga kumag nayan! Kung mal-edukado ang may-ari na papasukan mo naturalmenteng kalahi nyan ang ipaparioritize nyan (walang pinagkaiba yan sa pinoy kukunin pinoy din kung puwede at qualified naman). NZ or Local experience means nakapagtrabaho ka na sa NZ in any line of work, having such an experience you can command a better salary next time you look for work.

Ito ang dahilan kung bakit marami sa mga kababayan natin na doctor, lawyer, engineer at accountants ang kung anu-ano na lang trabaho ang pinapasok para lang kumita. Hindi nila magamit ang qualification nila dahil hindi nire-recognize ng employers.

Get this straight people, kung ano tinapos mo o ano pa man ang license mo sa pinas – it doesn’t mean shit paglabas mo ng pinas, you’ll have study and pass the local board again to qualify. Eto ay standard practice lalo na sa mga developed countries. Sus taga-3^rd world po tayo, you cant expect to be treated at par with their graduate. Yan ang dahilan kaya sa labas ng pinas pinag-aaral ng mga mayayamang pinoy ang mga anak nila.

Napakahirap ng buhay dahil maliit lang ang sweldo, pero sobrang laki ng tax at sobrang taas ng presyo ng mga bilihin. Mainit na usapin ngayon dito ang mababang pasweldo sa NZ kumpara sa Australia . Mahigit kalahati ang diperensya ng sahod ng magkalapit na bansa. Kung dito sa NZ ay $11 per hour ang minimum, sa Australia mahigit $20 ang minimum at mas malaki pa ang palit ng pera nila.

Ang cost of living ay commensurate to the standard of living. Sa susunod wag maniwala sa mga sabi-sabi lang, do your own research and try to find out whats the real deal. I can give you the link ng payscale sa NZ at Australia if you wish para sa susunod na mag-apply ka ay alam mo kung magkano dapat ang pay grade mo.

Dahil sa napakataas na tax sa sahod na umaabot sa 25 percent bawat linggo, at mahal na bilihin at upa sa bahay, talagang literal na dumadaan lang sa kamay ang sweldo rito.

Hmmmmm,sounds familiar – parang pinas! Ang pinagkaiba lang po ay makikita mo kung saan napupunta ang binabayad mo sa tax; tulad ng mababang school tuition, malinis na kapaligiran (walang tambak na basura!), murang pakonsulta sa doctor, etc, etc.

At ang pinakamatindi sa lahat, sobrang higpit ng immigration dito. Dumadanas ng "torture" ang mga kababayan natin sa kamay ng mga visa officer, kung umasta akala mo sila ang Diyos.

Have you seen kung paano i-trato ng mga pinoy immigration official ang mga pumapasok sa pinas. Normal yun kahit saang bansa ka pumunta, ang immig opisyal laging nakasimangot, isnabero, at laging parang may gagawin kang masama ang tingin sa iyo. Sus! Ako nga ay na-inspeksyon pa yun kasulok-sulukan ng baggage ko dahil galling ako sa isang 3^rd world country (not phils) when I came to NZ, bka daw may droga akong dala.

Mahilig silang maghanap ng butas para pahirapan ang mga nag-aapply. At kami rin ay kasalukuyang dumadanas ng pangmaltrato ng immigration dito.

Kaya nga dapat kasi sa una pa lang ang pinag-aralan mo ng lahat ng requirements para ready ka na – its is all available online. para kang sumabak sa giyera nyan ng walang mission briefing eh, mapapatay ka agad nyan iho!

Ang negatibong impormasyon at tunay na sitwasyon tungkol sa pamumuhay sa NZ ay hindi nakakarating sa ating mga kababayan kaya marami pa rin ang lumilipad dito.

Korek ka dyan! Kya nga napilitan akong mag-komentaryo pra naman balance, dito kasi pinapahalagahan ang patas.

Mukhang may kasabwat din ang recruitment agencies d'yan sa atin at NZ immigration dahil isa sa malaking pinagkukunan ng pondo ng gobyerno rito ay mga ibinabayad na fees ng mga nag-aapply ng visa para makapunta rito. Kaya marahil ganun na lang kung i-build up nila ang NZ upang makaengganyo ng mga Filipino.

Read my lips “DI USO ANG LAGAYAN DITO!”, para kang reporter sa piliinas – your not reporting facts but heresay. Like what I said, if your applying for a tourist visa for less than 50 days you don’t need to pay 1 cent to anyone when applying sa NZ embassy.

Sa totoo lang, HINDI PARAISO ang NZ. Kaya sana mabigyang babala ang mga kababayan natin na nagbabalak na dito manirahan o maghanap ng trabaho. Huwag silang maniwala sa mga nababalita tungkol sa mala-paraisong NZ.

I agree, its not paradise but its darn close enough. I get to go anywhere here ng walang kakapkap sakin (think SM), I can go to any shop without leaving my bag sa baggage counter (think SM supermarket), there are no security guards everywhere brandishing their firearms (think BDO), there are no stinking garbage (look outside your window sa maynila), you can drink water straight from the tap (when was the last time you did this in manila),kids can play outside without adult supervision (think of your parents childhood).

Kung gusto nilang pumunta rito upang mamasyal walang problema, ngunit kung dito maninirahan at maghahanap ng trabaho, maipapayo natin na mag-isip silang mabuti, magtanong, dahil hindi biro ang sistema rito.

Again I agree, we don’t need more people here na nagpapabola lamang sa mga illegal recruiters – we prefer yung may konting utak naman dahil puproblemahin pa naming kayo dito. Di biro ang sistema dito dahil walang corruption, kung sanay ka sa lagayan sa pinas – THIS PLACE ISNT FOR YOU.

Maraming salamat. God bless.
Ditto!

*Si J.C. ay dating mamamahayag sa Pilipinas na nag-migrate sa NZ noong nakaraang taon kasama ang kanyang asawa at mga anak.

KIWI.PINO*’s life further downunder, only at www.pinoyandpinay.com

· pinoy na kung saan-saan na napadpad pero sa NZ naisipan ng dumaong, tanging hanggad sa buhay ay madala dito ang kayang buong angkan dahil ang NZ ay di lang pampamilya pang buong kamag-anakan pa!