Gathering in Echuca are (from left) St Mary’s Catholic Church parish priest Fr Novie Lim, Philippine consul Jan Wenceslao, Campaspe Shire Council Mayor Rob Amos, Philippine consul general Maria Lourdes M. Salcedo, Lailani Dorupa, Shirley Armstrong and Annie Taylor. Photos: Aidan Briggs
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
The Philippine Consulate General of Melbourne visited Echuca, with consul general Maria Lourdes M. Salcedo arriving on Friday, June 28.
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Ms Salcedo and Philippine consul Jan Wenceslao met with Campaspe Shire Council Mayor Rob Amos and Filipino community leaders, including St Mary’s Catholic Church parish priest Father Novie Lim, Bupa Aged Care Echuca general manager Lailani Dorupa, Annie Taylor, and Shirley Armstrong.
The group met at the Campaspe Shire Council chambers to discuss the growing Filipino population in the region and future opportunities to connect with the Philippines.
“Our mission here is really to meet the Filipino community here in this part of Victoria, because we know there is a growing number,” Ms Salcedo said.
Filipinos are the fifth-largest migrant group in Australia, with more than 95,000 people from the Philippines living in Victoria.
In Campaspe Shire, 426 people reported having a mother born in the Philippines in the 2021 census.
The Philippines was stated as the place of birth of 328 people in 2021, compared to 140 in 2011, when it first became a top-six country of birth in the region.
Bupa Aged Care is a large employer of Filipino people in Echuca, with more than 30 of the facility’s 135 employees from the Philippines.
“I believe there was only three nurses (when I arrived),” general manager Lailani Dorupa said.
“We were all under Bupa because Bupa was the only company then that was sponsoring nurses.
“Fast forward 10 years to now ... there are probably around 30 Filipino staff.”
Philippine consul general Maria Lourdes M. Salcedo and Campaspe Shire Mayor Rob Amos.
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
Campaspe Shire Council is pleased to see overseas migrants, including Filipinos, bringing their skills to the area.
As the region grows, Cr Amos believes it is important to look at how council can attract new workers and residents.
“We’re actually right in the process of doing an economic development and tourism strategy,” he said.
“We have recognised that as part of the growth of Campaspe Shire, we’re going to need to bring more people to the shire for it to thrive and grow into the future and that’s going to include people from overseas from places like the Philippines.
“What we think about is ‘how do we tap into that resource?’
“I imagine if someone is from the Philippines, or from wherever, and they think of Australia, they probably aren’t thinking of Echuca.
“How do we put Echuca, and the whole of the Campaspe Shire, on the radar so it becomes part of their consideration?”
Ms Salcedo, who travels across Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania in her role, was pleasantly surprised by her visit to Echuca.
“When we entered the town, I was impressed,” she said.
“I said, ‘this is a very orderly town. I can see the houses, people are looking after them’.
“I travel around Victoria and South Australia and in other states and you (can) feel when people are looking after their properties.
“It looks like people are happy living here.”
Ms Salcedo and Mr Wenceslao also planned to meet residents and members of the Filipino community after Sunday Mass at St Mary’s.
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