An exciting development is happening to the future of the Filipino-Australian Health Professionals (FAHPi). As I am already based in New South Wales, it is important to keep the executive function of the organisation in our capital, Canberra where most of our engagement and activity happens with our members and other stakeholders.

This month of January 2021, I have made the decision to step aside as the Executive Director of FAHPi and give way to a new leadership team headed by Dorothea Jane (DJ) Camangan who has accepted the opportunity of bringing FAHPi towards the next few years. I will however still play a strategic and key role in the organisation as one of its directors and representative in New South Wales as we aim to expand our presence interstate.

To the directors and members of FAHPi, thank you once again for all the trust, support and assistance that you have extended to me and the team over the past few years. We have officially registered this group as a Not-for-Profit organisation, created an official website where we have shared relevant information, organised fundraisings, mentored staff, provided support to our members and students in need during crisis, conducted seminars to incoming immigrants in collaboration with the Philippines Embassy. We have also been involved with the yearly Simbang Gabi celebration, facilitated overseas donation of dialysis machines from Liverpool Hospital to Southern Philippines Medical Center in collaboration with the Philippine-Australia Business Council (PABC), engaged with ACT political leaders, and a lot more. These were some of the achievements that FAHPi have accomplished over the past three and a half years and I am proud to say that we have become a positive force in the community which I am grateful and privileged to lead with.

Since its inception, I have always envisioned this organisation to become the premier professional Support group to health professionals. To empower its members whose endeavour is to advance professionally as leaders in the Caring industry of Australia. Support being one of the pillars of this organisation. As Filipino-Australians working in Health, we have always been admired and appreciated for our professionalism, dedication and ingenuity.

There is still a long way to go but it important that we continue to engage with relevant stakeholders including our community and political leaders, the Philippine Embassy, public and private health organisations and providers to ensure that our advocacy is heard, considered, recognised and acknowledged, fairly compensated, given the same opportunity to lead as to every other Australian health practitioners. At the same time, we also have to continue with our charity work to reach out and help the least and disadvantaged, locally and overseas especially in times of crisis due to natural calamities including this Covid19 pandemic. This current health crisis highlights the value and relevance of healthcare workers from the cleaner to the food servicing, nurses, doctors, public health practitioners and other members of our allied health as we maintain and safeguard physical, mental and emotional health and well-being of our society.

I would like to see more Filipino-Australian health practitioners as leaders in their respective speciality and expertise. Focus towards the next pillar of this organisation on Policy, Research and Advancement that could create a lasting impact and benefit, not just for our members but for the whole of the health professionals working around the globe and for the greater good of humanity.

Best wishes,

Marcelo (Marfi) Aguanta, RN
Outgoing Executive Director 2017-2020, FAHPi
Email: fahpinc@gmail.com
Canberra, Australia