Manuel Bermejo Castillo OAM

Manuel Bermejo Castillo OAM

Making a Difference – Man With Vision and Mission

For over 36 years, Manuel Bermejo Castillo, one of this year’s recipients of the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for Order of Australia Medal (OAM) , has been making a difference in community work both here and overseas. Manny as he is popularly known has led the Philippine Australian Sports & Culture (PASC) Inc with a vision and mission that has captivated the community and generated cooperation and unity in purpose.

Under Manny’s leadership, PASC has for 21 years now continuously and successfully held the “Grand Philippine Sydney Fiesta Kultura” acclaimed to be one of the four biggest community festivals in Australia promoting aspects of multiculturalism in the society. It has been described as the biggest gathering of Filipinos outside the Philippines. Staged under various popular Sydney landmarks such as Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney Football Staduim, Parramatta Football Staduim, Bankstown City Paceway, Eastern Creek International Raceway, Rosehill Garden Raceway and this year at Fairfield Showground, PASC has unsurpassed record of Awards no other Filipino organisation, state, local or national has achieved: 1991 Linkapil Award, 1992 NSW Multicultural Marketing award, 2004 Presidential Banaag Award and the 1991 Commemorative Gold Medal, Philippine Jaycees Inc and the Philippine Sports Commission 1991 XVI South East Asian Games Manila.In 1991 PASC was awarded by the Philippine Community Council for Fiesta Kultura as the Most Outstanding Community Project so did the the Filipino Community Council.

To encourage trade and tourism between the Philippines and Australia, the Trade and Tourism Expo was added to the program of activities of “Grand Philippine Sydney Fiesta Kultura”. Filipino Food Festival with the aim of sampling Philippine cuisine delicacies and the Filipino Folkloric Festival acknowledging the rich cultural Philippine heritage are now integral parts of the ‘Fiesta Kultura’. The power of youth was likewise given focus hence the introduction of the Youth Festival.

‘Fiesta Kultura’ recorded its biggest crowd during the Sydney Oympics 2000 where a record of 30,000 to 40,000 were in attendance.

Proceeds from the Fiesta Kultura to 2008, has seen donations to selected charities in the Philippines and Australia total A$119,919.45. In addition commission to participating local organisations to finance their community projects has reached A$248, 615.55.

Manny, a retired public school teacher can also add the following Awards, Citations, and Recognition to his list: Special Citation –Ten Outstanding Manilans 2006, from the City of Manila; Community Service Award 2001 from the Most Noble Order of Rizal; Australian Sports Medal 2000 Commonwealth of Australia Office of the Prime Minister; 25 Years of Service 2000 NSW Department of Education; Leadership Award 2000 Filipino Community Council of Australia and numerous recognitions and citations in sports such as basketball; tennis, golf; bowling; soccer and table tennis.

A prime mover of the Filipino National Association of Sports in Australia (NASA), the yearly sporting event has now gone global with the participation of Filipino sport enthusiasts in the region.

Making a difference, you bet Manny does.

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Short URL: http://www.thefilipinoaustralian.com/news/?p=993

Posted by Lolita Farmer OAM on Jun 28 2009. Filed under People. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry