Filipino blind spot

A Filipino dairy industry leader wants the Government to greater understand the value migrant workers bring to places like Mid Canterbury.

She’s Kristine Santos-Asuncion, the Rakaia-based Filipino Dairy Workers’ New Zealand chairperson, who has seen the impact thousands of her emigrating countrymen and women have made to the Ashburton District.

About 4000 Filipinos now call the Ashburton District home and are part of the changing face of the region, with many employed on local farms.

Santos-Asuncion said Ashburton acknowledged the impact and benefits of migrant workers, but it was time the Government did the same.

“It’s not just about Filipinos, it’s about how we ensure the sustainability of the workforce in these rural places,’’ she said.

“And for me, we have to provide support to the rural community itself so that people think it’s worth living rurally.

“We need to prove that you don’t have to live in a city to have a good quality of life, to have good quality education, to have access to GPs, to have access to medical help.’’

Santos-Asuncion said Government support in making that happen – whatever form that took – would also encourage Filipino families to stay in rural New Zealand areas like Ashburton.

“We want to grow the communities, let them have big families because otherwise they’re just going to move.

“We want them to see themselves living long-term in a place like Mid Canterbury.”

Santos-Asuncion lives on a Rakaia farm with her husband where they contract milk 1500 cows, but she also works in human resources and started with the Filipino dairy workers organisation in June.

Caring for her Filipino community in Ashburton was a focus.

“They bring workers, they bring money, they bring kids into our schools,’’ Santos-Asuncion said.

“They bring a sense of community to rural areas, and that’s important.”

Her dairy workers’ support organisation assisted Filipinos with immigration issues, employment woes and provided embassy support.

“With English not being migrants’ first language, it’s kind of hard.

“We give advice and support for people-related matters like communication, grievances, seeking clarification about rights and resources.”

She believed immigration had become harder in recent years, with increased costs a growing issue.

“There’s so much money involved now for both the employer and employee.

“This month, it’s $750 for you to get a visa. Next month, it doubles.”

Accredited employer work visas would also jump from $750 to $1540, with skilled residence visas increasing from $4290 to $6450.

“I’ve seen a lot of business ads saying that they are not accredited, and they don’t have plans to be, and I don’t blame them,” she said.

“They know they will not be able to support a migrant worker.”

Finding home in Ashburton, pages 18-19.

By Anisha Satya