Dating bayan ng minahan. Kanlungan ng sining. Isang heritage city na kilala para sa arkitektura nito.
Habang ito ang mga imahe na nakadikit sa Ballarat, mas mahalaga pa ang imahe nito para sa mga migranteng Pilipino na nakatira dito - ito ay home.
Pagpapalawak ng lupain
"Ballarat has been good to me."
Nung lumipat si Rose Boquida mula Balmoral patungong Ballarat noong 1994, saad niya na hindi niya sinadya ang paglipat na ito. Inisip niyang lumipat sa Hoppers Crossing, ngunit nakumbinsi siya ng isang agent na piliin ang "very cold" na regional town ng Ballarat.
Paniwala ni Rose na ito ang naging isa sa pinakamagandang desisyon niya sa kanyang buhay, ngunit aminado siya na may mga dinaanan din siyang pagsubok sa paglipat na ito.
Rose Boquida's first house at Balmoral when she migrated to Australia in 1991 Source: supplied by Rose Boquida
"It was a better life than the one I had [in the Philippines and as a domestic helper for the President's son in Singapore], but it was depressing. I didn't have anyone to talk to. There were only kangaroos on the street," saad niya.
Bukod dito, nakaramdam din siya ng diskriminasyon noon.
Ngunit, ayon din kay Rose, mas nangibabaw ang kabutihan na naramdaman niya sa Ballarat.
Si Rose, na naninilbihan din bulang Filipino Multicultural Ambassador for Ballarat, ay nakahanap din ng oportunidad at tagumpay sa Ballarat.
Source: Supplied by R Boquida
"Because of my partner [who is a builder], I was able to go into property building. The first house he built was for me. Because there were no time restrictions when I started, I was able to build five houses in 12 years. I now have six properties," aniya.
Ayon kay Rose, halos puro bukirin lang ang Ballarat noong una siyag dumating, pero ngayon, ang regional town na ito ay "all about development".
"Ballarat has the lowest vacancy in terms of rental properties. Now there are houses everywhere, expanding specifically on the west-side where there were farms before. Ballarat is in a regional area, but yet it is a city. The population is really growing fast," saad niya.
Lakas sa pagkakaiba-iba
"For me, one of the most important things that will provide self-confidence and assurance of a better life is getting employed and being in a workplace where you feel accepted even as a migrant and recognised for the different skills and talents that you offer."
Alam ni Frances Salenga ang kahalagahan ng pagkakaroon ng karera - mataas na noon ang posisyon niya sa public service at education sector sa Pilipinas. Ngunit, dahil ninais niyang makasama ang kanyang pamilya sa Australya, pinili niyang lumipat dito.
Ang swerte ni Frances ay nakahanap din siya ng government job sa isang bayan napamahal sa kanya agad-agad.
"I moved to Ballarat in 2003. The first time I went to Ballarat was when I interviewed for the job I have now. I fell in love with the place right away. It looked so much like Baguio where I spent my childhood."
Frances watching the Harmony Fest parade with Filipino friends Source: FASCOBI Facebook page
"I told my son 'If I get this job, I'm going to stay here.'" At dito nga siya nanatili. Nagtatrabaho na ngayon si Frances sa coordinator for the multicultural services in Ballarat.
Maliban sa pagtulong sa mga migrante sa paghahanap ng trabaho sa Australya, ibinabahagi din niya ang kahalagahan ng diversity sa lugar ng trabaho.
May mga cultural ambassadors and kanyang departamento na tumutulong sa mga miyembro ng kanilang mga komunidad na makipag-ugnayan sa mga employers. Ayon sa kanya, mahalaga ang mga ambassadors na ito dahil "no one would understand you better than a person from your own culture."
Second from left, Frances Salenga, coordinatior Intercultural Services with Rose Boquida (third from left) Filipino Muticultural Ambassador. Source: Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council FB page
"There's this Filipina named Katrina. We matched her skill with a unit in council. She got a job as a full-time customer service employee for the City of Ballarat. We're featuring her on the cover of . You can learn about the services we offer through the magazine," saad niya.
Sining para sa komunidad para sa sining
Source: SBS Filipino/ R Masinag
Ang dating taga-Bacolod na artist na si Diokno Pasilan ay lumipat mula Perth patungong Ballarat noong 2012 dahil nagmahal na ang housing sa lugar nila. Bago sila lumipat ng Ballarat, inisip ni Diokno na lumipat ng Tasmania kasama ng kanyang pamilya, ngunit nag-iba ang kanyang isip dahil sa isolation dito.
Ang pagtanggi sa isolation ang naging tamang desisyon para kay Diokno mas lalo na't upang makilala bilang artists sa Ballarat, kinailangan niyang makipag-ugnayan sa mga local artists at galleries.
"You have to introduce yourself to the local arts community. You have to show them your art. Once you connect with local galleries and other local artists, you'll understand the dynamics of art practice here," saad niya.
Diokno speaking with artists and visitors at the Melbourne Art Fair Source: Supplied by D Pasilan
Ayon din kay Diokno, maraming Filipino artists na nagugulat sa kung papaano isinasagawa ang sining sa Australya. Di kagaya ng karamihan ng Filipino artists na natuto sa paggawa, kinakailangang pag-aralan ang sining sa paaralan kung ninais mong maging artist sa Australya.
"Art here is very controlled. It's institutionalised and patterned to the Western idea of art. Here, people tend to go to the gallery to view art. In the Philippines, people who have money collect art and support the local artist. In order to survive as an artist in Australia, you have to have a strong sense of community," aniya.
Ayon kay Diokno, maliban sa pagtuturo ng mga art workshops sa paaralan, bahagi din siya sa mga art projects para sa komunidad gaya ng Artists for School sa ilalim ng Creative Arts Victoria at ang Pahiyas project.
"I talked to different schools about the Pahiyas and collected milk bottles for my artwork for a gallery. The Filipino community helped me collect materials too."
Diokno started the Ballarat Pahiyas project by collecting milk cartons from local cafes. Children took part in the project by drawing cut-outs. Source: Supplied by D Pasilan
May malaking plano rin si Diokno para sa Ballarat at Bacolod.
"We're trying to connect local Ballarat and Negros artists. It will be kind of like an art exchange wherein a local Ballarat artist is brought to the Philippines and a Negros artist comes here."
Pagkakaibigan sa harap ng hirap
"I'm used to hardships. I'm used to working hard abroad because I worked in Saudi. I wasn't going to give up."
Dumating ang farm worker at welder na si Levi Datu noong 2013 sa ilalim ng Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa 119. Ngunit kahit nabigyan kaagad si Levi ng permanent residency, natanggal siya sa MaxiTRANS, ang kompanya na nag-sponsor ng visa niya.
Ayon kay Levi, nakabangon siyang muli sa tulong ng mga kaibigang Pilipinong nakilala niya sa Ballarat.
Source: Supplied by L Datu
"When you need help, they're there for you. When I lost my job, they helped me look for work. I overcame difficulties through their support and through my own determination. I didn't know how to drive as well and I learned how to. This made me feel confident enough to look for work in Warrnambool and Melbourne," aniya.
Kahit nakahanap ng trabaho si Levi sa Melbourne, naramdaman niya agad-agad ang pangungulila sa Ballarat at sa mga kaibigang nakilala niya doon.
Levi attending a graduation ceremony with other fellow Filipinos in Ballarat that have finished a computer course organised by FAABI Source: Anjanette Tihim
"I went back. It's not far from Melbourne anyway," saad niya.
Ngayon, nagtatrabaho na si Levi bilang all-around farm hand sa Ballarat.
Ayon sa kanyang, ang mga kahirapang nadanasan niya ay nagpatibay lang sa kagustuhan niyang manatili sa komunidad na sumuporta sa kanya.
"Ballarat is the right spot for me," aniya.
Pagtira at pagnatili
"I was fixing my papers to go to Australia; but when the ticket arrived, it was under my sister's name. So, she was the one who left the Philippines and I got left behind. She was crying because she didn't want to leave and I was crying because I wanted to."
Kahit natagalan, kapalaran ni Belle Woods na umalis ng Pilipinas at manirahan sa Ballarat.
Nakilala ni Belle ang kanyang asawa noong 1998 noong binisita niya ang kanyang kapatid sa Melbourne. Pagkatapos ng ilang buwang relasyon, nagpakasal ang dalawa at lumipat si Belle sa Ballarat kung saan naninirahan ang kanyang asawa.
"On the way to Ballarat, there were no houses. I asked my husband if he was sure we were going the right way. My heart was beating fast. I was thinking to myself 'Where is he bringing me?'" aniya.
Source: Corazon Hains
Ayon kay Belle, natagalan bago siya nakahanap ng trabaho; ngunit, habang siya'y naghihintay, madalas siyang mag-redecorate at magluto sa bahay.
Panahon lamang ng transisyon ito dahil ng makahanap ng mga kaibigang Pilipino si Belle sa Ballarat, mabilis siyang nakilala sa komunidad.
Maliban sa pagiging aktibong miyembro ng Filipino community, naging founder siya ng Non-English Speaking Background (NESB) group sa Ballarat.
Belle is part of first Filipino dance group in Ballarat Source: Corazon Hains
"We help through friendship. It's a very important one. If someone has a doctor's appointment or needs to go to the shopping centre and he or she can't drive, we help them out. We would cook and eat together. We're like a big family," saad niya.
Itong pakikipagkaibigan rin ang nagbigay kay Belle ng dahilan na manatili sa Ballarat.
"It's a small community. As I said to my daughter, 'You better be good. I know everyone. Not only is the hospital, YMCA and everything else near us, but it's also safe here. I'm never leaving Ballarat," aniya.
PAKINGGAN DIN
