Pinoys in Austria tell their New Year wishes for RP
by HECTOR PASCUA, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau, Austria | 01/09/2009 8:25 PM
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Filipinos around the world including Austria greeted 2009 with fireworks, bell ringing, Champagne and a tinge of optimism as they experienced quite a hard life in 2008 due to the crisis that hit the global economy.
A dozen of Filipino migrants in Vienna gathered on the eve of New Year in front of the statue of the famous Austrian musician Johann Strauss, a tradition they initiated six years ago.
“We really wanted to celebrate New Year in a typical Viennese way. Then we saw the gold statue of Johann Strauss at the center of the City park in Vienna. Then, we decided to meet here a few hours before the coming of the New Year, para masamahan itong national music artist ng Austria. Nag-iisa siya kasi sa Park and at the same, he is a genuine Viennese. Kaya, six years na kaming nagsasama-sama dito,” Lorna Titgemeyer, one of the organizers of the New Year’s Eve practice said.
The New Year get together at the City park was also a chance for Filipino migrants to voice out their wishes for the Philippines, most especially for the economic and political atmosphere in the country.
“I hope and pray that the Arroyo government would be able to bring the message of hope and optimism na sana sa pagpasok ng 2009 ay magkaroon ng pagkakaisa so that everyone could work hand-in-hand to overcome the world economic crisis and bring prosperity to the Philippines,” said Carmen Pacaigue, one of the pioneer nurses in Austria.
Mila Leutner, meanwhile, hopes that “peace would eventually reign, that war would cease especially in Mindanao.”
Even with the very cold weather, Thess Weizbauer did not hesitate to join her friends to welcome the New Year.
“It is my positive aura that brought me here, in spite of the shivering frosty weather. You just have to be positive. I think that's also the reason why we are gathered here, to display our optimism for the coming year - hope and optimism for all of us Filipinos, in Austria and in Filipinos all-over the world - to be united in overcoming the challenges of the global economic crisis,” she said.
Another Filipina, Vanessa Geissler, who is married to an Austrian hopes that Filipinos continue to love their country.
“Though I have been living in Austria for quite a long time now, still, I have the Filipino blood in me. This is my wish, that my fellow Filipinos abroad may not cease to learn to love the Philippines more and more,” she said.
Elna Jouja on the other hand would like to encourage fellow Filipinos abroad to “contribute in any little way they can to make the Philippines a better place to live in.”
