Chamber of Commerce and Industry Australia Philippines Incorporated

Aus-Fil “Golden Guru” Pride of the Pinoys

11th August 2009

Australian Filipinos and Pinoys in Australia and all over the world should feel proud that one of their kababayans’ ingenuity was recognized by the Australian Government following the historic Australia 2020 Summit held at the Parliament House in Canberra on 19 April 2008.  The Summit’s aim was “to harness the best ideas for building a modern Australia that is ready for the challenges of the 21st century”.  The Summit was hosted by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.  One thousand individuals across the country were invited.  Prime Minister Rudd described these individuals as the “best and brightest” of the Australian society.  And among these individuals is Mr. Ernie Peralta from Brisbane, Queensland.

Mr. Ernie Peralta was selected by The Courier Mail (the primary newspaper company in Queensland) as a delegate to the Summit after his entry won the newspaper’s idea competition for the Summit.  Ernie is an Ilocano speaking Pinoy who migrated in Brisbane, Australia in 1975 with his wife Nena and family.  Ernie and Nena now have six beautiful and healthy grandchildren.

The Summit 2020 attracted more than 1000 big ideas, of which only 9 were approved and received Australian Government funding.  Ernie’s “Golden Guru” idea ranked number 5 on the list of these 9 ideas approved for national implementation. 

The objective of Ernie’s “Golden Guru” idea is simple: to activate the retired or semi-retired skilled Australians, age 50 years and above, to provide and donate mentoring support to small businesses and general community.

The “Golden Guru” Program was recently launched by the Queensland Government through Volunteering Queensland.  The most repeated question directed to Ernie is “why the name Golden Guru?”  “Golden” is synonymous with an individual's later years enjoyed wisely and happily, while “Guru” is usually used to describe an influential mentor and leader.  “The combination of the two words is phonetically pleasant and has become everyday parlance”, he said.

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Australia Philippines (CCIAP) Incorporated invited Ernie to present the “Golden Guru” Program and to share his journey to the Summit 2020, at its First Mondays Business Networking Event on 3 August 2009 at Brisbane, Queensland.  CCIAP is the first non-government organization to take the initiative to present the Program in the wider community.

For more details about the “Golden Guru” Program contact Volunteering Queensland on (07) 3002 7600 or email to goldengurus@volqld.org.au

The CCIAP Inc holds its regular Business Networking Event on the first Mondays of every month (except December and January) at “The Coffee Club”, Park Road, Milton, Queensland, Australia.  When the first Monday falls on a gazette public holiday, the event is held the following Monday.

For more details about the Chamber visit: www.cciap.org

On the photo seating, from left to right: Nick Xynias, AO BEM; Ernie Peralta, Golden Guru; Connie da Cunha, CCIAP President; Agnes Whiten, OAM, Chairperson, Ethnic Community Council of Queensland; The Hon. Ray Hollis, Past Queensland Speaker of the House; Jorge da Cunha; CCIAP Executive Committee Members and CCIAP Members and Guests.