Life in Perth is like life in Batanes
(By Nick Acacio)

Out of some 5,000 Filipinos living in Western Australia, only 30 to 35 are Ivatans consisting of the Acacio, the Alcantara, and the Estandante families.

To most Ivatans, Batanes will always be wherever they may be. The beauty of the islands, their tranquillity, the fresh clean air and their closeness to nature are things that an Ivatan will always try to find in his/her new home anywhere in the world.

To the Acacio brothers and sisters (Chita, Nick Jr. Liling and Roger), Batanes is also found "down under" in Perth, Western Australia. For different reasons they came to Perth, but for the same reason, they have decided to stay. That is, they all found in Perth the qualities of life Batanes offered to them during their childhood years-and even more.

In Perth, as in Batanes, one lives life close to nature's beauty and tranquillity-in the midst of all the conveniences that modern technology offers today.

In Perth suburbs, one wakes up to the singing of birds (doves, parrots, etc) rather than the roaring of motor vehicles. One rides to work either in his/her own car along the wide freeways or on the convenient train. Weather you work 10 or 50 kms, your travel time will at the longest take just 30 or 40 minutes.

Food is never a problem: Fresh fruits, meat and fish are available at the supermarket in every suburban shopping mall the whole year round at very affordable prices.

Education is free up to year seven and subsidized in the upper years for both young and old. University placements, competitive, are on a "study now-plan-when-can-afford" scheme. No one is required to pay back until one earns enough to be able to live comfortably.

Australia offers the second most generous (next only to the Scandinavian countries) health and social services. Housing is subsidized for those who can't afford to buy their own home. For those who can afford, housing loans can be obtained for as low as 5.0% interest rate.

The Perth Metropolitan Area is larger than Manila and has a population of only 1.5 million. Its vehicle to population ratio is now 1.2 vehicles per person.