Audiologist receives award for service to the Filipino community
Melbourne Australia, 5 October 2014
Peter Cichello, a Clinical Audiologist from Melbourne, received the Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC) 2014 Award of Excellence for Meritorious Service in recognition of his volunteer work in the Filipino community in Victoria and continuous service to deaf children in the Philippines. The award ceremony was presided by His Excellency Governor Alex Chernov, assisted byVictorian Premier The Hon Dr Denis Naphtine MP, The Hon Matthew Guy MLC (Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship) and VMC Chairperson Chin Tan at Victorian Government House in Melbourne on 22 September 2014.
Peter receives his award from His Excellency Governor Alex Chernov
“The VMC Multicultural Awards honours everyday Australians who do extraordinary things in our communities. They are our unsung heroes whose contribution is not widely known or recognised by the general public, but their achievements inspire us to help make Australia a better place to live”, commended Premier Napthine MP.
“It was a total surprise to me”, said Peter, who arrived home from his 21st year of Deaf Mission to the Philippines a day before the award ceremony. “It is humbling that so many people share personal time, resources and skills freely with others in need, regardless of nationality or age, without expecting anything in return,” he replied when asked what the award meant to him.
Peter introduces hearing aids to two new pupils at Gualandi Deaf School
Peter has been actively involved in the community sector since the 1980’s, including service on non-profit Boards such as Taralye Deaf School (Burwood) and Family Relationships Institute. His family are members of the Filipino Australian Friendship Association of Geelong Inc, where he volunteered as Newsletter Co-editor in 2002. “It is important for younger members to support the ageing Board Members especially in rural areas, where newsletters, faxes and phones remain the means of communication between rural groups and their friends in Melbourne”. Since 2007, Peter’s audiology clinics, City Hearing in Kew and Melbourne CBD, have generously sponsored Filipino youth sports, seniors events, charity drives and the December Filipino cultural event Pasko sa Nayon (Christmas in the Village) Community Concert at Federation Square in Melbourne (see www.bayanihanaustralia.org and www.cityhearing.com.au )
Peter’s work for deaf children in the Philippines began in 1990 when he was approached by a Catholic Italian priest to help set up the Gualandi Mission School for the Deaf on Cebu island, Philippines. Other Australians helped the fledgling school, including audiologist Professor Phillip Newell (NSW).
Peter at Gualandi Deaf School with the Head Teacher Sister Susan, Principal Sister Giulia (aged in her 80s) and two young boarder pupils from outlying islands
The School is now run by the Little Sisters of the Deaf and most of the 100 students attending come from disadvantaged families in Cebu and outlying islands. Peter donates medical equipment, runs workshops for teachers, repairs the pupils’ hearing aids and organises fellow audiologists to support Philippine ENT doctors in outreach medical missions. “I found that people do not want charity; but every year whenever a bad typhoon hits the school, I ring up to ask if every one’s OK – and the families value that ongoing human connection far more”, as Peter explained his contribution to the local community.
