Dr Cen Amores, Founding President, Alliance of Philippine Community Organisations Inc. (APCO)
Dr Cen Amores has been nominated for the 2012 Women of the West Award for her support of the migrant populations in western Sydney, as well as for acting as a representative for the Filipino-Australian community.
Cen worked as a TAFE teacher for 13 years and is currently employed with MTC Work Solutions as a Lead Employment Consultant. In this role, she is responsible for designing and delivering training for job seekers, as well as case managing the highly disadvantaged and long-term unemployed.
In addition to her work at MTC Work Solutions, Cen is also the Founding President of the Alliance of Philippine Community Organisations Inc (APCO) – a state peak body of some 40 Filipino-Australian voluntary and not-for-profit organisations.
She has represented the community in various other capacities as a volunteer over the last 20 years, as the Executive Vice President of the Philippine Community Council; President of the Filipino-Australian Teachers Association; President of the Ilocano Association of Australia; Vice Chair of the Board of Management of Filipino Community Co-operative; and Producer and Broadcaster of 'Radyo Mabuhay' – a Filipino language program aired at community radio 2 BACR, 100.9 FM, bringing news, information and culture to local listeners.
For the last three years, Cen has been actively involved in the Steering Committee of Auburn Small Community Organisation Network (ASCON) an umbrella body of about 30 small and emerging communities from diverse backgrounds operating in Auburn LGA. As one of the coordinators of ASCON's 'Flavours of Auburn', an annual food festival aimed to showcase authentic national cuisines from various countries, Cen has been managing and emceeing the cultural show and preparing food for tasting by the multicultural public.
Cen was nominated for the 2012 Women of the West Award by her husband, Ruben Amores, who is Founding President of the Kapit-bahayan Co-operative Ltd (KCL).
KCL is a tenant-managed housing co-operative which provides affordable yet comfortable housing for low-to-middle income families from diverse cultural backgrounds. The group started in Auburn and now also in Berala, Wentworthville, Merrylands and Canley Vale. Since its inception in 1995, Cen has been Chair of KCL's Membership Development Committee that accepts, organises and trains tenants. This top and multi-awarded housing coop is known for the many pioneering community development projects like the sweat equity-driven affordable housing in Canley Vale which was designed by the tenants and supported by the NRAS economic stimulus fund.
In his nomination, Mr Amores describes Cen as "an outstanding leader, excellent teacher, trainer and employment consultant, with impeccable moral character."
The nomination is supported by Dr Jimmy Lopez, President of Global Ilocanos of Australia, who describes Cen's "unpretentious desire and unselfish commitment to be of help to others."
Cen's outstanding work in building strong and cohesive local communities has been recognised through her recent appointment as a People of Australia Ambassador by the Federal government and membership to the Ministerial Consultative Committee of the NSW government.
Photo: Sally Tsoutas
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