Auckland, New Zealand
18 October 2012
Dr. Antonio Noblejas, MD, DPM, QSM is currently the Chairman of the Federation of Filipino Associations, Societies and Clubs of New Zealand, Inc. (FFASCNZ), the umbrella organization for the various Filipino community groups throughout New Zealand, after being elected in 2011 for the term 2011-2013.
He is a medical doctor (medicine and surgery) practicing as a Consultant Psychiatrist having earned his medical degree from the University of Santo Tomas in 1966. Dr. Noblejas obtained his Diploma in Psychological Medicine (DPM) from the University of Otago, New Zealand in 1976. He was the first Filipino to pass a post graduate specialty in Psychiatry in NZ. Dr. Noblejas is also an affiliate member of the Royal Australian and New Zealand Collage of Psychiatrist. Dr. Noblejas is married to Cora Noblejas and has four children.
Aside from his practice, Dr. Noblejas has businesses in New Zealand and in the Philippines. He is owner and co-owner of three retirement homes and rental properties as well as being an owner-operator of a fishing charter in New Zealand. He is also an operator of the Island Hopping Banca Tours based in Coron, Palawan.
He was among the early Filipinos to settle in New Zealand, having arrived in the country in July 1969. Since the time of his arrival in New Zealand, he has been actively involved with the Filipino community in Auckland which has grown from a very small group to a community of more than 20,000 as more Filipinos come to New Zealand. He co-founded the first Filipino organization in New Zealand, the Philippine Society of New Zealand, which became a support system for newly arrived Filipinos and visitors in the 1970s and 1980s. Later this organization became known as the Philippine Bayanihan Club of New Zealand, Inc. He was also behind the formation of an association of various Filipino organizations in Auckland known as the Council of Auckland Pilipino Organizations or CAPO. Dr. Noblejas was also instrumental in the establishment of the FFASCNZ or the Federation in 1991 which was formalized in 1994. He served as Chairman of the Federation from 2002-2007.
His involvement and service to the Filipino community in New Zealand has been recognized by both Governments of the Philippines and New Zealand. Dr. Noblejas was given a “Citation for the Year 2000 Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas” in 15 December 2000. He was also given the “Philippine Presidential (Banaag) Award” in December 2008. Dr. Noblejas was given a “Certificate of Commendation for Services to the Filipino Community in New Zealand” by Ambassador Virginia Benavidez in 13 April 2012. In January 2008, the New Zealand Government awarded Dr. Noblejas the Queen’s Service Medal (QSM) for his services to the Filipino Community in New Zealand.
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