He was at a Christchurch backpackers wondering what to do next. Little did he know at the time that his journey to Southland 18 years ago he would become part of a wave of Filipino workers that have changed the south and farming industry. Tolentino is believed to be the second Filipino dairy worker to arrive in Southland (2003) and the first was his friend Mark Taguiam who started working on a farm in 2002. Today, Southland is home to about 2000 Filipinos who have predominantly worked in the dairy, nursing and rest home industries. When in Christchurch, not knowing what to do, Tolentino was given a lifeline by former farmers the Carpenters. The couple employed Taguiam at the time.