14 May 2026, CANBERRA – The Embassy of the Philippines in Australia led by Ambassador Antonio Morales held a reception at Parliament House to commemorate Philippines-Australia Friendship Day and the 80th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations.
The event brought together more than 80 guests, including Members of Parliament, senior officials from government agencies, representatives of ASEAN Missions, the business community and Filipino diaspora.
Guests of Honor included Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia and Mr. Luke Gosling MP, Special Envoy for Northern Australia and Chair of the Australia-Philippines Parliamentary Friendship Group.
The reception featured strong bipartisan participation from across the Australian Parliament, including Senator the Hon Don Farrell, Minister for Trade and Tourism; Minister for International Development and Multicultural Affairs Anne Aly MP; Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Assistant Minister for Immigration Matt Thistlethwaite MP; Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Ted O’Brien MP; and Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Shayne Neumann MP.
Other Members of Parliament in attendance included Ash Ambihaipahar MP, Alison Byrnes MP, Cassandra Fernando MP, Steve Georganas MP, Michelle Landry MP, David Smith MP, and Andrew Willcox MP, many of whom are active members of the Parliamentary Friendship Group. Former Australian Ambassadors to the Philippines, H.E. Amanda Gorely and H.E. Steve Robinson, were also in attendance.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong underscored the Strategic Partnership as one built on enduring mutual respect, shared democratic values, and a common commitment to a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region. She also highlighted the strength and breadth of people-to-people and economic ties, pointing to nearly 40,000 Filipino students in Australia and the strong presence of Australian businesses across key sectors in the Philippines.
Mr Luke Gosling MP, speaking in his capacity as Special Envoy for Northern Australia, noted the long historical connections between the Philippines and northern Australia, including the contributions of the Manilamen to the pearling industry in Darwin, Broome, and the Torres Strait. He also reflected on the contributions of the Filipino community in Australia.
Ambassador Morales highlighted the strengthening of the Strategic Partnership with the growing cooperation across defence and maritime security, trade and investment, climate resilience, the energy transition, education, and regional engagement through the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairship. He also reaffirmed the vital role of the Filipino community in Australia in deepening bilateral ties.
The Philippines and Australia established formal diplomatic relations on 04 July 1946. Philippines-Australia Friendship Day is celebrated on the 22nd of May every year, marking the day when Australia established its Consulate General in Manila.
𝗦𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝟮𝟭 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲: 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗼𝗻, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻 𝗚𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘆 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗶𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗮𝘀𝘀𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗵𝘁𝗮𝗴𝘀:
Philippine Consulate General, Melbourne
Philippine Consulate General in Sydney NSW
Philippine Consulate Queensland
Philippine Consulate Western Australia
Philippine Tourism in Australia & New Zealand
