Business Opportunities Front and Center at Networking Reception on the Occasion of Kalayaan 2024

From left to right: Laura Burke of Global Victoria, PH Consul General Maria Lourdes Salcedo, MP Nick Staikos, MP John Pesutto, and DFAT-VSO Head Tim Kane toast to PH-AU relations with Ube Liqueur. (Melbourne PCG photo)

MELBOURNE 21 June 2024 – On the occasion of the 126th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence, the Philippine Consulate General in Melbourne held a Diplomatic and Business Reception for Networking at the Consulate premises along Collins Street in Melbourne CBD on 11 June 2024. The event was attended by over 100 guests, which included ten members of parliament (Victorian and Federal), key business leaders, members of the Consular Corps, and Filipino Community leaders.

Four guests of honor spoke on the bilateral and business relationship between the Philippines and Australia. Laura Burke, Senior Regional Manager for Southeast Asia for Global Victoria noted Global Victoria’s growing engagements overseas and also highlighted Filipino investment in Victoria, exemplified by the presence of the Victoria International Container Terminal. Tim Kane, Head of the Victoria State Office of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, reiterated the gains and numerous exchanges that happened during the visit of President Marcos to Melbourne last March 2024. 

MP Nick Staikos, Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs highlighted the importance of the Filipino Community in Melbourne and noted their contributions to funding a community center in Laverton, and also highlighted the undersigned for her work as Vice-Dean of the Consular Corps, while MP John Pesutto, leader of the opposition in the Victorian Parliament, felt that Victoria can do more to engage the Philippines and Southeast Asia and harness the resources of the Filipino Community to improve trade relations.

Philippine Consul General Maria Lourdes M. Salcedo also gave remarks that highlighted the current state of trade and investment between the Philippines and Australia and noted the growing visibility of the Philippines in the country, especially with the recent visit of the President and a number of high-profile community events such as the Ube Festival held last February. As the undersigned called for a toast, guests were served with shots of ube liqueur as a nod to Philippine flavors in Australia. 

Highlighting the blue economy and tourist attractions in the Philippines, six large panels depicting underwater photography in various parts of the Philippines served as the backdrop for the event. In addition, a curated exhibit of Philippine bags, weaves, and textiles was displayed for guests to peruse.

Ms. Yza Santos, a classically trained singer and great-granddaughter of the composer of Dahil sa ‘yo gave renditions of OPM, classical and pop songs. Mr. Bernard Soler, a concert guitarist, also performed Filipino and Australian songs. A fashion show highlighting the designs of Lilian Bermudez also took place, wherein models dressed in traditional and modern Filipiniana mingled with the guests and gave them a close-up view of the barong and the terno.

The event also featured two member-chefs of the Filipino Chefs Association of Victoria, namely Chef Anthony Herrera and Chef Francis Certeza, who prepared a spread of pica-pica that included crispy chicken skin, kinilaw, longganisa, kwek-kwek, and other Filipino street foods.

Short videos of VICT, PAL, ube, calamansi and capiz were also shown. Capiz creations by John Gatip, a Filipino-Australian architect/designer of impressive, whose works were featured in the 2024 Melbourne Design Week, were introduced as fine examples of Filipino cultural assets with huge business potentials.

A balut-eating contest was also held. Four participants competed to eat a balut in the fastest period of time, with the two winners receiving each a Philippine Airlines ticket to Manila as their prize. END

From left to right: Protocol Officer Leonila Palisoc, Cultural Officer Cristina Malvas, MP Evan Mulholland, MP Anne-Marie Hermans, MP John Pesutto, CG Maria Loudes Salcedo, MP Nick Staikos, MP Sarah Connolly, and MP Daniel Mulino at the curated exhibit of Philippine baskets, weaves, and textiles. (Melbourne PCG photo)

Designer Lilian Bermudez (Center standing, in off-white) and her models for the fashion show. (Melbourne PCG photo)

The event featured Philippine street foods such as kwek-kwek, chicken skin, empanadas and other dishes. (Melbourne PCG photo)

Philippine Airlines AU Country Manager Krystle Ramirez-Gastrock (Left) and Consul General Maria Lourdes Salcedo (Center-left) present PAL tickets to the winners of the Balut-eating contest (Center-right and right). (Melbourne PCG photo)

For more information, visit https://melbournepcg.dfa.gov.ph/.