DFA Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano Meets the Filipino Community in Sydney

Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alan Peter S. Cayetano with the Filipino community of Sydney, Australia on 18 March 2018 (photo courtesy of Jade Cadelina)

23 March 2018 SYDNEY – After successfully heading the Philippines’ participation to the Special ASEAN-Australia Summit in Sydney, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alan Peter S. Cayetano was given a warm reception by the local Filipino Community on March 18.

Over 300 Filipinos from all over Australia filled the University of Technology Sydney’s Guthrie Theatre, eager to express their support to the Philippine delegation and hear from the country’s top diplomat.

Secretary Cayetano in his remarks immediately lauded the Filipinos in Australia and cited their work and accomplishments. “We are very happy for the Filipino Community in Australia” Secretary Cayetano said. “You have been given a future here, and through that you have given your families back home a future.”

The Foreign Secretary went on to elaborate the different measures and initiatives taken to protect the lives and welfare of overseas Filipinos in line with the government’s priorities and directives.

“Always put the interests of the OFW first” said Secretary Cayetano.  

Secretary Cayetano also highlighted the upcoming upgrades to the facilities and systems of the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Philippine Embassies and Consulates all over the world.  This includes the opening of new Foreign Service Posts, the placement of passport printers in different regions around the world, and the adoption of the latest biometric technologies.

The Foreign Secretary was joined at the event by Secretary of Trade and Industry Ramon S. Lopez and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador B. Panelo. Together, the officials spoke on the government’s efforts to sustain the country’s economic growth, as well as the need to strengthen education and entrepreneurship in Filipinos at home and abroad.  

The members of the Filipino community present at the gathering had a lively interaction with Secretary Cayetano, offering gifts, taking group photos, and having numerous personal conversations.

“We were very, very excited to see him” said Serna Ladia, President of the Philippine Community Council of New South Wales. “He was very honest with his answers, and I was very impressed.”

There are over 246,000 Australian residents who were born in the Philippines. Bilateral trade between the Philippines and Australia reached over $2.11 billion last year, with Australia one of the largest investors in the Philippine IT-BPM sector. END

For more information, visit www.sydneypcg.dfa.gov.ph/ https://www.facebook.com/PHinSydney

Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano delivers his message at the Town Hall Meeting with the Filipino community at Guthrie Theatre, University of Technology Sydney attended by 330 Filipino- Australian community leaders and media. (photo courtesy of Jade Cadelina)