Australia Day 2024

Dear friends,

I can’t believe this is already my second Australia Day here in the Philippines. Australia Day is an important day, to reflect on the past and also look to the future. So this Australia Day I have been looking ahead with excitement at what’s in store for 2024 and how we can continue to strengthen our friendship.

Of course, as many of you will know, the signing of our Strategic Partnership by our leaders, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., last September was a momentous occasion in our relationship. The Strategic Partnership signifies our shared commitment to work together in a deep and meaningful way, to create a region that we all want to live in – a region which is stable, peaceful and prosperous for all of us. We have never been closer, as partners and as friends. Looking ahead to 2024, there is so much more to be excited about as we work together to turn words into action.

Australia Day is also a day to eat a lot of great food (and maybe some nice wine to go with it). So it’s very fitting that right now we have the Australia Festival happening at The Marketplace and Shopwise all across the Philippines. With over 1,000 Aussie products available, there’s everything you need to hold an Aussie-themed dinner this Australia Day. I’ve personally been taking this opportunity to stock up on all my favorites and am challenging all of you to go out and try some Aussie goodies!

Australia Day is also a great time to catch up with friends. Over my time here in the Philippines so far I’ve had the pleasure to meet so many wonderful people, and as I reach the midway point in my posting I’m looking forward to seeing many of you again. I of course look forward to also making even more new friends over the year ahead and seeing even more of the Philippines.

Through our Strategic Partnership and Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040, we’re continuing to look for opportunities to deepen our economic engagement and build our trade and investment links with the Philippines. I know a lot of Aussies were very excited to get to try some famous Filipino mangoes last year, so I’m excited to see what the year ahead will bring in this growing space.

Climate change is a challenge we’re all facing and, as always, it’s important to have your friends by your side as you work to address big challenges. This is why we’ll be continuing to support the clean energy transition here in the Philippines. I’m also looking forward to continuing the work to develop a sustainable mining sector.

Our longstanding development partnership is continuing to grow. In 2023-24, our bilateral Australian assistance to the Philippines is reaching almost P2.6 billion and I’m looking forward to working with our partners to make sure our programs are responding to the priority needs of the Philippines.

This year, we’re continuing to enhance our close cooperation on maritime security and marine biodiversity. A lot of Aussies will be spending Australia Day on the beach. As maritime nations, our love for the ocean is something that our two countries have in common, so there is a lot that we can continue to learn from each other and share our experiences with.

I’m excited to see our people-to-people links continue to strengthen. In 2023 over 250,000 Australians were lucky enough to come visit the Philippines. We’re hoping to continue to grow our two-way tourism numbers this year, including through the opening of our new work and holiday visa program. This year we’re also awarding over 50 scholarships to Filipinos to undertake postgraduate studies in Australia.

As you know, 2023 saw a large number of high-level visits between our two countries, and this will continue in 2024. In March, Australia will be hosting Australian and ASEAN leaders in Melbourne for a Special Summit to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of ASEAN-Australia Dialogue Relations.

So today, as we celebrate Australia Day, I encourage all of you to reflect on the past and look to the future. To celebrate the achievements we’ve already had and look ahead with excitement about what’s to come. I have no doubt that this year will see the friendship between Australia and the Philippines continue to go from strength to strength and I look forward to bringing you all on that journey with me.

Yours truly,

HK

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HK Yu is the Australian Ambassador to the Philippines. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) @AusAmbPH.