The final letter

Dear Friends,

It’s hard to believe that nearly three years have passed since I arrived in the Philippines as Australia’s Ambassador. As I prepare to leave this beautiful country, I find myself reflecting on all that we’ve accomplished together – and how close our nations have become.

Bolstering our defense  and security cooperation

Our defense cooperation has grown in remarkable ways. In the last three years, we held the first amphibious joint exercise, Exercise Alon; the first Defense Ministers’ Meeting and saw the Philippine Air Force participate overseas for the first time ever through Exercise Pitch Black in Australia.

Australia has trained over 700 Philippine officials from 28 agencies on maritime law, and supported the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) with P34 million in drones and training.

Australia has stood firm with the Philippines in combating transnational crime. Our partnership has helped rescue 810 children from online sexual exploitation – with 231 cases directly linked to Australia’s intelligence – and led to 175 perpetrator arrests. We’ve also worked to enhance airport and border security, supporting the rollout of the Philippines’ new Advance Passenger Information System with the UN.

In cyberspace, we’re partnering with the PCG, Philippine National Police (PNP) and others to bolster cybersecurity and resilience.

Investing in sustainable development

Australia’s annual development support to the Philippines stands at P3.3 billion annually – among our largest aid programs globally. Together, we created a development strategy that supports the Philippine Government’s priorities. Our flagship programs include:

• P2.4 billion for peace and security in Mindanao

• P1.5 billion for social protection, gender equality, and inclusion

• P1.04 billion for disaster management

• P731 million to support fair and accessible justice

A milestone this year has been the recent launch of the National Forensics Institute – a pledge fulfilled by Executive Secretary Bersamin. Australia is helping to make this institute a reality, including by establishing a joint master’s program between Monash University and UP Manila to train Filipino forensic experts to Australian standards.

In agriculture, Australia’s Center for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) has funded 21 projects worth P190 million. A highlight is our work on soil health. Following an MOU signed in front of Prime Minister Albanese and President Marcos, we’ve supported local research in four provinces. In Agusan del Sur, this led to a new soil science laboratory – and Filipino farmers are already seeing better yields, lower costs and improved livelihoods. One farmer proudly told me he was able to send his son to college, thanks to this collaboration.

Capitalizing in our shared prosperity

Bilateral trade stands at P380 billion, with P320 billion in investment. Backed by our Invested: Southeast Asia Strategy, we’re scaling up trade and investment even further. We’ve hosted three business missions to the Philippines in the past year. These included transnational education; technology and cybersecurity and a mission led by the CEO of Macquarie Group with Australian senior executives. We’ve also supported two delegations from the Philippines to Australia that focused on higher education and mining.

We’ve published a business prospectus for Australian investors and have a dedicated team at the embassy identifying business deals. So far, they’ve identified 112 Philippine projects, with 26 progressing to advanced stages. One early success is the StB Giga Factory – the Philippines’ first lithium-ion battery facility, with a second factory now in planning.

People at the heart of our partnership

Everything we’ve achieved stems from our people-to-people connections. Last year, over 250,000 Australians visited the Philippines, while 180,000 Filipinos traveled to Australia. There are now 40 direct flights weekly. Filipinos are Australia’s fifth-largest migrant group and 40,000 students are currently studying across our universities.

Our alumni who are dedicated, dynamic and community-minded are a powerful reminder of how education deepens our partnership.

Tomorrow, my husband Fergus and I will return to Australia, we do so with deep gratitude and confidence that we’ve made a real impact. Becoming an ambassador has been my lifelong dream, and the Philippines gave me the chance to live it. It has been the honor of a lifetime – and truly, a dream come true.

Maraming maraming salamat po, at hanggang sa muli!