Embassy of the Philippines, Canberra

Embassy of the Philippines, Canberra Pasuguan ng Pilipinas sa Canberra
Location	Canberra
Address	1 Moonah Place, Yarralumla
Coordinates	35°18′33.8″S149°07′01.1″E / 35.309389°S 149.116972°E / -35.309389; 149.116972
Ambassador	Ma. Hellen Barber de la Vega
Website	https://www.philembassy.org.au/

The Embassy of the Philippines in Canberra is the diplomatic mission of the Republic of the Philippines to the Commonwealth of Australia. It is currently located at 1 Moonah Place in the Yarralumla suburb of south Canberra, just beyond the periphery of Parliament House.

History

Although diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Australia were established in May 1946, the Philippines did not establish a presence in the country until three years later, when Roberto Regala, at the time serving as Consul General at the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, ^[1] was appointed by President Elpidio Quirino as consul to Australia on July 8, 1949. Regala's appointment was subsequently accepted by the Australian government a month later, ^[2] and he was elevated to the rank of minister the following year. ^[3]

Despite there being a consul — and later minister — to Australia, the Philippines did not have a mission in Canberra; at the time, the country's interests were represented through the Philippine Consulate General in Sydney. For a time, the consulate was upgraded to an embassy in 1956 with the naming of Jose Imperial as the first resident Philippine ambassador to Australia. ^{[4] [5]} The Embassy was then moved to Canberra in 1962, ^[6] with Imperial's successor, Mariano Ezpeleta, becoming the first Philippine ambassador to reside in the city. ^[7]

The Embassy has seen itself become the subject of scandal in 2018, when the ABC News investigative program Four Corners found that a former ambassador to Australia had exploited a Filipino worker, ^[8] and in 2020, when it had been accused on social media of calling in for questioning a certain person who had criticized President Rodrigo Duterte — a charge which it subsequently denied. ^[9]

Building

The buildings of the Philippine Embassy in Canberra were designed by noted Filipino architect Federico Ilustre, who had also designed the chancery of the Philippine Embassy in New Delhi, ^[10] alongside the Australian firm Moir and Slater. ^[11] Construction began in 1962, and it was opened on Philippine Independence Day, June 12, 1964, with both the chancery and the ambassadorial residence being located within the same compound. ^[12]

Staff and activities

The Philippine Embassy in Canberra is currently headed by Ambassador Ma. Hellen Barber de la Vega, who was appointed to the position by President Duterte on June 7, 2018. ^[13] Prior to becoming Ambassador, de la Vega, a career diplomat, served as Assistant Secretary at the Department of Foreign Affairs Office of ASEAN Affairs, and prior to that headed the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles and the Philippine Embassy in Yangon. ^[14] Her appointment was confirmed by the Commission on Appointments on August 15, 2018, ^[15] and she presented her credentials to Governor General Peter Cosgrove on November 29, 2018. ^[14]

Notable diplomats who have been deployed to the Embassy as Ambassadors to Australia include Leticia Ramos Shahani, who would later become Senator, ^[16] and future Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Albert. ^[17]

Many of the Embassy's activities center around fostering continuing relations between the Philippines and Australia, and in particular with respect to the more than 300,000 Filipino Australians. ^[18] These include organizing a lecture on the discovery of Homo luzonensis , ^[19] hosting the Loboc Children's Choir during its tour of Australia, ^[20] and facilitating cultural exchanges between the two countries. ^[21] It also works closely with Filipino communities and community organizations throughout Australia, particularly during natural disasters, ^{[22] [23]} and also works with government agencies in the Philippines to ensure the welfare of Filipinos coming to Australia. ^[24]

See also

• Australia–Philippines relations
• List of diplomatic missions of the Philippines
• Filipino Australians

References

1. "Official Month in Review: July 1949". Official Gazette . Retrieved 18 June 2020. A RESHUFFLE in the higher echelons of the foreign service was announced by the foreign office on July 8. Consul General Roberto Regala in San Francisco was ordered transferred to Australia as Consul General with the assimilated rank of Minister
2. "Official Month in Review: August 1949". Official Gazette . Retrieved 18 June 2020. THE Philippine nominations of Judge Roberto Regala as consul general to Australia and of Tagakotta Sotto as first consul to Pakistan have been formally accepted by both governments, according to separate cabled dispatches received from the two governments by the Foreign Office on August 3.
3. "Appointments and Designations: May, 1950". Official Gazette . Retrieved 19 June 2020. Ad interim appointments confirmed by the Commission on Appointments on May 11, 1950: Hon. Roberto Regala, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary.
4. "BREEDING CATTLE FOR PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT". The Sydney Morning Herald . 19 July 1957. p. 22. Retrieved 19 June 2020– via Newspapers.com.
5. "AMBASSADOR OPENS SCHOOL DISPLAY". The Sydney Morning Herald . 10 August 1957. p. 4. Retrieved 19 June 2020– via Newspapers.com.
6. Conoza, Adrian Paul B. (22 May 2019). "A broad and deep relationship". BusinessWorld . Retrieved 19 June 2020.
7. "Hello! Hello!". The Sydney Morning Herald . 19 June 1960. p. 95. Retrieved 19 June 2020– via Newspapers.com. THE MARIANO EZPELETAS are house-hunting—until the new Philippine Embassy is built in Canberra.
8. Milligan, Louise (12 February 2018). "Exploited foreign workers falling into 'black hole' of diplomatic immunity". Four Corners . ABC News . Retrieved 19 June 2020.
9. Mabasa, Roy (15 May 2020). "DFA denies claim in viral post that they harassed woman who criticized Duterte". Manila Bulletin . Retrieved 20 June 2020.
10. India Philippines Bilateral Relations (PDF) (Report). Confederation of Indian Industry . Retrieved 19 June 2020.
11. Yarralumla Diplomatic Estate Tour (Report). National Capital Authority . Retrieved 18 June 2020.
12. "The Embassy". Embassy of the Philippines, Canberra. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
13. Lopez, Virgil (7 June 2018). "DOT exec Pompee La Viña transferred to DA". GMA News and Public Affairs . Retrieved 18 June 2020.
14. "New Philippine Ambassador to Australia". The Philippine Times. Filcom Publishing Pty Ltd. 15 December 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
15. Terrazola, Vanne Elaine (15 August 2018). "CA confirms PH ambassador to Australia, 38 DFA officials". Manila Bulletin . Retrieved 18 June 2020.
16. Ramos, Fidel V. (25 March 2017). "A tribute to Senator Leticia V. Ramos Shahani". Manila Bulletin . Retrieved 20 June 2020.
17. Villasanta, Art (11 September 2005). "Order, diplomacy and Philippine coffee". The Philippine Star . Retrieved 20 June 2020.
18. "PHL Embassy-Canberra highlights importance of youth". BusinessMirror . 12 September 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
19. Mateo, Janvic (7 July 2019). "Pinoy archaeologist brings new human species discovery to Australia". The Philippine Star . Retrieved 20 June 2020.
20. Dayrit-Singson, Marianne; Hobbs, Michael (30 August 2015). "Loboc Children's Choir connects with Australian communities". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Retrieved 20 June 2020.
21. "Cultural extravaganza to mark 70th celebration of PH-Australia relations". Manila Bulletin . 24 November 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
22. Lee-Brago, Pia (14 January 2011). "Pinoys in Australia urged to be strong". The Philippine Star . Retrieved 20 June 2020.
23. Ramos, Christia Marie (5 January 2020). "300 Filipinos given temporary shelter as fires rage in Australia". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Retrieved 20 June 2020.
24. Fernandez, Ariel (9 March 2020). "BI honored for efforts vs. foreign sex offenders, fugitives". Manila Bulletin . Retrieved 20 June 2020.

External links

• Official website of the Philippine Embassy in Canberra