SBS Filipino compiled five of the biggest newsmakers within the Philippines-Australia community.
1. Filipino-Aussie Catriona Gray is the Ms Universe 2018
It was a win that wowed the many. Catriona Gray, the 24-year-old stunner who was born and raised in Cairns from a Scottish-born father and a Filipino mother, bested 93 other countries to bring home the fourth Ms Universe crown – for the Philippines.
Ms Gray’s roots became the subject of discussion in social media after The Courier Mail, a tabloid from Brisbane, drew flak from some Filipino pageant fans after it published a front-page story highlighting Gray’s coronation but crossing out the ‘Philippines’ to replace it with ‘Queensland’.
Miss Philippines Catriona Gray is crowned the new Miss Universe 2018 Source: AAP Image/ AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe
The real deal is Ms Gray is a Filipino-Australian but in that particular battle, she proudly fought for the Philippines.
2. Sr Patricia Fox returns to Melbourne after her ordeal in the Philippines
The Australian nun made it to international headlines after she was arrested warrantless last April and was ordered for deportation. It came after the current administration accused her of participating in partisan political activities. Since then, Sr Fox became part of an ordeal that had her and her legal counsel used all appropriate legal actions to challenge the forfeiture of her missionary visa. But in the end, the Philippine government forced her to leave.
She arrived in Melbourne with a hero’s welcome last 4 November. Currently, she had been invited to give a number of talks in different places where she discussed about human rights and her missionary work.
Catholic Nun Patricia Fox arriving at Melbourne airport after her deportation from the Phillipines. Source: AAP
In her most recent interview with SBS Filipino, Sr Fox said that she would continue her appeal to return to the Philippines. The Catholic missionary shared, “My body’s here but my heart is still in the Philippines at this stage.”
3. Bernadette Romulo’s plea to stay in Australia for her son
“I have raised him for 8 years and I love him more than words could say. Please, I’m begging Minister Peter Dutton to let me and my son stay together. Please, don’t take my son away from me,” this was Ms Romulo’s petition online that had gathered 36,000 signatures and support from a Greens Senator before she and her two daughters were finally ordered (after several reprieves) to leave the country last 11 July.
Ms Romulo was already in Australia with her two daughters from her unsuccessful first marriage when she had her son from a new partner. After they separated, she became the primary caregiver of the child.
She applied for permanent residency at the then-Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) (now Department of Home Affairs) but was refused. She then appealed for ministerial intervention but was also rejected December 2017.
Source: SBS
The single mother, exhausting all avenues to stay in Australia for her son, soon launched a petition online, calling for Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton to intervene. But though the petition had gone far, Ms Romulo was still ordered to leave her eight-year-old son behind.
4. Basketball brawl between Philippines’ Gilas and Australian Boomers
During the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers last July, avid supporters of basketball were dismayed to have witnessed an ugly brawl involving players, coaches and fans from the Gilas and Boomers camp.
Tension started during the last few minutes of the third quarter when Gilas’ Roger Pogoy elbowed Boomer’s Chris Goulding. It then led to Daniel Kickert, from the Aussie camp, to retaliate towards Pogoy that broke out a wild fight.
Both the Philippines and Australia issued an apology days after the incident to which the then-head coach of Gilas, Vincent Reyes said: “I mean basketball is an emotional game; Gilas by nature is an emotional team. We stand by what we did and at the same time, we’re apologetic and we regret it.”
An ugly brawl has erupted at the Boomers' World Cup qualifier with the the Philippines. (AAP) Source: AAP Image/AP
The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) later on imposed heavy sanctions to both teams. But Boomers was cleared on allegations of racism.
5. Australia provides help to the Philippines after Typhoon Mangkhut’s wrath
Rescuers continue to work during rescue and retrieval operation for landslide victims caused by Typhoon Mangkhut in Ucab village, Itogon town Source: AAP
Aside from the aid which was given to 25,000 people in the northern regions of the Philippines, humanitarian experts were also sent to the country to provide assistance to those affected by the typhoon.
Correction 24 January 2019: This article originally published, Marissa Payne, as the current Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Morrison government. It has been amended to Marise Payne.
