Australia’s growing Filipino academic and research community gathered for the Graduate Researchers Reception at the Philippine Consulate General in Melbourne on April 30, an initiative spearheaded by the Filipino-Australian Student Council of Victoria (FASTCO) in collaboration with the Philippines-Australia Committee for Education (PACE), Filipino Community Council of Victoria Inc. (FCCVI), and We Access Global.
Consul Ralph Vincent Abarquez, Acting Chief of the PCG in Melbourne, opened the event by warmly welcoming the participants and affirming the Consulate’s commitment to supporting impactful initiatives that celebrate Filipino excellence and strengthen community ties.
“We’ve been wanting to bring everyone together… not just to connect, but to be more coherent in our voice,” said Hanniel Almasco, FASTCO Vice President for External Affairs. “Our message will be stronger and louder if we truly understand what the Filipino community can offer.”
Joining the event were panellists Dr Lilac Limpangog, Dr Vito Butardo Jr, and Dr Earvin Cabalquinto, in a panel discussion moderated by Melissa De la Cruz, Director of Learning for FASTCO.
Dr Vito Butardo Jr., Senior Lecturer in Biotechnology at Swinburne University of Technology, spoke about the value of bridging academic work with community needs. “When I was studying in UPLB, I never imagined I’d be researching rice at this level,” he said. “But the more you dig deeper into something that seems ordinary, like rice, the more you realise how essential and interdisciplinary it really is.” His work focuses on food security and nutrition, but his message was broader. “One of my passions is making science understandable to the public… The research we do isn’t just for academic output. It should go back to the communities… That’s something I learned both in the Philippines and here. You must ask, ‘How does my work actually help people?’”
Dr Cirila “Lilac” Limpangog, a community and international development expert and former academic, grounded her message in ancestral pride. “There is diversity in being a Filipino… It’s very important to acknowledge everything that we are and bring that to the table.” She encouraged interdisciplinary and culturally grounded approaches to research, noting her own experiences helping gender audits in BPOs, training Southeast Asian women, and mentoring in industries not just in Australia and the Philippines, but internationally. “It is something that you can continue doing wherever you are… It’s the same door that has given me jobs,” she said, sharing how her volunteer consulting work opened more opportunities. She even encouraged attendees, if they wanted a free mentor or a peer to speak: “You can reach out to me.”
Meanwhile, Dr Earvin Cabalquinto, an Australian Research Council DECRA Research Fellow and Senior Lecturer in the School of Media, Film and Journalism at Monash University, brought the audience into the raw and often isolating reality of being a Filipino migrant academic, speaking of personal struggles, research, and community-led innovation. “That camaraderie or bayanihan we talk about—if you don’t have a rice cooker, they’ll give you one,” he said, prompting laughter and knowing nods. But his message was also serious. “The intervention, when it comes to research, is your embodied experience. I started asking: how can I draw from my life as a Filipino migrant?” His recent DECRA-funded research explores digital inclusion among ageing Filipino-Australians. Beyond methodology, he stressed the value of building platforms. “My work will speak for me. But at the same time, I will promote my work, because I believe in my work,” he said, urging Filipino researchers to claim space with confidence.
While the stories were academic in scope, their messages resonated with a much broader migrant experience of negotiating identity, of building a life across two cultures, and of giving back to the community with both heart and skill.
After the session, Dr Marianne Sison, co-founder of the PACE, explained their goal of supporting FASTCO and Filipinos across all levels of tertiary education, vocational training and research. “It’s about Filipinos in Australia teaching Australians what the Philippines is about.”
FCCVI CEO Roxanne Sarthou was also present and expressed their support, highlighting support for FASTCO and other Filipino networks’ projects as they align with their community work. “If you are looking for a community, we are here,” she said. “Whenever people or groups reach out to us, we say yes. If we can help, we will help.”
The event concluded with discussions over traditional Filipino merienda and networking. Participants were connected not only through the Filipino language and food but also through a common understanding of the importance of knowledge, culture, and community in shaping the future.
For the Filipino community in Australia, particularly those outside academic institutions, the event served as a reminder that academic spaces are accessible to more than just scholars. These spaces also reflect cultural pride, shared experiences, and the evolving journey of Filipino identity abroad.
The event conveyed a clear message: Filipinos are not just participants in Australia’s multicultural story. They are shaping it. And they are doing it together.
FULL EVENT DETAILS:
FASTCO’s FB post:
FCCVI’s FB post:
