Filipino community leader Walter Villagonzalo of Hoppers Crossing in Victoria has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) as part of the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours List, announced on 10 June 2025.
The King’s Birthday Honours are part of Australia’s official honours system, recognising the outstanding service and contributions of Australians across all fields of community, professional, and public life. The OAM, or Medal of the Order of Australia, is awarded for service deemed worthy of particular recognition at a local or regional level.
Mr Villagonzalo was recognised “for service to the community of Wyndham.”
A long-time advocate for migrant inclusion and empowerment, he is the founder and president of The Migrant Hub, established in 2009, which offers services to support newly arrived migrants in building livelihoods and community connections. He also co-founded the Pinoy Ako Pinoy Tayo live tele-radio program, which ran from 2009 to 2019.
Villagonzalo served as Deputy Mayor of Wyndham (2017–2018) and Councillor (2016–2020). His leadership in local government saw him champion multicultural policies, sustainability projects, and social enterprise development.
He is also the president of the Canopy Accelerator Co-operative, founder of the MiHub Café, and a key figure in organisations including the Asian Leadership Institute Australia, Knights of Rizal, and the Australian Council for Multicultural Entrepreneurs.
Beyond his civic roles, Mr Villagonzalo has played a vital part in strengthening the Filipino-Australian community in Victoria. He has held leadership roles in the Filipino Community Council of Victoria, Katipunan Australia, and the Filipino Community Club of Werribee, consistently promoting cultural pride, leadership development, and community engagement.
His awards include:
- Pamana ng Pilipino Award from the President of the Philippines (2021)
- Philippine Australian Achiever Award (2016)
- Citizen of the Year, City of Wyndham (2015)
- Volunteer Award for Excellence, Victorian Multicultural Commission (2016)
Through his decades of service, Mr Villagonzalo has made a lasting impact on the lives of migrants, the Filipino-Australian community, and the broader Wyndham region. His recognition with an OAM honours a legacy of leadership, advocacy, and social enterprise.
Walter is noted for his positions and recognitions in the community, as announced on the King’s Birthday honours list:
The Migrant Hub
- President, current.
- Founder, 2009.
- Founder, MiHUB Café.
- Co-Anchor and Co-Founder, Pinoy Ako Pinoy Tayo Live Tele-Radio Facebook Community Information and Service Program, 2009–2019.
- Volunteer, current.
Canopy Accelerator Co-Operative Limited
- President, since 2021.
- Founder, 2021.
- Volunteer, current.
Wyndham City Council
- Deputy Mayor, 2017–2018.
- Councillor, 2016–2020.
- Former Chair, Wyndham Multicultural Committee.
- Former Project Officer, International Innovation and Trade Centre.
- Former Convenor and Project Officer, Wyndham Solar Garden Co-Operative.
- Member, Community Reference Group, Refuse Disposal Facility, 2016–2018.
- Member, Community Reference Group, Youth Detention Centre, 2016–2018.
- Member, Cultural Diversity Strategy and Policy Development Committee, 2014–2016.
- Member, Wyndham Central District Advisory Committee, 2016.
Community
- Deputy Manager, HWPL Victoria Branch, 2025.
- Director, Co-Farming Hub Proprietary Limited, since 2017.
- Member, BizBuddyHub, since 2015.
- Advisor, Australian BBQ Festival and Competition, 2021.
- Victorian Member, Ministerial Council for Volunteers, 2017–2018.
- Committee Member, Community Liaison Committee, City West Water, 2008–2009.
- Chair, Pride and Participation Committee, Heathdale Neighbourhood Renewal Project, 2003–2006.
- Former President, Wyndham Community Gardens.
- Vice-President, Asian Business Association of Wyndham Incorporated.
- Former Member, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Committee, Victorian Electoral Commission.
- Former Member, Rotary Club of Hoppers Crossing.
- Former Member, Weerama Festival Committee.
- Former Member, Neighbourhood Watch, Hoppers Crossing.
Katipunan Australia
- Deputy Group Commander, current.
- Co-Organiser, Commemoration of the 1944 Battle of Leyte Gulf, Philippines, 2024.
Filipino Community Council of Victoria
- Former Project Officer, My Connected Community.
- Former Member.
Multicultural – Other
- Co-Founder and Director, The Asian Leadership Institute Australia, since 2024.
- Co-Founder/President, Australian Council for Multicultural Entrepreneurs Incorporated.
- Area Commander, Southern Australia Area, Knights of the Order of Rizal, since 2024.
- Director for Business Development, Multicultural Consulting Services, since 2018.
- Judge, Zhongguancun-Eureka International Innovation Entrepreneurship Competition, Jinan, China, 2018.
- Former President, Filipino Community Club of Werribee Incorporated.
- Former Charter President, FILOZ Toastmasters Club.
- Former Advisor, Association for the Filipino-Australian Generation of Inspiring Leaders.
- Member, Regional Advisory Council, North Western Metropolitan Region, Victorian Multicultural Commission, 2012–2016.
- Member, Steering Committee of Management, Association of Skilled Migrants in Australia, 2011–2012.
Awards and Recognition include:
- Cavalier Award, Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association Incorporated, 2023.
- Knight Commander of Rizal, Rizal Melbourne South East Chapter, 2023.
- Certificate of Recognition, The Philippines Consulate General in Melbourne, 2022.
- Pamana (Legacy and Heritage) ng Pilipino Award, President of the Republic of the Philippines, 2021.
- Philippine Australian Achiever Award, Filipino Communities Council of Australia, 2016.
- Volunteer Award for Excellence, Victorian Multicultural Commission, 2016.
- Social Enterprise Champion, Social Traders, 2016.
- Community Engagement Award, City of Wyndham, 2015.
- Citizen of the Year, City of Wyndham, 2015.
- Paul Harris Fellow, Hoppers Crossing Rotary Club, 2015.
- Fellow, School for Social Entrepreneurs Melbourne.
For the full list of honours, visit the Governor-General’s website: https://www.gg.gov.au/kings-birthday-2025-honours-list
