The Philippines-Australia Friendship Festival is set to take place at the Glorietta Activity Centre in Makati on June 7 and 8, bringing together cultural performances, education opportunities, food, and entertainment for the public.
Organised by the Australian Embassy in the Philippines, the two-day event aims to highlight the strong ties between the Philippines and Australia. Each year, the festival is held in different parts of the country to engage new communities and promote friendship between the two nations.
Visitors can explore a wide range of activities during the festival. Australian-made food and drinks will be available, along with exclusive travel deals from Qantas Airlines. Products created by Filipino entrepreneurs who have studied in Australia will also be featured.
Education is a key focus of the festival, with around 40,000 Filipino students currently studying in Australia. Information on study programs, scholarships, and career pathways will be offered through booths and talks led by Australian universities and institutions, including the University of Adelaide.
A special Friendship Day Festival Public Program will take place from 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm during the festival. This program will guide visitors through exciting opportunities such as: Study in Australia, Australia Awards Scholarships, Australian Visa information, Travel to Australia, Taste of Australia experiences, a chance to shop and win round-trip tickets to Australia courtesy of Qantas Airlines, and a live performance by P-Pop group G22, featuring Filipino-Australian member Jasmine Henry.
The festival will open with a program hosted by TV personalities Drew Arellano and Filipino-Australian Iya Villania. The program will also highlight the recent launch of Australian home and lifestyle brand Anko in the Philippines, which includes store openings, a partnership with brand ambassador Anne Curtis, and the introduction of Anko Club, a loyalty program for Filipino shoppers.
A free concert by all-female P-Pop group G22 will close the festival. In addition, two attendees will have the chance to win roundtrip tickets to Australia, with destinations including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, or Adelaide.
The festival also serves to acknowledge the long-standing connections between the two countries, from the early presence of the “Manila Men” in the 1800s to today’s Filipino community of more than 400,000 people living in Australia.
The Australian Embassy noted that the festival is made possible through the support of Australian businesses operating in the Philippines, including Anko, AMS Global, Macquarie, Sekuro, ANZ Bank, GHD, Leighton, OceanaGold, Qantas, SMEC, Telstra, and others.
The public is invited to attend the event for a weekend of cultural exchange, learning opportunities, and entertainment.
For more information, visit the Australian Embassy’s social media pages: Facebook @Australia in the Philippines, X @AusAmbPH, and Instagram @AusEmbPH.
