CANBERRA, Australia – Philippine Ambassador to Australia Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega received Filipino Communities Council of Australia (FILCCA) President Carmen Garcia at the Embassy of the Philippines on 17 December 2018. FILCCA is the peak body of Filipino community organizations in Australia.

Philippine Ambassador to Australia Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega (second from left) met Filipino Communities Council of Australia (FILCCA) President Carmen Garcia (second from right) at the Embassy of the Philippines in Canberra on 17 December 2018.

Ms. Garcia, the first FILCCA president born and raised in Australia, noted the need to establish the profile of the Filipino community which numbers at 300,000 strong. As FILCCA president, she will work with government and various stakeholders to highlight the significant contribution of Filipinos in the Australian society. Given her years working to promote youth and multicultural advocacies, Ms. Garcia conveyed that FILCCA can do more to showcase what the Filipino community does in terms of small business and social enterprise.

Ambassador De La Vega congratulated Ms. Garcia and lauded her for her vision and workplan in consolidating community support and empowering the community to rise and share the narrative of successful Filipino integration in Australia’s multicultural society. The Ambassador underscored the pioneering efforts and achievements of Filipinos which have made an imprint in Australia and committed to work with FILCCA towards shared goals.