06 July 2022, CANBERRA – Northern Territory Chief Minister The Honourable Natasha Fyles MLA met Ambassador Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega at her office at Parliament House Darwin on 28 June 2022. The Chief Minister expressed her appreciation for the strong relationship between the Philippines and Australia and hope that it will continue for years to come. She discussed the current workforce needs and possible employment placements for Filipinos in the Northern Territory in the field of health services and agribusiness, among others.

Ambassador De La Vega expressed the Philippines’ readiness to cooperate with the Northern Territory to enhance trade and investment relations bilaterally and through the Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) where the Northern Territory is a development partner. She added that the Northern Territory is a key gateway to further cooperation between the Philippines and Australia.

Ambassador De La Vega discussed the priority sectors under the Make It Happen investment campaign of the Philippines and invited the Chief Minister to send a delegation from the Northern Territory to the Pacific Business Mission to the Philippines in August.

The new International Engagement Strategy 2022-2026 of the Northern Territory Government has identified the Philippines as a priority market for increased diplomatic, trade and investment engagements. –END--