PHOTO RELEASE

Philippine Embassy, Canberra

1 Moonah Place, Yarralumla, ACT 2600
www.philembassy.org.au    *Tel. No. 02-6273-2535*

05 January 2025, CANBERRA – As the Christmas season comes to a close, the Philippine Embassy in Canberra invites the public to listen to a special Christmas edition of On Foreign Soil, a segment of Canberra Mornings on ABC Radio Canberra, which aired on 10 December 2025.

The program, presented by Ms. Saskia Mabin, featured Christmas traditions from around the world through conversations with members of the diplomatic corps posted to Canberra. The special edition included Ambassador Arto Haapea of Finland, Ambassador Diego Cadena of Colombia, High Commissioner Julie Sunday of Canada, and H.E. Antonio A. Morales, Ambassador of the Philippines to Australia.

During the broadcast, Ambassador Morales gave listeners a glimpse into how Christmas is celebrated in the Philippines, where the festive season famously begins with the “ber” months. He spoke about Filipino traditions, including the Simbang Gabi. This is a series of dawn Masses leading up to Christmas which reflects the deep-rooted faith and communal spirit of the Filipino people. He also shared that this tradition continues to be observed by the Filipino community in Canberra, allowing Filipinos abroad to maintain a strong connection to their cultural and religious roots.

The special edition of On Foreign Soil offered Australian audiences a cultural journey across different regions, highlighting the diversity of Christmas traditions represented within Canberra’s diplomatic community.

The Philippine Embassy encourages interested audiences to revisit the episode through ABC Radio Canberra’s platforms and learn more about Philippine Christmas traditions as shared by Ambassador Morales.

The recording of the special Christmas edition of On Foreign Soil is available on the ABC website under Canberra Mornings at:
https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/canberra-mornings/ofs-christmas-edition/106125312