The Hon Linda Dessau AC, Governor of Victoria and H.E. Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega, Philippine Ambassador to Australia met on 19 August 2019 at Government House during Ambassador De La Vega’s Official Visit to Victoria.

H.E. Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega, Philippine Ambassador to Australia, completed her Official Visit to Victoria on 19-21 August 2019. During her visit, Ambassador De La Vega called on the Hon Linda Dessau AC, Governor of Victoria, the Hon Sally Capp, Lord Mayor of Melbourne, the Hon Richard Wynne, representative of Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Multicultural Affairs, the Hon Michael O’Brien, Leader of the Opposition, the Hon David Davis, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, and Ms. Susan Coles, Acting State Director of DFAT-Victoria. Ambassador De La Vega expressed the Philippines’ desire to build stronger linkages between Victoria and local government units in the Philippines particularly to learn from Victoria’s best practices in urban planning. She also said she would like to work with the State Government to generate greater awareness on the Philippines given the significant Filipino population in Victoria reaching almost 70,000, the presence of the Australia Philippines Business Council, and the increase in direct flights between Manila and Melbourne since last year. The State’s economic relations with the Philippines is remarkable given the presence of Philippine investors ICTSI and Monde Nissin in the State of Victoria. There are also Victoria-based IT-BPM industries that have operations in the Philippines. The officials of Victoria welcomed efforts of the Philippine Government to strengthen economic engagement with the State of Victoria and committed to work with the Philippines to achieve this. END

The Hon Sally Capp, Lord Mayor of Melbourne and H.E. Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega, Philippine Ambassador to Australia met on 19 August 2019 at Melbourne Town Hall to discuss building linkages between Melbourne City and local government units in the Philippines.

H.E. Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega, Philippine Ambassador to Australia and the Hon Richard Wynn, representative of Premier Daniel Andrews met on 20 August 2019 in Melbourne to exchange ideas on deepening economic engagement between the Philippines and Victoria.

The Hon Michael O’Brien, Leader of the Opposition, H.E. Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega, Philippine Ambassador to Australia, the Hon David Davis, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council and Mr. Felix Pintado, Philippine Honorary Consul to Victoria met on 20 August 2019 in Melbourne as part of the Ambassador’s Official Visit to Victoria.

Ms. Susan Coles, Acting State Director for the Department of Foreign Affairs in Victoria, and H.E. Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega, Philippine Ambassador to Australia, met on 20 August 2019. Ms. Coles shared with the Ambassador the work of DFAT-Victoria with the consular corps in Melbourne.