H.E. Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega, Philippine Ambassador to Australia, visits the operations of the Victoria International Container Terminal (VICT) at the Port of Melbourne on 21 August 2019. VICT is a subsidiary of the Filipino company International Container Terminal Services Incorporated (ICTSI) and a major Filipino investment in Australia.

28 August 2019 – H.E. Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega, Philippine Ambassador to Australia, emphasized opportunities for stronger economic engagement with Victoria given the presence of Filipino investments in Victoria, the growing market for Filipino food products, and the sustained interest in the Philippines as an IT-BPM and startup destination.

The Ambassador met the Australia Philippines Business Council (APBC) branch in Victoria and importers of Filipino food products and other allied industries during her Official Visit to Victoria on 19-21 August 2019. She also visited the Victoria International Container Terminal (VICT), a subsidiary of Filipino company International Container Terminal Services Incorporated (ICTSI) at the Port of Melbourne.

During her roundtable discussion with importers of Filipino food products on 19 August 2019, Ambassador De La Vega noted that Philippine food and beverages have a ready market with Australia’s Filipino and Asian population and emphasized the potential for Philippine products to make it to the mainstream market. Some Filipino food products are already available in Woolworths Caroline Springs just outside Melbourne. Woolworths is one of the top two grocery chains in Australia.

Ambassador De La Vega provided a briefing on economic developments in the Philippines for members of the APBC and interested business on 20 August 2019 where she highlighted the fast growing economy of the Philippines and new opportunities given the enactment of the Philippine Innovation Act and Philippine Startup Act. The entrepreneurs present during the meeting expressed great interest in learning more about government support and incentives especially for the digital sector.

During her visit to VICT on 21 August 2019, Ambassador De La Vega toured the world class facilities of Australia’s first fully automated container terminal. She expressed pride in the ICTSI investment which is a testament to the capability of Filipino companies to compete alongside global companies. She discussed VICT expansion plans with VICT CEO Anders Dommestrup and the work VICT is undertaking with the Manila International Container Terminal. END

H.E. Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega, Philippine Ambassador to Australia, briefs the Australian Philippine Business Council and interested business on economic developments in the Philippines on 20 August 2019.

H.E. Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega, Philippine Ambassador to Australia, and Philippine Honorary Consul to Victoria Felix Pintado meet with importers of Filipino food products and allied industries for a roundtable discussion on 19 August 2019. Entrée Pinay provided a merienda of Filipino food to showcase the potential of Filipino food in Victoria.