CANBERRA, Australia – Two Filipino cadets, Midshipman Yvette Baybay and Officer Cadet Jaryd Nicolasora, graduated from the Australian Defence Force Academy on 13 December 2018 in Canberra after completing a three-year training and academic program with Australian military officers. Midshipman Baybay will be joining the Philippine Navy and Officer Cadet Nicolasora will be joining the Philippine Air Force. Col. Dennis Gammad, Philippine Defense and Armed Forces Attaché to Australia and Col. Nhel Patricio, Assistant Defense and Armed Forces Attaché represented Philippine Ambassador to Australia Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega in the event.

Col. Dennis Gammad, Philippine Defense and Armed Forces Attaché to Australia, Midshipman Yvette Baybay, Officer Cadet Jaryd Nicolasora and Col. Nhel Patricio, Assistant Defense and Armed Forces Attaché at the graduation ceremony of the Australian Defence Force Academy on 13 December 2018 in Canberra, Australia.

Australia is the Philippines’ second largest partner in defence and security cooperation. Under the Defence Cooperation Program, the Philippines has 36 military and civilian students availing of scholarship grants and training courses in Australia in 2018.

During their courtesy call on the Ambassador on 04 December, Ambassador De La Vega congratulated the cadets and expressed pride in their achievenment. The Ambassador underscored the robust partnership of the Philippines and Australia, in particular in terms of defense cooperation and urged the two cadets to help advance the relations between the two countries. The Ambassador said, “The presence of Filipino military students in Australian institutions year after year is a hallmark of the shared history and values of our two countries. The defense cooperation and interoperability of our forces is a priority of our government.”

In his remarks, His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd), Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, recognized the graduating students from sending countries including the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam and encouraged them to take what they have learned in service to their respective countries and maintain the friendships they have built during their time in Australia.

Col. Dennis Gammad, Philippine Defense and Armed Forces Attaché to Australia, Midshipman Yvette Baybay, Officer Cadet Jaryd Nicolasora and Col. Nhel Patricio, Assistant Defense and Armed Forces Attaché at the graduation ceremony of the Australian Defence Force Academy on 13 December 2018 in Canberra, Australia

His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd), Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia inspecting the Parade at the graduation ceremony of the Australian Defence Force Academy on 13 December 2018 in Canberra, Australia. (Photo credit: Australian Defence Force Academy Official Facebook Page)