Australia Awards Philippines

Sabrina Ongkiko, better known as Teacher Sabs, is a public school teacher at Culiat Elementary School where she led the school’s learning continuity program during the pandemic by piloting Facebook messenger classes and strengthening learner mapping and community support, among others. She was recognised by the Metrobank Foundation for her initiatives and learning continuity plan in the field of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) during the ongoing pandemic.

Australia Alumnus and former AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Madrigal, Jr. brings fresh perspective on securing lasting peace

Australia Awards Short Course Alumna Vida Soraya Verzosa of the Department of Foreign Affairs breaks new ground by introducing an innovative approach for handling human trafficking.

Australia Awards alumnus Daryl Marc On has been working to make the production of geothermal energy more efficient

Fresh from her postgraduate studies in Australia, Paola Ceriola was eager to give back to the Philippines and start sharing what she learned from her year-long Australia Awards journey.

For Australia Awards alumnus and lawyer Arvin Razon, navigating this age means having meaningful discussions on advancing and protecting the socio-economic rights of Filipinos in the digital environment. Arvin found the perfect opportunity for this pursuit in his Australia Awards Scholarships re-entry action plan (REAP).

Filipina architect Gloryrose "Rose" Dy-Metilla spent most of her life in Mindanao and she is determined to preserve and promote her hometown's indigenous architecture. Rose first fell in love with traditional Mindanao architecture and design as an architecture student at the University of the Philippines Mindanao.

Rowell received a life-changing opportunity as a Filipino scholar of the prestigious Australia Awards Scholarships. Through the scholarship program, he earned a Diploma in Industrial Relations Management from De La Salle University-Manila and a Master of Human Resource Management (with distinction) from the University of Newcastle. His humbling life experience inspired Rowell to pursue a re-entry action plan (REAP) for Australia Awards that will empower young Filipino leaders.

Dr. Raffy Marfori shares his thoughts on how the health care system needs to evolve with people's needs.

Australia Awards alumnus Prof. Abelardo Apollo David, Jr. or "Teacher Archie" shares how his Australian education equipped him in spearheading innovative programs to address the needs of the Filipino youth with disability.

Dr. Abesamis received his Master in Tropical Marine Ecology and Fish Biology and PhD in Marine Biology from James Cook University in 2011. James Cook University is one of the most sought after educational institutions for coral reef ecology. As a proud Australia Awards scholar, Dr. Abesamis shares how he went back to the Philippines after his postgraduate studies in Australia to uncover solutions to the constant declining fish population in our oceans. His Australian education provided him with tools, international links, and training to further his research. "Because the university in Australia was a leader in the field, that opened doors to so much international collaboration all over the world."

Raymond Marvic Baguilat stands tall and proud on the University of the Philippines campus, wearing a woven cloth that shows off his upland roots. The lawyer is a Tuwali from Ifugao province that can be found in the mountainous regions of the Northern Philippines.

Joji Ilagan-Bian knew from the age of 18 that one day she would build her own school. Born and raised in Mindanao, Joji saw the challenges of having limited access to opportunities. This motivated her to drive innovative education solutions in her home region.

Before Monica Camille Co, co-founder of social enterprise C&C Home and Gifts, went on her Australia Awards journey to study Marketing at the University of Melbourne, the millennial was at a loss with which career path to take. "My college degree was Management Economics, and I was working as a personal banker."

Amanah is an Australia Awards alumna who earned her Master of Human Rights Law and Policy at the University of New South Wales in 2012. She participated in a review of the CMPL by the non-governmental organisation Nisa Ul-Haqq Fi Bangsamoro (Women for Truth and Justice in the Bangsamoro) for her Re-Entry Action Plan (REAP). The REAP outlines how scholars will use their Australian education to contribute in a specific way in their workplace, community, or chosen field when they return to the Philippines.

These initiatives are part of her export plan for Anthill Fabric Gallery, which is her re-entry action plan (REAP) for the Australia Awards Women Trading Globally program. Anya is also collaborating with DTI-Sydney for opportunities to pitch business to potential buyers and retailers in Australia. Anya Lim completed her Master in Communications for Social Change at the University of Queensland.

History has shown that the best civil servants are those who have the people's interest at heart. Such civil servants are what the Civil Service Institute (CSI) aims to develop, said Mark Malitan. As the CSI's Supervising Human Resource Specialist and a valuable team member since 2011, Mark has imbibed the institute's slogan: Shaping the Servant-Hero toward Public Service Excellence.

Dr. Jose Rafael "Raffy" Marfori is the Assistant to the Director for Flagship Projects of the Philippine General Hospital - the largest government tertiary hospital in the Philippines. With the outbreak of COVID-19 in the Philippines, Dr. Raffy's role suddenly shifted to handling multiple priority projects to respond to the pandemic - this means working behind the scenes, within and outside the walls of the hospital, as the hospital transforms into the frontline in the fight against COVID-19.

Many able-bodied people may not think twice about such things as the need for obstacle-free sidewalks or having elevators and ramps installed at a public facility, but Virginia S. Rabino knows very well how important these are to help give Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) access to the things they do to go about their daily lives.

Jeffrey took up Masters in Sustainable Development at the Macquarie University because he felt that this was needed in the Philippines. He also enrolled in a technical course on sustainability reporting–or reporting on the economic, environmental and social impacts caused by the organization's everyday activities–an expertise which he also felt was lacking in the country.

Empowered by his Australian education and experience, Sherlo is more passionate than ever to do his part in forging a more inclusive society. He is not just providing Filipino deaf talents with access to the job market, he is making a difference in their lives while changing the narrative in Philippine workplace culture.

Australia Awards Alumna Sabrina Gacad develops a volunteer-powered chat service to support women, youth and the LGBTQIA+ community during the pandemic

Australia Awards Alumnus Gabriel Lizada trains Davao City’s local health workers as mental health first aiders during the pandemic