From yesterday’s celebration of Australia Day in the Philippines, either in lean circles over Jagerbombs at the barbie or in doting correspondences, a fact surfaced: The friendship between two democracies continue to go from strength to strength, punctuated by mutual achievements and a rosy outlook on what’s to come.

The signing of a Strategic Partnership by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and President Marcos toward the end of last year attests to this shared commitment to create a region aspired for by an egalitarian solidarity of man, one that, as Australian ambassador to the Philippines HK Yu puts it, “is stable, peaceful and prosperous for all of us.”

Australia continues to look past social calls in parmi and pot nights for opportunities to deepen this engagement and build trade and investment links with the Philippines.

2023 saw a large number of high-level visits between the Philippines and Australia.

Yu endeavors carrying it over past 2024.

In March, Australia will be hosting Australian and Asean leaders in Melbourne for a special summit to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Asean-Australia Dialogue Relations.

“Our longstanding development partnership is continuing to grow. From 2023 to 2024, our bilateral Australian assistance to the Philippines is reaching almost P2.6 billion. I’m looking forward to working with our partners to make sure our programs are responding to the priority needs of the Philippines,” Yu said.

This year, Australia continues to enhance its close cooperation with the Philippines on maritime security and marine biodiversity.

A lot of Aussies will be spending Australia Day on the beach in great budgie smugglers, legless, a cold one in hand, the sun on their shoulders.

“As maritime nations, our love for the ocean is something that our two countries have in common,” Yu enthused. “I know a lot of Aussies were very excited to get to try some famous Filipino mangoes last year, so I’m excited to see what the year ahead will bring in this growing space.”

In the prowl for cut lunch, a slab of coldie or outback steak? No wucka!

A heap lot of woop woop is happening at Rustan’s The Marketplace and Shopwise across the Philippines, where over 1,000 Aussie products are available, perhaps an Aussie dinner.

“I’m excited to see our people-to-people links continue to strengthen. In 2023, over 250,000 Australians were lucky enough to come visit the Philippines,” Yu shared.

Australia intends to continue growing the two-way tourism numbers this year through its new work and holiday visa program.

The embassy is also awarding over 50 scholarships to Filipinos to undertake postgraduate studies in Australia.

In the climate-change department, Australia continues to support the Philippines’ clean-energy transition, as well as the development of a sustainable mining sector.