School of Social Sciences
Philippines Australia Studies Centre
Did You Know?
I. Philippine Migration to Australia
Filipinos are the third largest non-European immigrant community in Australia (behind Vietnamese and Chinese immigrants). Significant numbers of Filipinos immigrated to Australia between the 1960s and the 1990s and Filipinos remain one of the fastest growing immigrant communities in Australia. At the 2001 Census, members of the Filipino community in Australia numbered 103,990, of which 35,840 are male (34.5%) and 58,150 are female (65.5%).
Most Filipinos (90%) coming to Australia enter as “family reunion” category immigrants. The 2001 Census showed that the rate of Australian citizenship for the Philippines-born in Australia was 93.5%, compared for all overseas born of 75.1%. Majority speak the Tagalog language (66.7%), while the most common religion was Catholic (81.0%). The majority of Filipino migrants working in Australia are professionals, including public servants, computer analysts and programmers, solicitors, doctors, architects, engineers and academicians. Filipinos have also made their mark and contribution to Australian society as entrepreneurs, businessmen, tradesmen, artists and entertainers.
According to the 2001 Census, the distribution by State/Territory is: New South Wales - 52,240 (50.2%); Victoria – 22,500 (21.6%); Queensland – 15,450 (14.9%); Western Australia – 5,400 (5.2%); South Australia – 4,510 (4.3%); Northern Territory – 1,730 (1.7%); Australian Capital Territory – 1,390 (1.3%) and Tasmania – 760 (0.7%).
II. Bilaterial Economic Relations
The Philippines maintains a good trading relationship with Australia. Two-way merchandise trade was valued at A$1.68 billion in 2005-06 and there is significant potential for growth.
Major Australian merchandise exports to the Philippines between 2005 and 2006 were milk and cream (A$139 million); medicaments, including veterinary (A$83 million); coal (A$57 million); and copper (A$56 million) whereas imports from the Philippines during the same period were crude petroleum (A$254 million); telecommunications equipment ($79 million); integrated circuits (A$50 million); and computers (A$34 million).
The Philippines is keen to export bananas to Australia and Biosecurity Australia is currently conducting an Import Risk Analysis (IRA) for Philippine bananas. Trial shipments of Philippine pineapples to Australia have been made following completion of an IRA for Philippine pineapples. Commercial shipments of pineapples are expected in the near future.
Total trade in services between Australia and the Philippines in 2005 comprised A$159 million in exports and A$263 in imports. Major Australian service exports to the Philippines last year were personal travel services (A$44 million) and education-related travel (A$31 million). Major service imports from the Philippines were personal and business travel (A$200 million).
Opportunities exist for Australian companies to participate in development projects. The Philippines is the fourth largest recipient of Australian bilateral development assistance with an estimated A$68.8 million in aid flow for 2006-2007.
Australian development assistance to the Philippines has almost doubled over the past decade. In 2006-07, Australian aid flows to the Philippines are estimated to be $68.8 million, making the Philippines the fourth largest recipient of Australian bilateral development assistance. The Government will intensify aid efforts in the Philippines over the next five years, as outlined in the Australian Government’s white paper on overseas aid, launched in April 2006. The Government is developing a new country strategy for the Philippines for the period 2007-2011.
The majority of Australian aid to the Philippines is directed at Mindanao, home to 20 per cent of the Philippines' population and approximately one third of its poor. As a result of decades of unrest, the development of health, education and infrastructure in Mindanao has lagged behind the rest of the Philippines. Australian development assistance has been used to strengthen the delivery of basic services for children in the areas of health, nutrition, basic education and child protection. Australian aid also supports the Philippines Government's reform agenda by assisting local government service delivery and by working to enhance the efficiency and accountability of the judiciary.
III. Defence and Security Cooperation
Australia is the second largest provider of defence training to the Philippines after the United States. Historically, the Australia-Philippines defence cooperation program has centred on the training of Armed Forces of the Philippines personnel.
In support of enhanced regional security, the defence cooperation budget for 2005-06 was A$3.6 million. These funds financed high level policy talks, training some 70 officers in Australia and visits of senior officials.
Australia and the Philippines signed a bilateral MOU on Cooperation to Combat International Terrorism in March 2003, and another MOU on combating transnational crime (between the Australian Federal Police and the Philippines National Police) in July 2003. During his visit to the Philippines in July 2003, Prime Minister Howard announced a three-year A$5 million package of counter-terrorism assistance to the Philippines Government. In October 2004, the Prime Minister announced a doubling of this assistance to A$10 million over five years. This assistance package provides practical assistance in policing, immigration, port security and cooperation to address regional counter-terrorism issues. The Philippines will also benefit from elements of the A$92.6 million Regional Counter-Terrorism Package announced in the 2006-07 Budget.
Key source: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT website)
Back to List
|
