Australia to honor outstanding Filipino alumni

The Australian embassy in Manila has opened the nominations for the annual alumni excellence awards for Filipinos who studied in Australian universities.

“The awards showcase the diverse individual achievements of Australian-educated Filipinos,” said Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Amanda Gorely.

“They are current and future leaders, influencers and changemakers. Alumni make a crucial contribution to the strong bonds of friendship between Australia and the Philippines,” she added.

According to the embassy, the awards aim to acknowledge the success of alumni who have achieved outstanding feats in their respective fields, industries or communities.

The Australian Alumni Excellence awards have three categories: Alumni of the Year, for those who demonstrated leadership and best practice at the local or international level; the Excellence in Innovation Award, for those who demonstrated innovation in their fields; and the Young Achiever’s Award, for those below 35 years old who have demonstrated excellent achievements or significant contribution to their fields.

Last year’s winners include University of the Philippines DNA Analysis Laboratory head Maria Corazon de Ungria for Alumni of the Year, Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology vice president for research and extension Roy Ponce for Excellence in Innovation Awards and University of Mindanao director for qualitative studies and biodiversity research Milton Medina for the Young Achiever’s Award.

The embassy said outstanding Filipino graduates of Australian universities will be recognized at the 2018 Australian Alumni Awards Night in May.

Nominations may be submitted to www.australiaawardsphilippines.org/alumni until April 30.