Honorable Christopher Ellison, Minister for Justice and Customs of Australia,
Excellencies and members of the diplomatic corps,
Distinguished guests,
Colleagues in government,
Friends,

We are drawn together today in the spirit of friendship and celebration.

Today, we commemorate close to 60 years of meaningful relations between the countries and peoples of the Philippines and Australia.

The presence of the Honorable Chris Ellison, Australia’s Minister for Justice and Customs, the officers and members of the Australian Embassy and Philippine counterparts underscore the significance of today's occasion.

The last six decades have shown how friendship and cooperation between our countries have developed steadily and matured into a relationship characterized by trust, confidence and respect.

These hallmarks of our relationship and the enduring goodwill enjoyed by both our peoples are captured vividly in the images featured in this photo exhibit we are launching this afternoon.

Indeed, this exhibit affords us an important opportunity to remember and reaffirm the enduring ties that bind the Philippines and Australia.

Diplomatic relations between our countries were formally established on July 4, 1946, yet Philippine-Australian friendship has deeper roots in our shared history.

Through these photographs, we relive our shared experiences. In truth, despite the expansive ocean that separates our countries, we have stood together – side by side – in the promotion and protection of common ideals and aspirations.

We fought for freedom and democracy during the Second World War. Shoulder to shoulder, Filipinos and Australians – together with allied forces – campaigned decisively for Philippine liberation.

I was telling Minister Ellison earlier, that from Bataan and Corregidor, General MacArthur went to Australia, and from Australia – with the Australians – we started the liberation of the Philippines.

The steely determination of our soldiers is reflected in some of the photographs featured in this exhibit. These images slice out these moments of joint resolve and freeze them in a fitting testimony to friendship, fraternity and victory.

Six decades hence, we find ourselves secure in a friendship and partnership that continue to expand and improve across various areas of mutual interest.

Today, we enjoy trade and investment relations that benefit both our countries. And together, we continue to explore opportunities for enhancing and sustaining the growth of our relationship.

We likewise continue to push forward the frontiers of peace in the region and throughout the globe.

In the Southern Philippines, key development programs in education and health that uplift the living conditions and consolidate the gains of peacebuilding are being implemented by the Philippine government, with the assistance of the Australian government and people.

Hand-in-hand, we are working towards further expanding stakeholder participation in interfaith dialogue, and as we all know, in Cebu last week, co-sponsoring the Interfaith Dialogue for Peace, Development and Human Dignity – Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand and the Philippines.  We are resolute in our campaign to win the hearts and minds of peoples against those who seek to bend faiths and religion to sow hatred and intolerance.

We co-chaired the Cebu Dialogue as I have said, and we look forward to advancing the gains achieved in the Cebu Dialogue in the upcoming Tripartite Forum for Interfaith Cooperation at the United Nations this week.  Again, Australia will be with us there.

We are relentless too, in our pursuit to break the backbone of international terrorism and other emerging threats. With cooperation in capacity building and enhancement, we are turning back the tide against those who wish to wreak chaos and violence on our communities.

The inroads we have achieved – our shared successes throughout these years – are shown extensively in this exhibit.

In this collection of two-dimensional images on exhibit beginning today, we see concrete proofs of how our multi-dimensional friendship has divided griefs and multiplied our joys.

We look forward to further strengthening the friendship, partnership and cooperation between the Philippines and Australia in the years ahead.

And we are confident that, given the firm foundations of our relationship, we will continue to prosper and move forward together.

Thank you and good afternoon.