DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
P R E S S  R E L E A S E
www.dfa.gov.ph                                                                                           2330 Roxas Blvd., Pasay City, Philippines                                                                                 Tel. No. 834-4000 
SFA-AGR-332-06                                                                                                                                                                                                                             28 April 2006

PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL, SYDNEY LAUNCHES AWARDS TO HONOR SUCCESSFUL FILIPINO WOMEN IN NEW SOUTH WALES

28 April 2006 – Consul General Maria Theresa P. Lazaro of the Philippine Consulate General in Sydney, Australia reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that the Consulate has launched the inaugural Filipino-Australian Women Achievement Awards (FAWAA) for New South Wales at the New South Wales Parliament House on 27 April 2006.

Consul General Lazaro explained that the FAWAA was instituted by the Philippine Embassy in Canberra to highlight Filipino women as contributors to and a dynamic factor in the growth and development of Australian economy, society and culture.

The Awards, which are presented at the state level, aim to officially recognize and give prominence to the women's significant contributions and achievements in their respective fields of work and communities, the Consul General added.

Consul General Lazaro said that this will be the first FAWAA to be presented for New South Wales.

The state hosts the largest population of Filipino-Australians in the country, with an estimated 64,000 – around 50 percent – of the total community population in Australia. Around 65 percent of the Filipino-Australians in New South Wales are women, the Consul General added.

The Launch was attended by the Philippine Ambassador Cristina Ortega, New South Wales Speaker of Parliament John Aquilina, Community Relations Commission Chair Stepan Kerkysharian and Consul General Lazaro.

Ambassador Ortega praised the undertaking as “a way forward in giving due recognition to the hardworking and dynamic role Filipino women are making in Australia today.”

Consul General Lazaro stated that since its inception, the FAWAA has been held for Queensland (2000, 2005), the Australian Capital Territory (2001), Tasmania (2001) and Victoria.

She said that nominations are open for Filipino-Australian women or for women with Filipino heritage who: (1) are residents of Australia for at least five (5) years and are currently living in New South Wales; and (2) have been formerly or currently involved in exemplary work in their respective fields in Australia.

She added that there will be three awards categories:

1. Achievements in the Practice of Profession - Involvement in, but not limited to, the following fields: Academe/Education and Research Work; Law; Science and Technology; Applied Sciences; Information Technology and Mass Communications; Sports, Arts and Culture;

2. Achievements in Corporate Practice or Entrepreneurship - Involvement in the following areas: Management of businesses; Commerce, Finance; or other corporate-or business-related practices; and

3. Achievements in Public, Civic or Community Service - Includes service in Government/Semi-Government institutions; involvement in legitimate non-government organizations and cause-oriented groups; involvement in community-focused or church-based activities, or other related voluntary work.

Consul General Lazaro further stated that nominations must be received in person or post-marked not later than 7 July 2006 at the Philippine Consulate General in Sydney.

She said that the winners will be announced at the FAWAA-NSW Gala Night on 2 August 2006 at the Westin Hotel in Sydney.  END
 

/jay