15 May 2006 – Philippine Ambassador to Canberra, Australia Cristina Ortega has administered the oath of eleven Filipino-Australians who have reacquired Philippine citizenship under the dual citizenship law.

Ambassador Ortega visited Tasmania on 30 April 2006 to meet with the Filipino community in Hobart led by Florence Parker, State President of the Filipino Communities Council of Tasmania and President of the Filipino Women's Support Group.   Ms. Parker organized a dinner at the St John's Park in New Town where around 70 Filipino-Australians, families and friends were in attendance   The Mayor of Glenorchy City Council, Alderman Adriana Taylor,  joined the FilOz in their meeting with the Ambassador.

At the gathering, Ambassador Ortega administered the oath of 11 FilOz from Hobart and nearby places who reacquired their Philippine Citizenship.   She shared the many positive developments in the Philippines and encouraged the FiIOz to be a part of the efforts to help build and strengthen the country.

The Ambassador also launched a fund-raising campaign to raise funds for the building of a classroom in Leyte under the Adopt-a-Classroom Project of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. She told them, "your initiative to raise funds for a classroom in Leyte would not only add to the tally board of classrooms donated, but more importantly to help school children have education and hopefully enjoy better lives."

The following day. Ambassador Ortega met with The Honorable William J.E. Cox, Governor of Tasmania, and extended the greetings of the Philippine government and the Filipino people to the Tasmanian government and people for their celebration of the sesquicentenary or 150th anniversary of the Tasmanian Parliament.    She also bid farewell to the Governor as she prepares to assume her next post in Brussels, Belgium and requested that her successor, Ambassador-designate Ernesto de Leon, be given the same support and cooperation.

The Governor and his wife tendered a luncheon for the Ambassador at the imposing Governor's House.

Tasmania is the smallest state in Australia with a land area 68.400 sq km and a population of about 480,000 with a growing number of Filipino residents. END