PRESS RELEASE
Philippine Embassy, Canberra
1 Moonah Place, Yarralumla, ACT 2600
www.philembassy.org.au *Tel. No. 02-6273-2535*
07 May 2026, BROOME - As part of the celebration of the Philippines-Australia Friendship and the 80th anniversary of formal diplomatic relations, Philippine Ambassador to Australia H.E. Antonio Morales visited Broome to honor the legacy of the Manilamen.
The Manilamen were pioneering Filipino seafarers and labor migrants whose journeys across global maritime routes led them to northern Australia in the 19th century. Long before the establishment of formal diplomatic relations, Filipino pearl divers, sailors, and workers were already contributing to the growth of Broome’s maritime and pearling industries. Many settled in the region, formed families with Indigenous Australians, and helped establish some of the earliest Filipino communities outside the Philippines.
Ambassador Morales met with descendants of the Manilamen and members of the contemporary Filipino-Australian community in Broome. The community engagement was held together with Dr. Deborah Ruiz Wall, author of “Reimagining Australia: Voices of Indigenous Australians of Filipino Descent.”
Among those present was Mr. Kevin Puertollano, a Yawuru Elder and descendant of Thomas Puertollano, a Manilaman from Marinduque. Mr. Puertollano shared his family's journey of tracing its roots back to the Philippines and his ongoing efforts to preserve and promote the history of the Manilamen in Broome.
In his remarks, Ambassador Morales emphasized that the story of the Manilamen forms an important chapter in the shared history of the Philippines and Australia. He emphasized the importance of sharing the story of the Manilamen as it highlights the long history of Filipino migration to Australia dating back to the 1860s; recognizes the contributions of Filipino settlers and their descendants to Australia's multicultural society; and also reflects the shared indigenous heritage and long-standing maritime links of the Philippines and Australia.
Dr. Wall traced the history of the Manilamen from their arrival in Australia to their contributions to nation-building in the Philippines and economic development in Australia. The Manilamen were highly instrumental in the formation of the Catholic faith in the Kimberley region.
Filipino community leader Ms. Joenna Fronda emphasized the importance of support by the new Filipino settlers (i.e. Filipino workers and their families who arrived in Broome in the last thirty years) for the descendants of the Manilamen to ensure that this shared history is preserved.
Throughout his visit, Ambassador Morales also visited the Pearl Luggers Museum, Broome Historical Society and Museum, the RSL Club (which served as the Manila Club in the 1930s) and Our Lady Queen of Peace Cathedral to learn more about the historical presence and contributions of the Manilamen descendants in Broome.
To learn more about the history and legacy of the Manilamen, visit the Embassy’s virtual exhibition, “Beyond Borders: Voices of Indigenous Australians of Filipino Descent” at cultural.philembassy.org.au/phinau/beyond-borders. - END
