Foreign relations between Australia and the Philippines cover a broad range of areas of cooperation including political, economic, development, defence, security, and cultural relations between Australia and the Philippines. The countries are both physically situated in the Western Pacific Ocean area, with no land borders to other nations. The two countries are members of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, and universities in both countries are also part of Association of Pacific Rim Universities.
History before 1946 The earliest known links between the Philippines and Australia have been through the explorations being conducted by Spanish sailors in the Pacific. One of the bodies of water that connected the Philippines and Australia was the Torres Strait. The people who inhabited Torres Strait were of Melanesian descent and spoke two distinctive languages. They were different from Aboriginal Australians living on mainland Australia. Torres Strait was named after Luis Vaz de Torres, a Spanish captain, who sailed via the strait in 1606 towards the Philippines.
Early contacts between the Philippines and Australia have been in the form of trade. In the 1800s, the Philippines made use of the services of Nicolas Loney, Great Britain's Vice Consul to Iloilo, to improve the sugarcane industry. Loney utilized two British Brigs, the SS Pet and the SS Camilla to dock at the Port of Iloilo to load sugar going to Melbourne, Australia where the Victoria Sugar Company was waiting. The Negros Islands also exported sugar to Australia. Perdon (2014) also cites that Australians utilize the purchased sugar from the Philippines for the distillation of rum. On the other hand, Australia returned the favor by marketing its fresh bottled milks in Manila. Another commodity that Australia values from the Philippines is the manila hemp. Perdon (2014) explains the manila hemp's "fibre length, lightness and whiteness of colour" are the reasons why it is an in-demand product in Australia. An estimate of 9,000 to 15,000 piculs of manila hemp are exported to different countries, especially to Australia. Merchants from Sydney realized how profitable trading with Manild become,come which led to them moving further north.
Another contributing factor to early Philippines-Australia relations is the Filipino migrant workers. The earliest Filipino workers were called the "ManilaMen" and they worked in the pearling industry in northern Australia. Mostly from the central and southern part of the Philippines, these Filipinos were "responsible, daring, and fatalistically brave". Filipinos played an integral part in the development of the pearl, trochus and beche-de-mer industries in Northern Australia. In 2016, a group of Indigenous Australians who are descendants of the Manila Men came to the Philippines to trace their ancestry and meet Filipino relations.
In the 19th century, one of the prominent Filipinos in Australia was Heriberto Zarcal. He was a jeweler in Thursday Island and owned a hotel named Noli Me Tangere. Zarcal operated a fleet of pearling boats, all bearing names indicating Filipino patriotic and nationalistic sentiments.
Zarcal was one of Emilio Aguinaldo's links outside the Philippines throughout the period of the Philippine revolution through to after the declaration of the first Philippine Independence in 1898. There was some suggestion that during the Philippine Revolution, he organized an Australian support committee for General Emilio Aguinaldo's revolution against Spanish rule, but there was direct evidence of this (Ileto).
Australia in the liberation of the Philippines World War II forced Manuel L. Quezon, President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, together with his family and officials, to move to Australia on 19 February 1942 on board a B-17 Flying Fortress. From Adelaide, President Quezon's group made its way to Melbourne in March 1942 to meet with General Douglas MacArthur, his wife, fellow officials, and friends. At Melbourne, President Quezon addressed the Filipino people on why he was forced to leave the country. His time in Australia was short. On 9 April 1942, Bataan fell and President Quezon and his group made their way to Washington to establish a government-in-exile. At the onslaught of the war, Australians joined their Filipino and Allied comrades in liberating the Philippines.
The liberation of the Philippines started on 20 October 1944 with the Leyte Gulf Landings. The naval invasion fleet at Leyte included the Australian frigate HMAS Gascoyne and Fairmile motor launch HDML 1074 in laying buoys to mark the approach channels. This was followed by ships delivering American troops that included the three Australian landing ships, or LSIs (Landing Ships, Infantry), HMA Ships Kanimbla, Manoora, and Westralia. Joining them were several Australian soldiers who helped in landing craft liaison teams. Protecting the force were allied warships, including the Australian cruisers HMA Ships Australia and Shropshire and destroyers HMA Ships Arunta and Warramunga.
HMAS Australia was the first Allied warship victim by a kamikaze aircraft when it was struck on 21 October. 30 of HMAS Australias crew, including Captain Emile Dechaineux DSC, were killed or died of their wounds, and 64 were wounded, 26 seriously. HMAS Australia was accompanied out of the battle by HMAS Warramunga for repairs. HMAS Shropshire and HMAS Arunta stayed and participated in the Battle of Surigao Strait.
Australian civilians at Tacloban had been interned by the Japanese after the fall of the Philippines in 1942. They were described as "among the first prisoners of war and internees anywhere in the Pacific to be freed."
Three RAAF (Royal Australian Armed Forces) Wireless Units assisted in the Philippines. They were said to be "the most northerly based Australian land units in the Pacific war." They also provided air support for the Americans. In their first landing, Australian aircraft carried out attacks against enemy supply lines and then on 22 November 1944 Australian aircraft attacked targets for the first time. Boston light bombers of 22 Squadron pounced at Bunuwan harbour on Mindanao Island and Beaufighter strike-fighters of 30 Squadron attacked barges in Davao Gulf. During November and December, Catalina flying boats of 76 Wing dropped mines in Manila Bay to help American landings to the south on Mindoro Island. On the night of 14 December, nine Australian airmen died when a Catalina crashed or was shot down.
Three Airfield Construction Squadron RAAF landed at Mindoro on 15 December 1944. The Australians were in control of building airfields. While unloading the LSTs (Landing Ships, Tank), Japanese aircraft were attacking the area. Australians labored under the hot sun to unload equipment and supplies. Air raids occurred at half-hourly intermissions. American anti-aircraft gunners maintained a barrage of attacks but a kamikaze nearly hit an LST which Australian airmen were unloading supplies. Leading Aircraftman William Barham, 17 years old, was killed by a shrapnel. At night, the Australians at Mindoro Island already unloaded all of their equipment and gear and had moved inland to the first airfield that was to be built.
In January 1945, Australian warships participated in a big naval operation of the campaign when American forces landed at Lingayen Gulf for the invasion of Luzon. Manila was their target. Frigates Gascoyne and Warrego took part in survey tasks and escort duties. The Kanimbla, Manoora and Westralia transported American troops for the landings while being accompanied by Shropshire and Australia (underwent repairs) and destroyers Arunta and Warramunga.
The Australia was seemed to be singled out by kamikazes. Between 5 and 9 January 1945, the Australia suffered considerable damage to it and the deaths of 25 crewmen. The warship was withdrawn for repairs and it took no further part in the war. It was replaced by the returning HMAS Hobart after being seriously damaged by a torpedo in 1943. The Arunta also lost two men killed when a kamikaze barely missed the ship. Other ships narrowly escaped damage. The gunners on all ships gunned down kamikazes before they could attack a ship.
Australians continued to help the Philippines until the war finished. Some RAAF squadrons were stationed in some islands to support Australian operations in Borneo. After the war, Australians were sent to the Philippines to support in the handling of prisoners of war returning from Japan on the way home to Australia.
In total, 4,000 Australian service personnel took part in the campaign, some fought as guerrillas after they escaped from Borneo to the Philippines two years earlier. 92 were killed during the liberation of the Philippines.
HMAS Arunta I and II The Royal Australian Navy played a pivotal role in World War II. Australia deployed two ships that took part in Pacific war. HMAS Arunta I, one of three Tribal destroyers, was prepared for the American advance to the Philippines. On 13 October 1944, HMAS Arunta I made its way to Leyte Gulf at the Philippines. Together with HMA Ships Australia II, Shropshire and Warramunga I, to Task Group 77.3 (Close Covering Group) were led by Rear Admiral Berkley USN. On 25 October 1944, HMAS Arunta I, with Shropshire, participated in the Battle of Surigao Strait, one of the most crucial battles in World War II. The battle was fought at night and the Japanese were put in a tactical disadvantage when two battleships and three destroyers were defeated. HMAS Arunta I remained at the Leyte area until 16 November 1944 when she left for Manus, Papua New Guinea. After spending December at Manus, HMAS Arunta I returned to Leyte with HMA Ships Australia II, Shropshire, Warramunga I and three American destroyers. In January 1945, HMAS Arunta I took part in the landings at Lingayen. The Allied forces had 850 ships, 305 of which were either fighting or semi-fighting ships. HMAS Arunta I together with HMA Ships Australia II, Shropshire and Warramunga I were with Task Group 77.2. On 9 January 1945, the landings were completed in the midst of aerial assaults. The Australia II was hit five times while Arunta I was damaged when a "Kamikaze" narrowly missed her. After the landings, Arunta I accompanied Australia II to Lingayen then reported back to Leyte in order to reunite with Task Group 77.2. HMAS Arunta I continued to help in the Philippines campaign as part of the Lingayen Defence Force. On 10 March, she went back to Sydney for repairs after a brief stay at Manus. She later returned to Manila. HMAS Arunta I stayed in home waters (Sydney) until 3 December 1946 when she departed to Japan with Shropshire.
The second is HMAS Arunta II where it served during the battles of Leyte Gulf and Lingayen Gulf. Also, HMAS Arunta is the second Royal Australian Navy ship to use the name, and it had historical ties to the Philippines. HMAS visited the Philippines from 7–11 October 2015 and has two Filipino-Australian sailors that are currently serving as part of Arunta's ship's company. They are able Seaman Electronics Technician Aaron Scott and Able Seaman Boatswains Mate Matthew Parry.
Post-war relations and the White Australia policy Australia and the Philippines were on friendly terms after the end of World War II. President Manuel Roxas and Prime Minister Ben Chifley exchanged messages of friendship to mark Philippine independence in July 1946. Elpidio Quirino, Roxas's successor in the presidency, sought out Australia as a potential strategic partner, hoping to lessen his country's dependence on the United States.
Relations between Australia and the Philippines were damaged by the Australian government's treatment of Lorenzo Gamboa—a Filipino man with an Australian wife and children—who was refused entry under the White Australia policy. Previously, very few Filipinos had been unaware that such a policy existed.