# Filipino Australians

Filipino Australians (Filipino: Mga Australyanong Pilipino) are Australians of Filipino ancestry. Filipino Australians are one of the largest groups within the global Filipino diaspora. At the 2021 census, 408,836 people stated that they had Filipino ancestry (whether alone or in combination with another ancestry), representing 1.6% of the Australian population. In 2021, the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated that there were 310,620 Australian residents born in the Philippines.

## Population

Currently Filipinos are the third largest Asian Australian immigrant group behind Chinese Australians and Indian Australians. At the 2021 census, 408,836 people stated that they had Filipino ancestry (whether alone or in combination with another ancestry), representing 1.6% of the Australian population. In 2021, the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated that there were 310,620 Australian residents born in the Philippines.
At the 2021 census, the states with the largest numbers of people reporting Filipino ancestry were: New South Wales (152,804), Victoria (95,186), Queensland (73,805), Western Australia (46,785) and South Australia (21,257).
Females account for 61% while males represent 39% of Filipino Australians born in the Philippines.

## History

During the 1800s until the early 20th century, Broome became the pearling capital of the world. Filipinos worked as divers, crew, shell openers, and sorters. Eventually, they married with local women in Broome.
Filipinos were excluded from entering Australia under the White Australia policy. As a consequence, their numbers in Australia remained minimal; confined to descendants of those few Filipinos who had migrated to the north west pearling areas of Western Australia and the sugar cane plantations of Queensland prior to 1901; until the abolition of racially selective immigration policies in 1966. The 1901 census had recorded 700 Filipinos in Australia.
Martial law in the Philippines, declared by former Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos in 1972, and the renunciation of the White Australia policy made Australia an attractive destination for Filipino emigrants, particularly skilled workers. Many Filipinos also settled in Australia from the 1970s onward as either migrant workers or the spouses of Australian citizens. Marriages between Filipinos and Australians rose very sharply from 1978, peaked in 1986, and remained high as of 2000, despite a dip in the early 1990s. The 1980s were the period of the greatest Filipino immigration, with 1987-1988 being the peak year.

## Media

The Philippine Times is Victoria's longest-running community paper. The first edition was published in November 1990.

## Notable people
### Philippine-born

* Aljin Abella, actor from the TV series Power Rangers Jungle Fury
* Migo Adecer, singer, dancer, model, and actor
* Jhoanna Aguila, singer, and The Voice Australia Season 3 contestant
* Alyssa Alano, actress and model
* Leila Alcasid, singer and songwriter
* Joey Mead King, model, VJ, and TV and events host
* Shar Mae Amor, singer and former Paradiso Girls member
* Hannah Arnold, model and beauty queen, crowned Binibining Pilipinas 2021
* Mig Ayesa, theatre actor and rock vocalist
* Merlinda Bobis, writer
* Shey Bustamante, reality show contestant
* Arianne Caoili, chess player
* Israel Cruz, singer
* Kathleen de Leon Jones, original Hi-5 member
* Felino Dolloso, theatre actor
* Ben Gonzales, rugby league player
* Sef Gonzales, convicted murderer
* Nathalie Hart, actress
* Fely Irvine, former Hi-5 member
* Jal Joshua, singer, dancer, and Australia's Got Talent Season 3 1st runner-up
* Alfred Nicdao, actor
* Kylie Padilla, actress, singer and model
* Yshrael Pascual, singer and The Voice Australia Season 1 contestant
* Jim Paredes, singer, songwriter, member of APO Hiking Society trio
* Rose Porteous, socialite
* RJ Rosales, actor and musical theatre performer
* Claire Ruiz, actress, singer, dancer, and model
* Jerson Trinidad, singer and The Voice Australia Season 1 contestant
* Guillermo Capati, civil and environmental engineer
* Yeshaiah Varona, USASA City West Undergraduate Representative.

### Filipino ancestry

* Abigail Adriano, singer and The Voice Kids Australia contestant
* Chelsea Castillo, singer and Australia's Got Talent Season 3 finalist
* Chris Cayzer, actor and singer
* Kate Ceberano, singer
* Genesis Cerezo, beatboxer and Australia's Got Talent Season 6 finalist
* Sarah Christophers, former actress
* Elizabeth Clenci, model and beauty queen, Miss Grand International 2017 2nd runner-up
* Jessica Connelly, singer and former reality show contestant
* Anne Curtis, actress, model, and singer
* Jasmine Curtis-Smith, actress and model
* Rod Davies, wing for Queensland Reds Super Rugby team
* Jason Day, golfer
* Ashley del Mundo, actress and former reality show contestant
* Ezekiel Dimaguila, reality show contestant
* Stef Draper, reality show contestant
* Kai Espenido, reality show contestant
* Alyssa Exala, reality show contestant
* Karen Gallman, model and beauty queen crowned Binibining Pilipinas Intercontinental 2018 and Miss Intercontinental 2018
* Ylona Garcia, singer
* Kevin Gordon, Gold Coast Titans Rugby League player
* Catriona Gray, singer and model crowned Miss World Philippines 2016, Miss Universe Philippines 2018 and Miss Universe 2018
* Payne Haas, Brisbane Broncos Rugby League player
* Sheralyn Hill, singer, The X Factor Australia Season 6 finalist, and former TRILL member
* Jessica Jade, singer, The X Factor Australia Season 6 finalist, and former TRILL member
* Mojo Juju, musician
* Clinton Kane, singer
* Kelebek, rapper, The X Factor Australia Season 5 finalist, and former Third Degree member
* Stephanie Lacerna, singer and Idol Philippines contestant
* Philip Lampart, reality show contestant
* Michael Letts, rugby player
* Vanessa Librea, singer and The Voice Australia Season 11 contestant
* Jericho Malabonga, winner of the fourth series of Australian Survivor
* Reyanna Maria, singer and rapper
* Janette McBride, former actress
* Michael McCoy, reality show contestant
* Reef McInnes, Australian rules footballer
* Natalie Mendoza, actress (Hotel Babylon)
* Rebecca Jackson Mendoza, actress, singer, and dancer
* Paul Merciadez, singer, dancer, and member of dance group Justice Crew
* Bella Micucci, singer and The Voice Teens Philippines Season 2 contestant
* Patrick Miller, Married at First Sight Australia Season 5 star
* Montaigne, singer
* Seann Miley Moore, singer, The X Factor U.K. Season 12 finalist, and The Voice Australia Season 10 contestant
* Kenneth Moraleda, director & actor
* Bobby Morley, actor from Home and Away and The 100 TV series
* Charlotte Nicdao, actress
* Cyrell Paule, Married at First Sight Australia Season 6 star
* John Pearce, singer, dancer, member of Justice Crew, and member of children's music group The Wiggles
* Lenny Pearce, singer, dancer, and member of Justice Crew
* Mick Pennisi, basketball player
* Chad Peralta, singer
* Marlisa Punzalan, winner of the sixth series of The X Factor Australia
* Iain Ramsay, professional football (soccer) player. Has chosen to represent the Philippines national football team at the international level.
* James Reid, actor, singer, and dancer
* Lauren Reid, model, actress, events and television host, and blogger
* Sheldon Riley, singer, 2022 Australian Eurovision representative, The Voice Australia Season 7 2nd runner-up, The X Factor Australia Season 8 finalist
* Nina Robertson, beauty queen crowned Miss Earth Australia 2017
* Marissa Saroca, singer and The Voice of the Philippines Season 1 contestant
* Nicole Schmitz, beauty queen and model crowned Binibining Pilipinas 2012, Miss International 2012 Top 15 finalist
* Naomi Sequeira, actress and singer, Hanging with Adam & Naomi, The Evermoor Chronicles
* Monique Shippen, model, singer and beauty queen crowned Miss Earth Australia 2018 and Miss International Australia 2019
* Flip Simmons, theatre actor and musician
* Starley, singer
* Calmell Teagle, singer, The X Factor Australia Season 8 finalist, and former AYA member
* Melanie Vallejo, actress from the TV series Power Rangers: Mystic Force
* Michelle Vergara Moore, actress from the TV series The Time of Our Lives
* Matthew Victor Pastor, film director
* Iya Villania, singer, actress and model
* Cyrus Villanueva, winner of the seventh series of The X Factor Australia
* Craig Wing, Australian Rugby League player (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
* Trinity Young, singer and The Voice Kids Australia contestant
* Gwen Zamora, actress and model