At ceremonies held during the 2015 Philippine Independence Day ball at Crown Perth on 19th June, the Filipino Australian Club of Perth bestowed the FACPI Lifetime Achievement Award on Mr. Gerry F Donnelly, Philippine Honorary Consul General to Western Australia. Mr. Donnelly was cited for the tremendous service that he has rendered to the Filipino migrant community in Perth and WA for the past 17 years, during which time Mr. Donnelly has prosecuted the duties and responsibilities of the office with professionalism and compassion, often doing more than requisite for the benefit of the community, especially migrant workers and their families.

In the public eye, Gerry Donnelly is seen as a consul and a gentleman. Says Mrs. Rosie Norriss, the mother of the Perth WA community, who has known him for the longest time, “Gerry has at all times depicted humility and helpfulness. He does not discriminate between professionals and the working class. To him, they are all equal and he accords the necessary assistance as requested.”

In his commercial life, Consul General Donnelly has always been in the general insurance and reinsurance industry and worked for over 24 years with one of Australia’s leading Insurance companies, QBE Insurance Limited, working as an executive for them in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji, Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines.

After retiring from QBE, Gerry formed his own company specialising in reinsurance and service insurance companies throughout Far East Asia, operating from Perth but at the same time maintaining a close relationship with his past employer QBE Insurance in managing an underwriting agency underwritten by them.

Consul-General Donnelly was born in Ireland and educated at Blackrock College in Dublin. He is married to Susy and has a daughter.

Service Excellence: Optimum Cited

At awards ceremonies on the occasion of the 117th Philippine Independence Day at Crown Perth on 19th June 2015, Mark Antoniades (Optimum Homes), Tanya Levisohn (Optimum Finance), and Aidan Lindsay-Smith (Optimum Realty) were cited by FACPI as forceful champions of the Filipino migrant community in Perth and WA for the past 5 years.

In handing the Optimum group the FACPI 2015 Community Service Excellence Award, the Club cited the three awardees for the commendable manner by which they, individually and collectively, made a conscious effort to assist, guide, and dedicate time and professional resources to the migrant Filipinos who are looking to realise their lifelong dream of owning property, ensuring that the process would be a pleasant experience.

FACPI also recognised the support that Optimum have extended to various community programs, events, and activities through generous sponsorship and a strong presence.

FCCWA-FAWA Artist Awards

Professional and budding Filipino artists in WA were recognised by FCCWA and Filipino Artist of Western Australia (FAWA) at the awards night held on 22nd May at Morley Recreation Centre, back to back with the Brian Lorentz concert show. According to FAWA President Reynaldo Padernilla, the Perth Filipino talent achievers awardees were selected for their long service to the Filipino Australian community

Awarded were: Roxy Marie, Glenn Sequitin, Kathleen Rose Ochea, Faith Rico, Kris Frenze Alido, Paulo Midsole Padernilla, June Oronce, Paul de Ocampo, Benny Chan, and Densel Mahusay. Other featured artists at the awards show were Meg Reyes and Unbreakablez.