Cheers to wellness
Australia’s alumni in the Philippines held the first “Australia Global Alumni Health and Wellness Day” at SM By the Bay to promote physical and mental health.
The event was a joint partnership between the Australian Embassy and SM.
Australian Ambassador Steven J. Robinson AO was joined by Australian-educated Filipinos, including SM Engineering Design and Development president and alumnus Hans ‘Chico’ Sy Jr. Also members of the Filipino-Australian community, palanggas, health and wellbeing advocates, and Australian Embassy officials.
Australia’s alumni and guests were seen enjoying the healthy, fun-filled activities for the mind and body. These included a Wellness Cycle on the bike lanes around the SM Mall of Asia Complex; health and wellness exercises and sessions with Fitness First and Mind You; and a cooking demonstration by Shaka Café featuring Australian products. Invitees also got a chance to enjoy pop-ups of Australian favorites Harry’s Café de Wheels, Koomi, and Vittorio Coffee.
The event was one of the culminating activities of the 75th anniversary of Philippines-Australia diplomatic relations and also celebrated Australia’s alumni, who have embodied the spirit of bayanihan amid the challenges of COVID-19.
Australia’s alumni play a significant role in helping the country bounce back from the pandemic with various individual and collective initiatives.
In his message, Ambassador Robinson said: “Australia’s alumni in the Philippines should be lauded for their initiatives to support the most vulnerable during the pandemic.” This included Chico, who spearheaded the construction of emergency quarantine facilities in Metro Manila early on in the pandemic. He likewise pioneered the establishment of bike lanes and biker-friendly infrastructure and facilities across SM Malls nationwide to support a “healthy, safe, and environment-friendly mode of urban transportation.”
Other notable projects by Australia’s alumni include training health workers to provide mental health support to their communities, and providing women-led enterprises with e-commerce tools to provide livelihood opportunities during the community quarantines.
Other event partners included Taste of Australia, Wine Depot, Australia-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce, Grow It Yourself, and Bikers United Movement.
Cheers to Wellness is one of the exciting health and wellness events at SM By the Bay, dahlings.
