Melbourne PCG Hosts Forum on the Philippine Cinnamon

In celebration of the 75th Anniversary of Philippines-Australia Friendship Day, the Philippine Consulate General in Melbourne organized last September 10 a unique scientific, historical and cultural online forum highlighted by a lecture titled, “Kahoy, Pa-mana - the Story of a Lost Botanical Paradise”.

The lecture, delivered by Filipino scholar Dr. Augustine “Yob” Doronila, focused on the Philippine Cinnamon – Kahoy Mana, how the sweet-smelling spice enticed the Spaniards to search for the spice islands 500 years ago, and how the journey has deeply influenced Philippine history and culture.

Dr Augustine Doronila is a senior analytical chemist at the School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne. As a teenager, he migrated with his family to Melbourne Australia 46 years ago. He completed his secondary and tertiary education in Melbourne, and has been involved in ecological restoration research in mining areas since 1988 in Western Australia, Victoria, NSW and Northern Territory.

Three expert panelists gave their short reactions to the presentation

These were: Dr. Vic Ilag, a specialist in preclinical and clinical development of biologics and dietary/food ingredient; Dr. Vito Butardo, an internationally-recognised cereal grain quality and nutrition expert, currently serving as a biotechnology lecturer in Swinburne University of Technology; and Ms. November Canieso-Yeo, a social entrepreneur representing Plansville Health, a company specializing in the conservation and commercial development of the Philippine cinnamon as a social enterprise.

The online event was attended by fifty (50) participants from the Philippines and Melbourne, Australia, including the Filipino-Australian Students Council of Victoria (FASTCO). END

For more information, visit https://melbournepcg.dfa.gov.ph/