The Association of Filipinos and Fil-Australians (FilOz UQ)

Founded in 1980 as the Philippine International Student Organisation (PISO), the club has evolved over the years through the different circumstances Filipino students face whilst studying at UQ. It was renamed later on as FilOz UQ, signifying its identity as the Association of Filipinos and Fil-Australians in the University of Queensland. In Australia, Filipinos are called “Filos,” hence the short name.

We take pride in promoting the Filipino culture to the general UQ community, primarily by showing how happy and vibrant Filipinos are wherever they may be. This is reflected through our activities, such as our chill picnics and movie nights. In 2018, we launched our Philippine-themed Amazing Race, where students from all over Queensland were introduced to the richness of Filipino culture in its many aspects – song, dance, games, and even food.

We are also abreast with current events in the Philippines, and have spearheaded a number of talks and panel discussions about politics and national development. These were held in collaboration with different partners, both in academia and in the government, in the Philippines and in Australia.

As a student society in another country, we also strive to make a difference in the lives of Filipino people at home. We give a portion of the earnings in our biannual sausage sizzle “Snags that Save” to charitable institutions in the Philippines.

FilOz UQ is also part of a bigger network of Filipino student organisations in Australia. We are a proud member of the Queensland Filipino Youth Association (QFYA) and the Filipino-Australian Association of Student Councils Empowered towards National Development (FilOz ASCEND).