Key Points
- The 2021 Australian Census shows that over 21,000 students studying in university or tertiary institutions or doing technical or further education were born in the Philippines.
- In the Philippines, over 180 languages are spoken, including widely spoken Filipino, Tagalog, Ilocano, Bisaya, Bicol, Cebuano and Hiligaynon. Minority languages include Ivatan (in Batanes Islands), Ibanag (in Isabella and Cagayan; and Rinconada Bikol.
- Sydney student Cena Morillo is proud to speak Rinconada Bikol, a minority language in the Bicol region of the Philippines.
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'It’s second nature when I’m with Filipinos’: Why this Sydney student continues to embrace her native language
SBS Filipino
09/03/202505:03
In 2023, over 1.6 million students were enrolled in Higher Education institutions across Australia, according to the Department of Education.
Filipino student Cena Morillo is an addition to that growing figure. She started her university in 2024.
She also contributes to the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics data, which revealed that over 21,000 students enrolled in universities, tertiary institutions, or pursuing technical and further education were born in the Philippines.
Ms Morillo first moved to Australia in 2015 under his father's Skilled Workers Visa.
"My dad was already working as a panel beater in Australia prior to him bringing me and my family."
Cena was only nine at the time. Her family is from Nabua, Camarines Sur in the southern Bicol region of the Philippines.
Having lived in Sydney for over ten years, Cena proudly shares that she has maintained her connection to her roots by continuing to speak her native language.
Cena Morilloo (left) with her family who moved to Australia over 10 years ago. Credit: Cena Morillo (Facebook)
Rinconada Bikol is a minority language in the Bicol region, where over 470,000 Filipinos speak the language.
"I'm lucky as we speak it at home. But I think my mind has an automatic switch depending on who I'm surrounded by.
If everyone around me is speaking English, then I speak English, but when I'm with my Filipino friends then I speak Tagalog."
I guess the main difficulty was trying to make new friends with a whole different culture. I remember how different 'erasers' and 'rubbers' are.Cena Morillo
The Bicolana student is active with the Filipino Student Society of the University of Sydney. She is currently the Creatives Director of the group.
Cena has experienced the benefits of speaking her native language and encourages fellow Filipino students to keep learning and embracing it.
"When everyone wants to meet new people, it's a great way to connect with peers who have the same mindset as you.
Speaking Filipino is a great conversation starter and to connect with others.Cena Morillo on the benefits of being bilingual
"It gives Filipino students a place to gather, and with our events, we can connect through our language, our food, and our culture.
It's a great way to connect with people with similar backgrounds."
Over time, Cena Morillo has developed an Australian accent, explaining, "At first, my peers would point it out—though not in a mean way—but it made me feel embarrassed. Eventually, it just became natural."
Despite being teased by her peers, Cena is confident that she should never be ashamed of her roots or her language.
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