Dante Maribbay

Dante Clemente Maribbay was born in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan Valley on July 8, 1948. He is married to Elsa Alvarico Maribbay from Lucena City. They have two sons Dante Jr. and Jose Paulo Maribbay.

He finished Bachelor of Science in Industrial Education major in Civil Technology where he graduated with Honors. He pursued his MA in Industrial Education at Technological University of the Philippines and MA external studies at the University of the Philippines. Trained 6 months in the Philippine Army graduated as Valedictorian of the Class. He was a Tactical Officer at Far Eastern University then a Commandant and Physical Education Instructor at Ouezon City Public School for 18 years and was sent as visitor scholar to Great Britain, France, Holland and Switzerland under the Moral ReArmament Foundation Inc. He got elected as president of the Federation of OC Public School teachers with 40,000 members. He is the founding Director of the Montessori school in Antipolo Rizal . He co-founded the University of the Philippines Purok Under Six Outreach Program (PUSO) for the slum areas which has branched out in Metro Manila and other regions of the Philippines. The UP PUSO program now caters for the disadvantaged children in the Philippines. He also co-Founded the Lungsod Silangan Transport Cooperative the program of the then President Marcos to assist and help the low income drivers and operators. He was then appointed as Secretary General of Transport Cooperatives all over the Philippines. Together with a UP Doctor Metodio Palaypay, they promoted the 'Pera sa Basura' (Money in Garbage) an environmental concept of recycling garbage incorporating vermicology concept to minimise garbage in the Philippines and at the same time create extra income for low earners. Today, 'Pera sa Basura' is now implemented all over the Philippines.

Dante and his family migrated to Australia in 1988. His wife who was the Head of the Board of Investment Exports Department was trained in New York, Washington DC and Italy. She got employed at Centrelink in Mirrabooka, Western Australia for 10 years. Dante first worked as Volunteer Teacher at the disabled children before he was appointed as Grant-in Aid Welfare Officer for the Filipino Community in Western Australia. This program was the initiative of the Department of Immigration through the Filipino Australian Club of Perth Inc. and the Damayang Filipino Inc. During his 9 years term, he advocated for the separation of Centrelink payments of Husbands from their wives due the prevalence of family and Women's domestic violence. This is now implemented all over Australia. In order to assist the migrants, he formed the Women's support group, Men's group, Senior's group and youth group. He trained so many volunteers including an Aboriginal man who married to a Filipino lady. One of the pioneers of FILCCA (Filipino Communities Council of Australia) in 1990. When the Grant-in Aid was finished, he worked as Education Support Officer at the then Family and Children's Services, Group Worker at the Ministry of Justice Juvenile Detention for Young People and volunteered to assist the Honorary Consul when his services are needed He introduced the Filipino language class at TAFE and Curtin University where he was a part time lecturer. He is a member of the Australian Asian Association. He served the Damayang Filipino Inc, for 11 Years, two terms as President of the Filipino Community Council Inc.(FCCWA) and newly elected as President of the Filipino Communities Council Inc. ( FILCCA). President of the Western Australian Multicultural Association (WAMA). He founded the Filipino Australian Skilled Tradesmen Inc (FAST) and a member of the Equestrian Order of the Knight of the Holy Sepulchre, and a member of the Human Rights Committee, United Nations Association of Australia WA. He served as a member of the Board of the Ethnic Communities Council and Australian Asian Association for two years. The Office of Multicultural interests appointed him as committee member of the Multicultural Advisory Committee (MAC) representing the Filipino Community in 2014-2017

Trained as Detention Officer with the Perth immigration Detention Center, graduated as DUX of the Class. He worked with the Asylum seekers in Perth DC, Port Hedland IDC, Curtin DC and Cocos Island and Christmas Island DC. He worked as Support Officer at Mercy Care, Occupational therapy Assistant in various aged care institutions. Some of his few legacies are: construction of the Migrant Pa vilion project at Vasto Lake, East Perth Worth S500,000 in collaboration with the Abruzzesse Italian Association, Cambodian, Vietnamese, Indian and Hellenic Communities. Contribution to the restoration of the S31 Million Saint Mary's Cathedral, Orphanage Homes in Cebu, Donation of Land and construction of a Church in Cagayan. Contribution to the Jose Rizal monument in Blacktown, NSW, Miss Philippines Australia FCCWA, Mother Dear Queens, State-wide participation to the Caritas Australia campaign on Global Change, introduction of Global Café, various fund raising for calamities in the Philippines including Bushfires in Western Australia and assisted misplaced or unemployed 457 in redeployment to New Zealand. Dante is now the Development Manager for the Prime Learning Centre in Western Australia.

His Philosophy is: "Be the Best of What You Are"

He wants to incorporate in his speech a quotation from unknown author: "I PASS IN THIS WORLD BUT ONCE, ANYTHING THAT I OUGHT TO DO, I HAVE TO DO IT NOW. I WILL NOT DEFER NEITHER POSTPONE IT FOR MAY NOT PASS THIS WAY AGAIN."