Bicolano author honored in Australia

CANBERRA, Australia --- Renato Perdon, former Colombo Scholar and book author who for 27 years was a devoted professional in historical studies and national cultural preservation was recently honored along with several others during the celebration of Philippine Australia Friendship Day and National Heritage Month at the Philippine Embassy in Canberra. Known as 70th Anniversary Award, the recognitions were presented to individuals who have made extraordinary contributions in enhancing bilateral relations between the Philippines and Australia through their chosen advocacies and dedicated services. Prior to migrating to Australia, author Renato Perdon worked with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines for more than twenty years as historical translator, curator, and chief historical researcher. He also served as consultant for cultural heritage on the Philippines’ Presidential Commission on Culture and the Arts, and as special assistant to the Chairman of the National Historical Institute. In Australia, he worked as archivist with the Sydney Archives for 17 years before his early retirement to concentrate on book writing. Perdon has published articles on history, cultural conservation and heraldry both in the Philippines and in Australia. He authored more than 10 books on Philippine history, language and culture with the latest publications “Connecting Two Cultures: the Philippines and Australia (2014) and “The Americanization of Filipinos” (2016), respectively. He is currently the Filipino Section Editor of the Bayanihan News, an Australia-wide newspaper based in Sydney, Australia. Bicolano Perdon was born in Sipocot, Camarines Sur and studied at the University of Nueva Caceres. He is a first cousin of Fred Perdon, a director of the Metro Naga Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the chief executive officer of GNN Naga.