DFA – ellen tordesillas

Why it’s finally Cayetano at DFA?

Published by Ellen on May 14, 2017

Incoming foreign secretary Alan Peter Cayetano has been a regular part of Pres. Duterte's delegation in all the latter's foreign trips. This Malacañang photo was taken on board the presidential plane to Malaysia. — Incoming foreign secretary Alan Peter Cayetano has been a regular part of Pres. Duterte’s delegation in all the latter’s foreign trips. This Malacañang photo was taken on board the presidential plane to Malaysia.

The appointment of Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as foreign secretary is an indication that the Duterte administration is feeling the heat of a negative international image and needs somebody who can passionately defend the President’s human rights record as what the senator did last week before the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

No one among the foreign service officers would be brash enough to counter the antipathy that Duterte has elicited with his “Fuck u U.N.” and “Fuck u E.U.”

Malacañang needs someone who can say with conviction that white is black and black is white just like what the incoming secretary said when he declared that under Duterte’s anti-illegal drugs campaign, “drug personalities have been arrested. Arrested your Excellencies not killed.”

Standing by up in the air

Published by Ellen on April 16, 2014

Thanks to Philippine Flight Network for this photo.

As our flight from Iloilo (Philippine Airlines 934) was starting its descent to the Ninoy Aquino International Airprt, the pilot announced that we were number 12 in the queue for landing and that our arrival would be delayed by 30 minutes. Reason: traffic congestion.

This kind of delay due to traffic congestion at NAIA has become a standard happening. It has become a practice.
Two weeks ago when we went to Palawan, our departure was delayed for about 30 minutes.

We were already seated, our seatbelts fastened yet we were not taking until after half-an-hour later. Same reason: traffic congestion.

Agonizing moments at the DFA over Sabah

Published by Ellen on March 31, 2013

Malaysia arrests Filipinos Photo By BAZUKI MUHAMMAD REUTERS Wed, Mar 6, 2013 From Yahoo.

When some 30 concerned citizens met before the Holy Week to discuss the appeal to the United Nations for help for Filipinos in Sabah who are being maltreated by Malaysian authorities, they decided they would do it as private citizens and not waste their time getting the support of the Philippine government.

Of course, the petition would have carried more weight if it were the government seeking international intervention for its people, which should be the case because the government exists for its people.

In fact, it is in the Constitution’s Declaration of Principles and State Policies that (Art. II, Sec. 4) The prime duty of the Government is to serve and protect the people.”

Please, not Domingo Lee to China

Published by Ellen on April 14, 2011

Early this week, President Aquino signed the appointment of 17 career ambassadors to different foreign posts.

Foreign service veterans said they haven’t seen this big a bunch of appointments of career officers in the history of Philippine service. Needless to say, the career officers are very, very happy.

“This would not have been possible under (former Foreign Secretary) Alberto Romulo,” a career officer said adding that morale is high in the department with Secretary Albert del Rosario whom they describe as “conscientious and hands-on.”

I don’t have the complete list of the 17. But here are some of them: Ricky Manalo to London; Cristy Ortega to Paris;Vicky Bataclan to Belgium; Leslie Baja to Switzerland; Maynard Montealegre to Greece; Lourdes Morales to Netherlands; Leslie Gatan to Canada; Ellen Jaucian to Hungary;

Romulo in UN would be a disaster

Published by Ellen on February 17, 2011

The removal of Alberto Romulo as foreign secretary (to be replaced by former Ambassador to the U.S. Albert del Rosario), the first cabinet change in the nine-month old Aquino administration, is supposed to signal long-delayed reforms in the Department of Foreign Affairs. It is dampened, however, by reports that Romulo would be named the country’s permanent representative to the United Nations.

President Aquino is not confirming Romulo’s UN assignment. All he said was, “Bert Romulo is not a stranger to me. So, he still has contributions that he can make. It’s always the details that tie us up.”

The UN job is one of the positions being floated to be Romulo’s “golden parachute”, a term used in the corporate world of a clause in an executive’s contract specifying that he would be receiving large benefits in the event that employment is terminated or the company is sold.

There is no such thing as a golden parachute for government officials but they are entitled to the usual retirement benefits.

Sheer opportunism

Published by Ellen on September 22, 2009

Update: Romulo wants to have his cake and eat it too.He says he will vote for Noynoy but will serve Gloria up to the “end and beyond.” Story in comments.

Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo’s disclosure that he will be supporting Sen. Noynoy Aquino for president is nothing but sheer opportunism unless he does something to stop Gloria Arroyo’s degradation of the foreign service.

Right now, he can oppose Arroyo’s midnight appointment of Foreign Undersecretary Esteban Conejos as ambassador the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva to replace Erlinda Basilio who will be retiring soon.

Arroyo has nine months left in her unelected presidency. As a political appointee, Esteban’s term is co-terminus with the appointing power. If he gets to assume the Geneva post in the next month or so, Esteban would only be serving for about seven months.

No urgency in foreign service for Yano and Luna

Published by Ellen on May 3, 2009

The more General Alexander Yano and Lt. Gen. Cardozo Luna justified their acceptance of ambassadorial assignment in exchange for early retirement from the Armed Forces, the more that they are unmasked as no better than the other amply-rewarded Gloria Arroyo generals.

Until last Friday , Yano and Luna were the two highest officials of the AFP. Yano agreed to cut short his term as AFP chief for 44 days and turned over the reins of the AFP to Gen. Victor Ibrado. Arroyo announced that she has named him ambassador to Brunei.

Luna, who is still due tor retire in September, also agreed for an early retirement and was named ambassador to Netherlands.