PHOTO from comappt.gov.ph
MANILA, Philippines – The appointments of 95 officials, including eight ambassadors, of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), were confirmed by the powerful Commission on Appointments (CA) on Wednesday.
The confirmation of the eight ambassadors, 25 chiefs of missions, 26 career ministers, and 36 foreign service officers was “one of the biggest numbers of DFA officials to get the CA’s nod,” said Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, head of the CA committee on foreign affairs.
It was Santiago who presided over the confirmation hearing of the officials at the committee level.
The eight ambassadors confirmed were:
1. Bayani V. Mangibin, ambassador to Kenya, Burundi, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwnda, Seychelles Somali, Tanzania, Uganda, and is also the permanent representative to the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), and HABITAT;
2. Petronila P. Garcia, ambassador to Canada;
3. Lamberto V. Monsanto, ambassador to Kuwait;
4. Ma. Amelita C. Aquino, ambassador to Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay;
5. Antonio A. Morales, ambassador to Singapore;
6. Joseph Gerard B. Angeles, ambassador to South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe;
7. Raul S. Hernandez, ambassador to Korea; and
8. Virgilio A. Reyes, ambassador to Italy, San Marino, Albania, and Malta.
Chiefs of Mission, Class I
9. Jerril Santos
10. Gilberto C.B Asuque
11. Wilfredo R. Cuyugan
12. Jose Eduardo Malaya III
13. Ma. Hellen Dela Vega
14. Carlos Sorreta
15. Jaime Victor B. Ledda
16. Joselito Jimeno
17. Ma. Lumen Isleta
18. Domingo Lucenario Jr.
Chiefs of Mission, Class II
19. Wilfredo Santos
20. Gina Jamoralin
21. Ma. Teresita C. Daza
22. Bernardita Catalla
23. Alfonso Ver
24. Nathaniel Imperial
25. Millicent Paredes
26. Julio Dery
27. Ma. Theresa De Vega
28. Rosalita Prospero
29. Marciano De Borja
30. Belinda Ante
31. Medardo Macaraig
32. Noralyn Baja
Career Ministers
33. Edgar Badajos
34. Robespierre Bolivar
35. Avangeline Ong Jimenez-Ducrocq
36. Josephine Reynante
37. Grace T. Cruz- Fabella
38. Enrico Fos
39. Roberto Manalo
40. Donna Rodriguez
41. Charmaine Rowena Aviquivil
42. Lilibeth Pono
43. Deena Joy Amatong
44. Jose Victor Chan-Gonzaga
45. Senen Mangalile
46. Jaime Ramon Ascalon
47. Josel Ignacio
48. Margarita Ibayan
49. Patrick John Hilado
50. Eric Gerardo Tamayo
51. Racquel Solano
52. Igor Bailen
53. Patrick Chuasoto
54. Aileen Mediola-Rau
55. Leo Tito Ausan jr.
56. Nina Cainglet
57. Arlene Macaisa
58. Ma. Lourdes M. Salceda
Foreign Service Officers, Class I
59. Maria Alnee Gamble
60. Roberto Bernardo
61. Edna May Lazaro
62. Voltaire Mauricio
63. Mersole Mellejor
64. Guther Emil Sales
65. Jim Tito San Agustin
66. Raphael Hermoso
67. Christopher Patrick Aro
68. Ariz Severino Convalecer
69. Maria Anna Lilia De Vera
70. Mark Francis Hamoy
71. Marford Angeles
72. Jesus Enrique Garcia II
Foreign Service Officers, Class II
73. Leah Victoria Rodiguez
74. Maria Paz Cortez
75. Jeffrey Salik
76. Rea Oreta
77. Aian Caringal
78. Susana Mendiola
79. Shiela Marie Tario
80. Grace Anne Bulos
81. Melanie Rita Diano
82. Lorena Joy Banagodos
83. Ma. Carmela Teresa Cabreira
84. Conrado Demdem Jr.
85. Greg Marie Marino
86. Bertrand Theodor Santos
87. Arvic Arevalo
88. John Reyess
89. Reichel Quinones
90. Edward Yulo
91. Lorenzo Rhys Jungco IV
92. Jason Jovencio Anasarias
93. Emmanuel Donato Guzman
94. Edwin Mendoza
95. Eduardo Aro as Chief Mission, Class II for the period of March 3 to October 19, 2013, the same date he retired.
Santiago noted that all of the 95 diplomats are career diplomats.
A career diplomat is a person who has passed the foreign service officers’ (FSO) examination, which is a year-long examination considered as one of the toughest in the country.
“A career diplomat rises from the ranks. This is different from a political appointee, who is appointed to the position of ambassador, public minister, or consul, by the president at his pleasure,” she pointed out.