61 diplomats appointed

MANILA, Philippines— The Commission on Appointments has confirmed the nominations of 22 new ambassadors and 39 foreign service officers Tuesday.

The appointment of 22 new ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary is the biggest batch of career diplomats appointed by President Benigno S. Aquino III to head various embassies around the world, the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

Confirmed by the CA were:

1. Belen F. Anota—AEP to the Commonwealth of Australia with concurrent jurisdiction over the Republic of Nauru, the Republic of Vanuatu and Tuvalu. She is currently DFA Assistant Secretary for Strategic Planning and Policy Coordination. She previously served as AEP to Singapore.

2. Victoria S. Bataclan—AEP to the Kingdom of Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Commission of the European Communities and the Council of the European Union. Currently, she is Assistant Secretary for ASEAN Affairs. Prior to this, she was AEP to Norway.

3. Virginia H. Benavidez—AEP to New Zealand with concurrent jurisdiction over the Republic of Fiji, the Kingdom of Tonga and the Independent State of Samoa. She is currently Assistant Secretary for Protocol and State Visits and head of the Legislative Liaison Unit. She served as AEP to Brunei Darussalam.

4. Enrique A. Manalo—AEP to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. He is currently the AEP to the Kingdom of Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Commission of the European Communities and the Council of the European Union.

5. Bayani S. Mercado—AEP to the Kingdom of Norway with concurrent jurisdiction over the Republic of Iceland and the Kingdom of Denmark. He is currently Philippine Consul General in Agana.

6. Lourdes G. Morales—AEP to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Previously, she served as AEP to Cambodia. She is currently Senior Special Assistant at the Office of the Undersecretary for Administration.

7. Cristina G. Ortega—AEP to the French Republic with concurrent jurisdiction over the Principality of Monaco. She is currently Assistant Secretary for Asia and Pacific Affairs. She also served as AEP to the Kingdom of Belgium.

8. George B. Reyes—AEP to the United Mexican States with concurrent jurisdiction over Belize, the Republic of Costa Rica, the Republic of El Salvador, the Republic of Guatemala, the Republic of Honduras, the Republic of Nicaragua and the Republic of Panama. He was formerly the AEP to Cuba.

9. Marilyn J. Alarilla—Chief of Mission, Class I, and as AEP to the Republic of Turkey with concurrent jurisdiction over Georgia and the Republic of Azerbaijan. She is currently the AEP to Laos.

10. Generoso D.G. Calonge—Chief of Mission, Class I, and as AEP to the State of Israel. He is the currently Senior Special Assistant of the DFA Office of the Undersecretary for Policy and previously served as Philippine Consul General in Dubai.

11. Leslie B. Gatan—Chief of Mission, Class I, and as AEP to Canada. He is the DFA Assistant Secretary for United Nations and Other International Organizations, and previously served as Minister and Deputy Permanent Representative at the Philippine Mission to the United Nations in New York.

12. Virgilio A. Reyes, Jr.—Chief of Mission, Class I, and as AEP to the Republic of Italy with concurrent jurisdiction over the Republic of San Marino and the Republic of Albania. He is the Assistant Secretary for Middle East and African Affairs, and previously served as AEP to South Africa.

13. Leslie J. Baja—AEP to Switzerland with concurrent jurisdiction over the Principality of Liechtenstein. He is the Assistant Secretary for European Affairs, and previously served as Consul General at the Philippine Embassy in Berlin.

14. Eleanor L. Jaucian—AEP to the Republic of Hungary with concurrent jurisdiction over Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and the Republic of Serbia. She served as Consul then Minister and Consul General in the Philippine Embassy in Athens. She is the current head of the Technical Cooperation Council of the Philippines.

15. Joselito A. Jimeno—AEP to the Sultanate of Oman. He is currently the Philippine Consul General in Guangzhou.

16. Jose Eduardo E. Malaya III—AEP to Malaysia. He is currently DFA Spokesperson and concurrently Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs. Previously, he served as Consul at the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco.

17. Meynardo L.B. Montealegre—AEP to the Hellenic Republic with concurrent jurisdiction over the Republic of Cyprus. He is the Executive Director of the Office of Asia and Pacific Affairs. He served as Minister and Consul General at the Philippine Embassy in Vienna.

18. Maria Cleofe R. Natividad—AEP to the Federal Republic of Germany. She is currently the Deputy Chief of Mission and Consul General at the Philippine Embassy in Berlin.

19. Maria Rosario C. Aguinaldo—Chief of Mission, Class II, and as AEP to the Republic of Indonesia. She is currently the Minister and Consul General of the Philippine Embassy in Jakarta.

20. Edgardo R. Manuel—Chief of Mission, Class II, and as AEP to the Republic of Poland. He is the Minister as well as the Charge d’Affaires of the Philippine Embassy in Warsaw.

21. Ezzedin H. Tago—AEP to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with concurrent jurisdiction over the Republic of Yemen. He is currently the Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy in Riyadh as well as the Consul General in Jeddah.

Ramoncito S. Mariño, a non-career official, was re-appointed as AEP to the Republic of Palau with concurrent jurisdiction over the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Marshall Islands.

The CA also confirmed the promotion of 39 foreign service officers, as follows:

Chief of Mission, Class I:

1. Benito B. Valeriano
2. Petronila P. Garcia
3. Julius D. Torres
4. Jocelyn S. Batoon-Garcia
5. Ma. Zeneida A. Collinson
6. Bayani V. Mangibin
7. Ma. Corazon Yap-Bahjin
8. Libran N. Cabactulan
9. Minda C. Cruz
10. Jose Arthur P. Ampeso
11. Olivia V. Palala

Chief of Mission, Class II:

1. Noel Eugene Eusebio M. Servigon
2. Antonio A. Morales
3. Narciso T. Castaneda
4. Jesus S. Domingo
5. Oscar G. Orcine
6. Junever M. Mahilum-West
7. Joseph Gerard B. Angeles
8. Jose R. Burgos
9. Celia Anna M. Feria
10. Eduardo Jose A. De Vega

Career Minister:

1. Raymond R. Balatbat
2. Christine Queenie C. Mangunay
3. Armando L. Comia
4. Angelica C. Escalona
5. Paul Vincent L. Uy
6. Henry S. Bensurto, Jr.
7. Lourdes S. Tabamo
8. Uriel Norman R. Garibay
9. Adrian Bernie C. Candolada

Foreign Service Officer, Class I:

1. Pete Raymond V. Delfin
2. Melchor P. Lalunio, Jr.
3. Kristine Leilani R. Salle
4. Angelo V. Amonoy
5. Noel M. Novicio
6. Myca Magnolia M. Fischer

Foreign Service Officer, Class II:

1. Val Simon T. Roque
2. Arman R. Talbo