Terms of RP ambassadors may be extended until Sept. 30

Terms of Philippine ambassadors, whether career or political appointees, may be extended for three months or at least until September 30, to avoid disruption of diplomatic relations. This was announced by Malacañang on Monday after Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. and Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo submitted their recommendations to President Benigno Aquino III. The recommendations, awaiting the President’s approval, propose to extend appointments of all ambassadors, including those whose terms are co-terminus with previous president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Status quo must be kept in the foreign service, Ochoa told a radio interview. “Secretary Romulo and I have been conferring and we agreed to recommend that they be extended for a few more months because we don’t want to disrupt diplomatic relations with other countries…There are many pending transactions, pending concerns that are needed to be addressed and should not be disrupted by simply recalling them," he said. As a result, all ambassadors should stay in their positions until September 30, unless recalled earlier. Of the 21 ambassadors who still in active service, a number have returned home, including Ambassador to Iran retired Gen. Generoso Senga, Alejandro del Rosario (Warsaw), Acmad Omar (Oman), Masaranga Umpa (Nigeria), Alexander Yano (Brunei), Rigoberto Tiglao (Athens), Antonio Villamor (Riyadh), and Domingo Siazon Jr. (Tokyo). Ochoa added that Philippine embassies’ charges d’ affaires may be allowed to temporarily take over functions of ambassadors who have already gone home. - RJAB Jr/KBK, GMANews.TV