New envoy to Saudi Arabia assumes post

The new Philippine ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has formally assumed his post after presenting his credentials to the minister of foreign affairs, the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh said. In a press release, the Embassy said Ezzedin Tago met with Prince Saud Al-Faisal on Wednesday and assured each other of continuous strong relations between the two countries. "During the call, Ambassador Tago reiterated the Philippine Government's desire to enhance bilateral relations and elevate them to higher levels," the Embassy said. In turn, Al-Faisal said the Ministry will fully support efforts to develop relations between Saudi and the Philippines. Recently, Saudi's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced its plans for Saudization, which gives priority in employment to Saudi nationals. The move "temporarily suspends the processing and verifications of applications of Filipino domestic workers" and is expected to affect over 1.5 million Filipinos in Saudi. Tago has been serving as Charge d'Affaires ad interim since October 1 last year. He concurrently serves as consul general in Jeddah, a post he has been holding since December 2007. Aside from his appointments in Saudi, Tago has also represented the Philippines in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Baghdad, Iraq. The career minister has been with the Department of Foreign Affairs for 16 years, and has held several posts there prior to his designations overseas. He has received numerous awards for his service, including the Order of Lakandula on August 2007. - with Ronald Concha, RJMD/VVP, GMA News