A walk down memory lane
LAST Friday we gathered at the Department of Foreign Affairs Bulwagang Apolinario Mabini to honor the memory of Leticia Valdez Ramos Shahani. The following is senior’s s recollection, a snapshot of a good fellowship among rear guards and a sharing with millennials. (DFA should collect the encomium of the speakers and compile it to do justice to the event.)
Rosario Manalo set the tone, rcalling her times with Mrs.Shahani, her mentor and role model, and how they worked on the slopes of summits. She singled out Ambassador Mina Falcon for her research which produced the first draft of what became the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Apolinaro Jun Lozada narrated his personal account as a freshman foreign service officer, when he was drawn to where others feared to tread. As acolyte to Mrs. Shahani, his career path followed to DFA, to Malacanang and to politics. He became close to the Ramos clan, (even to the point of being mistaken to be an eldest son). Rosalinda Tirona told of how Mrs. Shahani and she bucked the windmills and even challenged a ruling of the Canadian court in a celebrated case when even the Philippine legal counsel had given up. (BTW, a wag commented that the afternoon was probably the first time that the two lady Ambassadors – aka “Vilma Santos” and “Nora Aunor” – seemed to agree or sounded a duet.).
Rear Admiral Rafael G. Mariano acknowledged the invaluable contributions of Mrs. Shahani; (she held the rank of Commander in the Philippine Navy); and the UNDP Resident Representative Mr Ola Almgren recalled her stewardship as UN Assistant Secretary General, (which was a milestone especially for gender parity). Delia Domingo Albert dwelt on five chapters – “Manang Letty,” “Ambassador Letty,” “Senator Letty,” “Politician Letty,” and “Manang Letty” (again). Delia acknowledged a debt of gratitude for pushing her to matrimony (“with a twinkle in her eye”) to break the DFA jinx against our women foreign service officers. (Until the Domingo-Albert union, we would always lose our women FSOs who marry foreign nationals.) Delia also read the recollection by Ambassador Rudy Arizala of Leticia Shahani as an inspiring passionate patriot.
From the opener by a Manalo to the closing by a Manalo: Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo, who was a freshman FSO in days of yore in DFA Assistant Secretary Leticia Shahani’s office, summed up in not so many words how and why she was been an invaluable contribution to the nation, and by that, to the world.
In her response on behalf of the family, the daughter Ilia RamosShahani shared how a widowed mother raised her three children. In the 70’s. Ilia was enrolled at the Chinese medium Immaculate Concepcion girls school (prescient of the rise of China?) Mother’s career path took them on a dizzying transcontinental arena; (and because of which this only daughter felt distant from our country). It would take many years after, when mother was diagnosed of colon cancer, that Ilia returned to be beside her and discover the mother she had missed. But even then, mother was on her second (third?) wind, a new vocation, after importing a carabao breed from India, to upgrade dairy milk produce.
As a privileged senior statesman, former President Fidel V. Ramos shared stories confirming differences of opinion with his younger sister - When she was 3 how she contested a 5-year old Fidel… in high school when she would interrupt his basketball game with friends to have them listen to her play the piano. A high watermark was when she broke away from President Ferdinand Marcos and a TV interviewer asked if she had consulted her brother, who was Deputy of the Philippine Armed Forces and Chief of the Philippine Constabulary. Her reply, “I never consult my brother.” (FVR would also take his own route, in his own time.)
On Delia’s mention of FVR as ex-future President, FVR said that if this pipe dream ever comes true, he would return Ambassador Rosalinda Tirona to her favorite dream post Bangkok. He went on and on with anecdotes before anecdotage.
Carolina Constantino, our Foreign Service Staff Officer in charge of our passport extension office in North NCR, flattered me to say that my generation had some resonance. I reassured her that every generation comes unto its own. We all look up to titans before us, whom we see as larger than life. Yes, our batch produced a Secretary of Foreign Affairs (Delia Domingo Albert) and two Undersecretaries (Franklin Ebdalin and Rafael Seguis). Today’s millennials have the added advantage of high tech. But it is good to have role models like Ambassador/ Senator Leticia Shahani as stars to steer by.
The encomiums were followed by generous high tea (which speaks well of the present management?). There was the usual bon homie and exchange of stories which get better in the retelling. ***
I sneaked out of the reception to the adjoining Carlos P. Romulo library to witness the graduation of the XXIII Foreign Service Officers Cadetship Course (11 September 2016-1 March 2017). The new crop of 17 new Foreign Service Officers, (9 men and 8 women, men still made a slight majority).
The certificates were conferred by Undersecretary Linglingay Lacanlale, assisted by Foreign Service Institute Director General Claro Cristobal. Usec Lacanlale enjoined graduates (who had passed one of the toughest civil service exams and completed the 7 month cadetship) to keep a sense of humility, and love, to go with their passion for work. (P.S.: With a prayer to go by.)
Speaking for his group, the de facto valedictorian, Adrian Mira, said that his batch took some time to agree to its nomenclature. The 23rd FSO batch goes by the monicker “Silang,” which engenders a new dawn and stands for both man and woman (Diego and Gabriela Siang). He thanked the Foreign Service Institute and all mentors for the cadetship, and the program which gave the bonding to the crew and affirmed their commitment to the high ideals of the foreign service, including humility and love. *** I missed my next engagement at the Alliance Française, since we were close to the 5:00 p.m. Friday flag retreat. But the ceremony was even delayed… because former President Fidel V. Ramos was of the mind that the flag retreat needed to be closer to the setting sun. We waited for sundown at 5:31 p.m. Everyone joined singing “Lupang Hirang” This was followed by a record playing of “Pilipinas kong mahal” FVR told the gathering about his generation who know of the “Inday” anthem; and he invited those who remember to sing the first bars of “Pilipinas kong mahal.” It was a Friday we shall long remember. FEEDBACK: