An InspIrIng Tour of DuTy
New Zealand ambassador talks about the evolving relationship between his country and the Philippines and how he has been inspired by the resilience of the Filipino people
iving in the country for nearly four years is bound to change the way one looks at it and its people. Such is the case with David Strachan, the current ambassador of New Zealand to the Philippines. Since he arrived in December 2014, the ambassador has seen numerous changes which have both inspired and challenged him in the course of his work.
Prior to his current assignment, Strachan spent four years in the Middle East where he was ambassador to Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, and the League of Arab States between 2011 and 2014. Interestingly, during an earlier stint as New Zealand’s deputy head of mission in South Korea, he became part of a four-man delegation that helped establish diplomatic ties with North Korea in 2000.
A veteran diplomat, Strachan started his career with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) in 1983 and handled assignments to Kuala Lumpur, Port Moresby, Seoul, and Jakarta. He has served in the MFAT’s Southeast Asia, Middle East, and South Pacific Divisions and has, for a time, also served as the head of its Asia Regional Unit. Well, I first came here on holiday in 1989, so there was quite a change when I came back a quarter of a century later. I saw a more developed country with less visible poverty, but the density of the population has definitely become more visible.
Another thing that struck me was the connectivity of younger people to the outside world through social media. I understand that 96 per cent of Filipinos are active online—that’s a very impressive statistic. It has gone a long way in making them more aware about the world around them. Now, there is a greater degree of familiarity [about New Zealand] in the Philippines thanks to increased people-topeople contact.
The hospitality and the warmth of Filipinos haven’t changed and that’s what makes it a pleasant country to be posted to.
What has impressed you the most about the Filipino people?
Their resilience. I saw the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan [Yolanda] from a distance when I was in Egypt in 2012. People might be poor in terms of income, but they always rise up again after a terrible experience. One of my staff said, “How resilient the Filipinos are! No matter how hard things get, they manage to bounce back.”
How has the relationship between the Philippines and New Zealand changed over time?
Our economies are now more integrated. More than 70 per cent of our trade is in the Asia-Pacific region. We’ve also seen really remarkable growth in the services sector.
Last year, we got our first direct air link between Manila and Auckland when PAL flew its first flight on 15 December. We warmly welcome that.
There has also been a massive increase in Filipino students going to New Zealand; there are about 4,000 there now. The Philippines is one of our fastest growing education markets, so it’s a priority for me to promote the value of education in New Zealand.
What can you say about the cultural similarities between our two nations?
Exploring our cultural similarities is a really fascinating area that deserves more research. There is something about the engagement between the Maori people and the people of this region that you can’t seem to put a finger on—but it’s there, and there’s a warmth that comes through by way of music, the arts, literature, and linguistics.