Our political ambassadors to Athens & Canberra swiftly update their embassy websites to show President Noy

 

But not the ambassadors to Riyadh and Madrid

By Raïssa Robles

 

Literally overnight, Ambassador to Athens Rigoberto Tiglao and Ambassador to Canberra Hernandez De Leon swiftly updated their embassy websites to show Benigno Aquino III is now the Philippine President.

I’m breathless by the speed with which they did it. As we say in Filipino, mas mabilis pa sa alas kuwatro.

Here is the Philippine Embassy website in Athens now:

And here is the Philippine Embassy website in Canberra today:

 

In the entry I posted last night – here’s the link – I noted that if you go by four embassy websites maintained by four political ambassadors you would think that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was still the President.

I also pointed out that the politically appointed ambassadors to Athens, Canberra, Riyadh and Madrid had cared enough to have their activities on Independence Day posted on their embassy websites by late June. But they did not care enough to post the fact that PNoy was now the new President.

The websites had totally ignored a very historic moment for the nation that was widely covered by the foreign press.

The Philippine embassy websites in Madrid and Riyadh have not been updated at all.

Shortly before the embassy in Athens updated, Ambassador Tiglao sent me a really nasty e-mail which I will not repeat in totality in my blog so he can keep his dignity intact.Fellow journalist Ellen Tordesillas suggested that I repost the following as a separate entry. Since she has been blogging much longer than I have been, I am taking her advice.

Here is the link to Tiglao’s e-mail and my reply.

 

Madrid ambassador gives this excuse

The Philippine ambassador to Madrid Ana Ugarte also e-mailed me. Here is her e-mail:

I’m writing in response to the misinterpretation regarding the Madrid Philippine Embassy website . It is correct that it hasn’t been updated since January due to glitches and the lack of embassy staff with the technical know-how to address it. After the first postings, we did not enough budget to keep outsourcing this service. If you will notice, the last posting was in January after the ASEAN-EU SOM Conference. By the way, I always disliked my picture superimposed on the home page and had asked to remove it, but no one knew how as everyone was much too busy.

I have been in Manila since my departure from Madrid on June 30. Contrary to what the papers have been saying, I had complied to the recall order and not clung on to my post. Unfortunately this information had not been conveyed to the Press nor did the Department Press office have time to correct it.

I had enthusiastically mentioned President Noynoy’s victory during the Diplomatic Reception held June 18, celebrating Independence & Philippine Spanish Friendship Days and also during my despedida speeches at the Barrio Fiesta held on June 27. You see, he is my chosen president and I voted for him. I do believe the Philippines is on its way to a bright future with President Noynoy.

For your guidance and consideration.

Sincerely

Ana I de S.-Ugarte
Ambassador