WASHINGTON D.C. - One of the early disagreements that I had with President Arroyo was her appointment of Ambassador Albert del Rosario over my group’s nominee -former Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Poch Macaranas.

“GMA precisely justified her choice, and Jennie Illustre took it out of her lips - del Rosario’s “stature and the breadth and depth of his experience."

From our perspective, we saw a difficult upward gridlock facing del Rosario, who had absolutely no experience in diplomacy. it takes almost two years for any new assignee to Washington to acclimate and work out the Capitol Hill, the White House and the thick bureaucracy, the different think tanks, lobby groups and the embassy row.

We strongly advocated for a strong pitch at development diplomacy especially after President Estrada’s dalliance with the underworld.

Poch Macaranas would have hit the ground running, we thought. His network does not just cover the United States, but every first world country where he had set up science and technology advisory councils during his incumbency at DFA.

Ambassador del Rosario’s first public appearance was in a reception for a “simbang gabi” at St. Anthony’s at Falls Church. He and his wife walked in as any ordinary persons, no formal introductions no protocol, gingerly taking their place in the long queue for refreshments. I served under Emmanuel Pelaez, an imposing figure that melts other diplomats when he walked into a room, and mesmerizes them into agreement as he spoke. That first impression of mine about del Rosario was fatal, I whispered to myself, “this guy won’t last,” But through the years, Ambassador del Rosario marked his time and proceeded with the savvy of the compleat businessman and gentlemen that he is. Momentarily, I forgot about him, as I was deeply engaged as consultant to key cabinet members in Manila.

Yet our paths would cross again as I started doing non-profit work back in the nation’s capital. Once I took the subway and walked Massachusetts avenue towards the embassy from Dupont Circle. I could not believe my eyes. He was walking alone from the embassy towards Dupont, and I assumed all the way to Sheridan where his official residence is. I said “good afternoon” and he returned with a smile and a gesture of salute with his cigar.

I later learned he does this almost everyday for his daily exercise.

No limos, no security, no staff, no frills, just a plain afternoon walk. A few weeks after, we would launch at the embassy “Kalinga Luzon”, a project of Gawad Kalinga for the typhoon victims of yearend 2004. It was easy to convince the ambassador because our speaker was Fr. Ben Nebres.

Not only were they both Ateneans but best of friends from way back. But when he pulled a check for $5,000 as the  embassy staff and his seed money for the fundraiser, I suspected he was dishing a white lie. I kinda felt that really came from his own pocket because of the genuine concern and compassion he showed throughout the evening.

The ambassador would thereafter embrace Gawad Kalinga as his own pet project, sometimes even crossing some envious members of the Filipino community. Indeed, he did not only help Ateneo raise 100 houses for the poorest of the poor of Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija. At the time of his leaving, he led a series of initiatives to set up his own “centennial village" somewhere in Manila.  

I have only known him up close for the past three years, but I felt he had really done his homework at every turn, winning the hearts of the Filipinos in America and challenging them to send the biggest dollar remittance in history. I understand that the Philippines got $228 million for aid for fiscal year 2006, and I testify that indeed this is the second largest aid package ever. This is nowhere near the $800 million Ambassador Pelaez raised from the American Congress, but considering that we are nowhere today in the American radar screen as Secretary Romulo himself admits, $228 million is a miracle happening during Ambassador del Rosario’s watch.

I know he wanted to leave December 2004 but Gloria did not act on his resignation. I guess that gave him a second wind for a truly remarkable finish, even surrounding the treacherous manner that he was sacked. But this is how GMA is. When she is through with you, she does not care if she curls some feathers. Worse, she will even direct the first gentlemen to work out some dirt under, in order to stage your exit. That will explain why there is bad press about the good ambassador in Manila, the smear campaign led by no less than Philippine Star Max Soliven himself.

That was how she dealt with former Agriculture Secretary Cito Lorenzo, I do not see why she should be different to Ambassador del Rosario. Both Lorenzo and del Rosario were sacked at the height of their success.  

After raising agriculture productivity from 2.9 to 8.5 in two years, Lorenzo was replaced by someone GMA thought moved heaven and earth to raise funds for her 2004 “reelection”, when all Arthur Yap did was jockey for Jocjoc Bolante whom you now know. Today, Bolante and Yap are co-accused in the billion-dollar fertilizer scam.  

Who knows, del Rosario might even be replaced by a presidential boyfriend. For the meantime, my friend Willie Gaa has been designated to cool the air as charge’ d’affaires.

What lola wants lola gets, but this can never sully the achievement and class that Ambassador del Rosario earned in Washington DC. His mission was impossible given the carnage that the presidency has been experiencing in Manila  throughout his tenure and especially after the 2004 elections — and the cannibalism that the Arroyos have dealt the nation.

Del Rosario has capitalized well, not on the saleability of his superior’s governance records because there is hardly any, but on the friendship of true great peoples and the unsung wellspring of patriotism of every Filipino American towards his land of birth.

*Thank you, Mr. Ambassador, for proving my first impression wrong. I hope when next we meet in Manila or elsewhere in the world, you will still acknowledge me with a smile and a gesture of salute with your cigar.