“When Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo praised the community for their dollar remittances to the Philippines, the crowd clapped loudly. When he said he was also bringing with him the greetings of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to community, it was met with silence and some boos,” they said. “Even Ambassador John Negroponte, the National Intelligence chie, expressed surprise that the ambassador was being recalled.”

During the gala night at the JW Marriott in Washington D.C. June 10, many Filipino Americans present observed something different in the demeanor of Ambassador Albert del Rosario. While praising the Filipino community for their support for the past five years, some in the audience noted that he  appeared to be on the verge of tears.. “His words were halting and his voice at times appeared to be choking.” In hindsight, many of them now know that that speech was probably his valedictory. Perhaps, he already knew that the President had already ordered his recall.

On June 12, Philippine Star publisher and columnist Max Soliven said in his column that President Arroyo told an aide at the Quirino Grandstand  during the independence day parade to recall Ambassador del Rosario. While Malacanang announced it was accepting the ambassador’s resignation with regrets, the ambassador immediately replied that he was accepting his “recall” (the dictionary defines it as a term used for one who has been fired or dismissed) and setting the date of July 8 as his date of departure..

Newsmen here recalled that last year, the Ambassador told them that he had already informed Arroyo of his desire to return to private business.  He said the President asked him to stay on until a replacement is found.  “Like a good solider, “ Del Rosario said, “I have to remain in my post until my replacement is named.”

Observed one tsismoso: “For being a “loyal soldier,” he was kicked out of his post. Instead of accepting his open-ended offer to resign since last year, he was ordered recalled! It is the greatest insult that  Arroyo had given the good soldier who accomplished a lot for the Philippines and the Filipino people during his stint in Washington. Probably, the reason for his recall, some pundits say, is that in the eyes of Arroyo, the ambassador failed to  serve as her propagandist in America.”

Meanwhile, reactions from community leaders about the abrupt recall, resignation if you will, of Ambassador Albert del Rosario are all negative. They roundly criticize President Arroyo for giving the ambassador they love a very bad  treatment. “P¼I¼. Si Gloria.” “We will not support her” We will boycott her if ever she sets foot in Washington D.C.” “Maybe the reason she recalled the ambassador is that ambassador refused to be her alter ego. It is the alter ego  of a liar and a cheater in the election, of a a corrupt leader and  a woman who thinks she is the reincarnation of Napoleon!” said another leader who declined to identify herself because she has some business in the Philippines.

Pinoys in DC are still taking about the photo published in the Washington Post (June 11) of the Manila Mail’s Bing Branigin kissing the ring of Cardinal McCarrick during the festival gala at the JWMarriott June 10.  Here are some of the comments of the ingiteros and ingiteras in the community: “Is Bing a Catholic?”  “Was it the correct form of kissing a cardinal’s ring without genuflecting? “Bakit mali ang family name ni Bing sa caption?” “Totoo ba si Bing yon sa retrato?” “Hinde ba Branigin, instead of Branigan ang family name niya?”

The Philippine Festival Committee’s gala ball  and the Migrant Heritage Commission’s Centennial Ball honoring Filipino migrants were held  at the same time (6:30 p.m.) and the same day (June 10) in Washington D.C. and Virginia, respectively. Both required their guests to be in formal attire, tuxedo or Filipiniana.  Both invited Philippine Ambassador Albert del Rosario to address their respective balls¼rather parties.  Despite the fact that  guests of both affairs had to commute from one place to another, both balls ¼I mean affairs,  had overflow crowds, guests if you will. Migrante said more than 1,200 guests  converged at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City Hotel for the cultural entertainment and dancing to a live band and DJ music.  PFC declined to give the exact figures, saying only that all those who attended paid for their ticket.

One leader has suggested that because both balls¼.sorry¼both affairs¼ay mali pa rin both galas  earned a lot of money, it’s now time for an  accounting to be made. He said: “We heard that the biggest grosser is the Philippine Festival Committee which generated an estimated close to $100,000!  The income will be passed on to the Philippine American Foundation of Charities which up to now has not publicly  revealed its yearly income and expenses. I hope Migrant will do better by releasing its statement of income and expenses.”