The media buzz from Manila was that Amb. Del Rosario was in effect terminated. While he has submitted his courtesy resignation after Pres. Arroyo, otherwise known as Ate Glo  <D>won her second term, granting that she won, his resignation languished in the freezer

In the middle of the independence and centennial festivities, Ate Glo just pulled the rug under the Ambassador’s feet. The consummate diplomat had to put on a happy face for his guests at the Centennial Gala at the Ritz featuring Pitoy Moreno and his angels.

The announcement of Amb. Del Rosario’s resignation did not sit well with many of the Filipino-American community leaders in Metro Washington. Most of them endorsed an open letter to Pres. Arroyo drafted by Jon Melegrito of Naffaa expressing indignation at the shabby treatment of the beloved Ambassador by Malacanang.

“How could you stoop so low as to not even give him the courtesy of a personal call informing him of your action?”, the letter says. I can understand why Ate Glo<D> would not make the call.  She has yet to get rid of the habit of saying “Hello Garci” on the telephone, and making the call may be incriminating.

The open letter to the President must have produced an acidic effect on Ate Glo <D>because soon after its publication, it was reported that she landed at St. Luke’s Hospital with an LBM.

@9PTCA = ***

The gala celebrating the centennial of Filipino migration to the U.S. organized by the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. brought a bevy of VIPs headed by National Intelligence Director John Negroponte to witness walking Barong Tagalogs<D>, Maria Claras, Ternos, etc. <D>And the models make one think that when God rained beauty on earth, there was a torrent in the Philippines.

Speaking of VIPs, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick graced the Philippine Independence Ball organized by the Philippine Festival Committee at the Marriott. He didn’t make the guest list at the Pitoy Moreno fashion show.  The Cardinal would probably cover his ears at the sight of sparkling belly buttons.

A major event is bound to have some glitzes. In this event, a few slip-ups may have ruffled some feathers.

Some VIPS were acknowledged, some were not. A representative of a state official from Hawaii was acknowledged, while the representative of Sen. George Allen of Virginia was not.  Sen. Allen sent his Chief Legislative Counsel, Paul Unger. The latter has been helpful on the veterans issue.

Oligario “Ollie” D. Cantos, VII, Esq. was not acknowledged. Ollie is the Associate Director on Disabilities of the White House Domestic Policy Council. The message of Pres. George W. Bush would not have made it to the souvenir program in time were it not for Ollie’s push. The request from the embassy came late. But what normally would take four to six weeks was done in less than two weeks. After he got the message, the Embassy requested a change to include the name of the Ambassador.  

Susan Ralston was just mentioned as Mrs. Ralston from the White House. She is Special Assistant to the President and Assistant to the Senior Advisor.

I heard that there were diplomats present other than the Ambassador from Indonesia who was properly acknowledged.

When Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo bragged of Filipino big names in American business, he proudly mentioned Loida Nicolas, Lilia Clemente and Josie Natori. He missed the biggest of them all, Filipino billionaire in Silicon Valley, “Dado”  Banatao.

After going home with a six pack of San Miguel beer and barako<D> coffee, I have no complaints.