A week of diplomacy

’Twas a busy week for diplomats in the Philippines, government officials and businessmen last week.

Tuesday night, the United States embassy in Manila hosted a grand reception at the glittering ballroom of Shangri-La The Fort to celebrate the Fourth of July.

The celebration actually fell on July 2 but guests didn’t mind or perhaps didn’t really notice because the ballroom transformed into one big festive event filled with Stars and Stripes and everything American – from burgers to steaks to music and memento booths featuring American icons such as Elvis Presley and, quite literally, all that Jazz.

The Fourth of July, also called Independence Day, according to the dictionary of historical events, is a public holiday in the US which commemorates “the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, which declared the original colonies to be free from British rule.”

It also used to be an important national holiday in the Philippines because it was Philippine Independence Day in 1946 and later on it came to be known as Philippine-American Friendship Day.

A huge crowd gathered that evening despite the horrendous traffic one is sure to experience at Bonifacio Global City on rainy nights like that.

The gracious host, US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson – stunning in her cherry-red evening gown – opened the celebrations, as she walked the red carpet to the stage with Papal Nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, and Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro, to deliver her speech and to lead a toast to celebrate the Philippines and the US strong ties.

“We are here tonight to celebrate our strong and enduring people-to-people ties, our economic cooperation as partners in prosperity and our security and defense collaboration as treaty allies committed to a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Amb. Carlson said.

She said that at the historic US-Philippines-Japan trilateral leaders’ summit in April, “the United States reaffirmed our ironclad alliance commitments that have helped safeguard peace and security in the Indo-Pacific for decades.”

“Together with our partners, we remain unwavering in our commitment to freedom of navigation and overflight, and to the importance of respecting the sovereign rights of states within their exclusive economic zones consistent with international law,” she also said.

Spotted during the event aside from Usec. Lazaro were past and present government officials, including Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Antonio Carpio.

I also saw lawmakers and tycoons, including Converge chairman Dennis Uy and George Barcelon, past president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

I was also happy to chat with members of the US embassy’s press team, including US Deputy Press Attaché Glenda Wallace, Camille Conde, press and media specialist and press and media coordinator Jovic Yee.

Glenda, who was wearing a beautiful Stars and Stripes shawl, and I talked about my recent trip to the US as part of the Friends, Partners, Allies reporting program of the US embassy in Manila.

Calmer minds

Amid the festivities, guests also talked about the heightened tensions between the Philippines and China and US’s continued support for Manila in the ongoing geopolitical conflict with Beijing.

Calmer minds should prevail, Barcelon told me, so that trade ties could continue without uncertainties.

After her speech, Amb. Carlson met with Usec. Lazaro for a private meeting, sources said.

I wondered if they talked about the Philippines and China issue but I never had a chance to find out as I left by the time they finished as I had to rush to the reunion of Philippine Collegian alumni hosted by University of the Philippines president Angelo Jimenez. That event, by the way, was just as fun and I hope to write about it in a separate piece.

70th Anniversary of the Japan Self-Defense Forces

The evening of July 4, meanwhile, saw diplomats, military officials and businessmen gather at the Japanese Ambassador’s Residence for the 70th Anniversary of the Japan Self-Defense Forces.

It was also a huge celebration and another gastronomic adventure at the residence, which, as I said, is the “best Japanese restaurant” in Metro Manila.

In his welcome remarks, Ambassador Endo Kazuya looked back on the central role of the JSDF over their 70 years of service, particularly in enhancing regional stability.

Emphasizing the Philippines’ significant role in regional security, Ambassador Endo reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.

He highlighted the expanding security cooperation between Japan and the Philippines across various sectors, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, defense equipment and technology transfers and joint exercises with like-minded partners.

Distinguished guests from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, government officials and members of the diplomatic corps attended the celebration. I also met Malaysian Ambassador to the Philippines Dato’ Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino.

General Romeo Brawner Jr., Chief of Staff of the AFP, graced the occasion as the guest of honor while National Security Adviser Eduardo Manahan Año delivered a congratulatory toast acknowledging the longstanding service of the JSDF.

It was certainly a busy week for the diplomatic corps and perhaps a good break from the uncertainty brought about by the geopolitical conflict.

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Email: [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @eyesgonzales. Column archives at EyesWideOpen on FB.