Albert takes oath as DFA chief

President Arroyo swore in yesterday Delia Domingo-Albert as secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the first ever woman appointed to the post.

Albert took over from Secretary Blas Ople, who died last Dec. 14.

In simple oath-taking rites at Malacañang, Mrs. Arroyo formally welcomed Albert to her official family.

"Senior, competent and career. I felt the career service needed to be recognized," Mrs. Arroyo told Albert.

Albert will become the seventh woman in Mrs. Arroyo’s 22-member Cabinet, joining Budget Secretary Emilia Boncodin, Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas, Science and Technology Secretary Estrella Alabastro, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Elisea Gozon, Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman and Finance Secretary Juanita Amatong.

The oath-taking of the new DFA secretary was witnessed by her German husband, Hans Albert, and only daughter Joy Angelika, with DFA officials led by Undersecretary Romeo Brillantes.

Albert was DFA undersecretary for international economic relations and senior official for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) before she was named to the Cabinet post.

A career diplomat who rose through the ranks for the past 36 years in the foreign service, Albert first served as assistant to the late DFA secretary Narciso Ramos, father of former President Fidel Ramos.

Albert told The STAR yesterday she still could not believe Mrs. Arroyo appointed her to the post to take up where Ople left off.

"All of us at the DFA were thinking that another political appointee would be named (to succeed Ople)," Albert said.