Women Ambassadors in Action

French Ambassador Renée Veyret was a charming host at her first local reception marking Bastille Day, passing the "test" with the highest grades though she and her staff had a veritable throng to welcome. There was an unending replenishment of cocktail fare at the long buffet table, particularly because the finger foods were so varied–and delicious!–guests kept going back for "seconds" and even "thirds".

There was no exchange of toasts. Were we to understand that it would be that way for all other national day celebrations?

The ever-smiling Ma. Consuelo Puyat-Reyes, our ambassador to Chilé, landed in the newspapers again with another coup. She and the dignified-looking Chilean Foreign Minister Ma. Soledad Alvear recently signed the RP-Chile Memorandum of Understanding (mou) during a formal ceremony at the Salon Rojo (Red Room) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Santiago, Chilé. Guests were headed by Jaime Ravinet, Minister of Housing and Urbanization, Papal Nuncio Aldo Cavalli, dean of the diplomatic corps and ambassadors from the Asia-Pacific region. That the signing was the fastest in RP-Chile relations could have signified that women in government get things done in record time.

What is the mou on Socialized Housing? It consists, among others, of exchange of housing and urbanization experts to learn about the Chilean socialized housing projects–the most successful in Latin America–and, therefore, to learn valuable lessons from the Chilean model.

To further indicate the effectivity of women ambassadors, the mou was the fifth accord Mrs. Puyat-Reyes has signed, the other four relating to mining, tourism, agriculture and bilateral agreements between the two ministries.

That was a delightful luncheon the vivacious Venezuelan Ambassador, Milena Santana Ramirez, hosted for ambassadors’ wives Janet Baker (NZ), Carolyn Dimond (UK), Mariana Hubbard (Mexico), Dr. Yumian Su (Singapore), golfing partner Kim, and Mrs. Yoko Taylor.

One quickly concluded that Milena avidly patronizes Philippine products–her tableware, which everyone admired, was native; her paintings on the walls were by Filipino artists. The menu was a combination of Venezuelan and Philippine–Milena and Mariana had a lively discussion while comparing Mexican and Venezuelan beans. Wide-ranging topics included hair-dos and hair-dyes. A niece of Mariana had dyed her hair blue and then red, among other colors that followed. Another ambassador’s lady recounted that her driver had colored his hair orange. It must have taken all the diplomacy she and her husband could muster to gently convince the driver to stop calling attention to himself and, inevitably, to them! The luncheon was just what we all needed to relax and while the early afternoon away with convivial conversation amidst a simple yet elegant setting.

Valentina Khmelnitski and her husband, the Russian ambassador Anatoli Khmelnitski, may yet break the record for despedidas as they prepare to leave this country (as of this writing) after a six-year stay. They have truly endeared themselves to their Filipino friends with their genteel, warm and unassuming manner.

The "For Love of San Antonio" benefit concert was such a success not only as a musical program but also for the "performance" of committee chairman Justa K. Tantoco and her enthusiastic corps of volunteers that parishioners are still "aving" about it.