‘It’s sheer opportunism unless Romulo stops Arroyo’s degradation of the foreign service.’

It’s just sheer
opportunism

Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo’s disclosure that he will be supporting Sen. Noynoy Aquino for president is nothing but sheer opportunism unless he does something to stop Gloria Arroyo’s degradation of the foreign service.

Right now, he can oppose Arroyo’s midnight appointment of Foreign Undersecretary Esteban Conejos as ambassador the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva to replace Erlinda Basilio who will retiring soon.

Arroyo has nine months left in her unelected presidency. As a political appointee, Esteban’s term is co-terminus with the appointing power. If he gets to assume the Geneva post in the next month or so, Esteban would only be serving for about seven months.

It’s very costly to transport an ambassador and his family to another country, much more to Europe. It would cost from $50,000 to $100,000.

And what can he achieve in about seven months? Nothing except probably have a grand vacation in Switzerland paid for by the Filipino taxpayers.

It’s a policy in the DFA to assign a foreign service officer to an overseas post for at least three years and not more than six years because it takes about a year for one to settle and establish official and social network to be effective in promoting the country’s interest.

DFA sources said originally Conejos wanted the Brussels post currently occupied Cristy Ortega but he was told that he might not pass the Commission on Appointments. They were able to find the UN Geneva post.

Conejos will be following the precedent set by former Chief Justice Hilario Davide of not going through the Commission on Appointments claiming that "missions" are not covered by CA affirmation.

Romulo wholeheartedly supported Arroyo’s debasement of the career foreign service by making the DFA the dumping ground of retired generals to whom she owes a favor for protecting her stolen presidency.

Last week, in celebration of Civil Service , Assistant Secretary Victoria Bataclan of the Union of Foreign Service Officers, wrote Arroyo expressing their desire for her to "further strengthen career service at the Department of Foreign Affairs."

Bataclan said, "Sana po ay wala ng madagdag na non-career ambassadors sa aming hanay."

Aquino promises good governance as against Arroyo’s misgovernance. By shifting loyalty to one of the opposition candidates at this time, without doing anything to correct the wrongs done by Arroyo to the foreign service, Romulo is just abandoning a sinking ship and hoping that he would remain in his position if and when it would be an Aquino administration after June 2010.

* * *

I like getting by email Perry Diaz’s "Balitang Kutsero" columns. They are fun. Here’s one of them:

"It took Noynoy a lot of courage when he entered the presidential race with nothing but a yellow shirt on his back and a fire in his belly. But the other candidates are also on fire. Manny Villar has fire in his pockets which has been burning hundreds of millions for his campaign. Erap Estrada has fire in his heart which endears him to the powerless poor. Chiz Escudero has fire in his head which gives him lots of ideas on how a kid could run the government. And Gibo has fire in his ‘cojones’ which, in spite of his .2 percent rating, keeps him going against all odds.

"And what happened to Bayani Fernando? He still couldn’t figure it out why Gibo beat him for PaLaKa’s nomination? He should have known that La Gloria’s preferences were Noli first, Gibo second, and Bayani… zero. Now, he’s saying that he’s going to bolt PaLaKa! Quo vadis, Bayani?

"Who are the other casualties of the Rigodon de Horror? Dick Gordon found out that he’s too chubby to fight like Flash Gordon. Nick Perlas found out that nobody is reading his website on how he will run the government. Fr. Ed Panlilio found out that being a priest is not enough to exorcise corruption out of government. Bro. Eddie Villanueva found out that to win he has to be ‘numero uno’ not just a ‘miron.’ Loren Legarda would find out pretty soon that beauty is not a replacement for brains. Miriam Defensor-Santiago found out that brains is not a substitute for beauty. Jamby Madrigal knew that money can’t buy brains. Jojo Binay found out that he needs charisma to win. Bro. Mike Velarde found out that being Charismatic is not enough to win. Noli De Castro found out that running for president under Gloria’s PaLaKa is a ‘kiss of death.’ JC de los Reyes found out that to run he needs to learn how to walk first. And Erap Estrada will soon find out that at 72 years, all he could do is play domino."

***