PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has named a seasoned career diplomat to replace outgoing Perfecto Yasay Jr. as the country’s acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs, following his unanimous rejection at the powerful Commission on Appointments over issues on his citizenship.
“Undersecretary Enrique Manalo has been designated and appointed as Acting Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said.
Describing him as an “excellent transition man,” Abella said Manalo “has been on top of many crucial issues” together with Yasay and has represented the country as senior official in Association of South East Asian Nations meetings, currently being hosted by the Philippines as this year’s chairman.
Before getting reappointed as Undersecretary for Policy, Manalo, 64, was the former Ambassador to the Court of St. James (United Kingdom) and the International Maritime Organization.
Manalo likewise served as the country’s Ambassador to Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, and Head of the Philippine Mission to the European Union.
Yasay’s rejection was the first time that a nominee for the position of DFA chief failed to get the CA’s nod and is the first Cabinet member appointed by Duterte to be rejected by the bicameral body.
The CA in previous presidencies rejected former journalist Ricardo Saludo as Civil Service Commission chairman during the Arroyo administration for failing to meet the minimum qualifications for the post, and Ramon del Rosario Jr. as Finance secretary during the Ramos administration for alleged conflict of interest.
Abella, meanwhile, floated the idea that the President might still appoint his former roommate for another post “if he chooses to.”
Manalo, for his part, assured the public that President Duterte’s foreign policy would continue while he is in charge.
Shortly after the Palace announced his appointment as the acting secretary, Manalo held his first press conference, stressing there would be no changes from the work Yasay had started.
“We will continue what we can do and prioritizing the areas which already are priorities,” Manalo told the reporters.
“Yesterday is already history, so today of course we are continuing, as I have said, all our priorities, and of them is to promote the interest of our country and the Filipino people…to assure everyone that the DFA is here, is working, and will continue to serve the people,” Manalo said.
His appointment came after the Commission on Appointments rejected Yasay for lying about his American citizenship.
But Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose already said on Wednesday if there was a need to have an officer-in-charge, Manalo would be next in line.
Manalo, son of Ambassadors Armando and Rosario Manalo, said even though he heard he was on the list, he did not expect the President would appoint him to occupy Yasay’s position.
Manalo said the President did not particularly instruct him what he needed to prioritize but gave assurances his foreign policy would continuously be implemented in his leadership.
“We will continue our present policy and when we meet our counterparts we will of course be talking to them and explain our policies and hear their views,” he said, adding that in the next few months he would be planning the DFA’s future.
He said top priority of the DFA was the chairmanship of the Philippines in this year’s Asean summit which will be held in April and November.
“We have many priorities…we have political issues, economic, consular assistance to nationals, I think you name it, and now we are also chairman of Asean. We’ll also have to give a lot of attention to that,” he said.
Manalo’s career in the Philippine Foreign Service spans nearly four decades since he joined the Department in 1979.
Despite being the son of two well-respected diplomats, Manalo has carved out a name for himself in the world of diplomacy and foreign affairs.
He has represented the Philippines and has served as the chairman of various international meetings and conferences, the latest of which is the Senior Officials Meeting during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting Retreat (AMM Retreat) in Boracay, Malay, Aklan, last Feb. 20.