SPONSORSHIP SPEECH
Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
Chairperson, Committee on Foreign Affairs
Mr. President, distinguished members of the Commission on Appointments, this representation, as your Chairperson of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, presided the very first public hearing of the C.A. for the 19th Congress last August 31, 2022.
This morning, this representation presided one of the last public hearings of the Commission before the sine die adjournment of the First Regular Session.
We would like to recognize the work of our esteemed colleagues, their cooperation and active participation in our proceedings in vetting all appointments which pass through our Committee. I would like to also recognize the tireless work of the CA Secretariat – the staff from the Committee Affairs, Technical Support Service, Investigation and Appointments Review, Data Bank and Library Service, Sergeant at Arms, and all others – who ably supported us in the performance of our constitutional mandate in scrutinizing the credentials of those who would occupy positions of power and influence in our national government. Thank you very much to all of you, as you allowed your Committee – over the course of nine (9) months – to approve a total of 113 appointments and promotions, including that of our top diplomat, the DFA Secretary.
Without much further ado, it is my distinct privilege to sponsor before this august body the appointments of seven (7) officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs as ambassadors, whom we all found to be fit and qualified after careful and rigorous deliberations, and to respectfully recommend that this body give its consent to the nominations of:
- HENRY SICAD BENSURTO, JR. – Chief of Mission, Class I, as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Türkiye, with concurrent jurisdiction over Georgia and the Republic of Azerbaijan
He is a career senior diplomat with 38 years of foreign service, a lawyer and teacher, and one of the country’s leading experts on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), who served as Head of the DFA Legal Team on the West Philippine Sea issue and Critical Member, Philippine Delegation to the Hague on the Philippine Arbitration vs China on the South China Sea from 2013-2016. He is presently the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Consular Affairs at the DFA home office.
- CARLOS DEYMEK SORRETA – Chief of Mission, Class I, as Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland
He is currently the DFA Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs and International Economic Relations. He also served as our Ambassador to the Russian Federation, and was Director General of the Foreign Service Institute. He was a member of the Legal Team on the West Philippine Sea, and has been deployed as Deputy Permanent Representative at the Philippine Mission to the United Nations in New York, and Deputy Chief of Mission at the Philippine Embassy in Washington, DC.
- RAUL SALAVARIA HERNANDEZ – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Sultanate of Oman, with the salary and emolument of Chief of Mission, Class I
He has been a public servant and respected diplomat for 29 years. We all recognize him in his previous capacities as Assistant Secretary for Legislative Liaison Unit, and DFA Spokesperson. He was our Ambassador to the Republic of Korea from 2014-2019; and Ambassador to Türkiye from 2019-2020.
- RENATO PEDRO OABEL VILLA – Chief of Mission, Class I, as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with concurrent jurisdiction over the Republic of Yemen
Since August 2021, he is Assistant Secretary, DFA Mindanao in Davao City. He earned the distinction of being the “first overseas Filipino worker who became an ambassador” upon his assumption as our Ambassador to Kuwait from 2015 to 2018. He also served as Deputy Chief of Mission, Philippine Embassy, Washington DC, USA until June 2021.
- PAUL RAYMUND PASION CORTES – Chief of Mission, Class II, as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Portuguese Republic, with concurrent jurisdiction over the Republic of Cabo Verde, the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, and the Republic of Angola
Our Baguio City-born nominee is the DFA Assistant Secretary for Migrant Workers, who led the Assistance-to-Nationals operations, including the mass repatriation of OFWs during the pandemic and Filipinos in conflict areas. Prior to this assignment, he also served as Consul General in the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai, UAE, and Director of the ASEAN Affairs in the home office.
- JOSEL FRANCISCO IGNACIO – Chief of Mission, Class II, as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of India, with concurrent jurisdiction over the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
He is currently assigned at the Philippine Consulate General in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, as Consul General. He also served as Deputy Assistant Secretary and Executive Director of the Office of Asian and Pacific Affairs. He also held the positions of Minister and Head of Political Section in Philippine Embassy in Tokyo, Japan, and First Secretary and Consul in Philippine Embassy and Permanent Mission in Vienna, Austria.
- MARIA ANGELA ABRERA PONCE – Chief of Mission, Class II, as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Malaysia
She is DFA Assistant Secretary for Maritime and Ocean Affairs Office and concurrently the Senior Special Assistant to the Office of the Secretary. She was also Assistant Secretary for Treaties and Legal Affairs. She has been posted to Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the United Nations, New York as Minister and Legal Adviser, and to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as Deputy Permanent Delegate.
As we observe the Flag Days from May 28 to June 12, it is my honor to recommend that this body give its consent to the nominations of the 7 career officials of the DFA as our newest ambassadors, who will be the flag bearers and representatives of the Philippine government in their respective overseas posts.
I so move, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you.