Emerging from their ink-stained asylum, LA-based media trooped to the Philippine Consulate General on Thursday, Oct. 8 for a briefing with Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose L. Cuisia Jr. regarding the 2016 national elections and the overseas absentee voting, (OAV), the ongoing developments in the West Philippine Sea and his visions for the community.
We listened with the Fil-Am youth group, organizations and prominent business and civic leaders, as Cuisia displayed his renowned skills on economic diplomacy, comprehensive knowledge on the local and international economy — its weaknesses and opportunities.
It is said that the art of diplomacy is a blend of fact, fiction and poetry. It is about the important, the tragic, the snug, the amusing and the humane. In a wealth of light-hearted knowledge about how foreign services actually work—from their cloistered Embassy, to summit meetings on the problems of international life through a fund of anecdotes and quotations—we’re able to understand that now and then lies a persuasive message about truth, accuracy, calmness, patience, good temper, modesty, loyalty, intelligence, discernment, prudence, hospitality, charm, industry, courage and fact. Splendid requirements? These are the qualities expected of an ideal diplomat.
The public image of diplomats (particularly reflected in the media) could be at times, strangely confusing. How they deal with the posturings of the politically committed, to find a middle course into the well-oiled mechanism of international relations and its complexities, negotiations and political assessment was illuminated by the US Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia in that forum attended by the Fil-Am community.
In an off-the-cuff answer to our little queries (under the watchful eyes and dimpled smile of Consul General Leo Herrera-Lim), we asked about some of the lighter aspects on diplomacy, that are more entertaining and have amusing aspects including its trivialities helped by fiction, and a bit of humor.
We asked questions like: “Sir, was there ever a time where you had marched up to the President, whom you represent in a foreign land and had politely asked ‘Mr. President, Sir, is there something I should know, or do not know?;” And before he could reply, we continued “You know, Sir, for deniability.”
The ensuing repartee was such a diplomatic treat that I have yet to recover as we found ourselves conversing with a complete diplomat with such polish and elegance, which is a far cry from his Central Bank days when he would tease around the media and regal us with fun filled anecdotes at the 365 Club.
Today, we already know, that the Ambassador is there to represent Pres. Benigno Aquino III for the good of the Philippines, more distinguished by new addresses with which he deals with privilege and challenges.
We have varying reasons for liking our very own Consul General Leo Herera Lim. First, he is a good Consul General who supports Fil-Am communities under his jurisdiction and defends their interest without blinked insularity. He demands a total cleavage between an accident and absolute, the just and the expedient, in an application of tact and humor. He has finally captured the media, or have we captured him?
At the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles, our consuls are there to help us with accidents, illness, death, emergency passports and imprisonment. They cannot, of course, do everything that is asked of them. They are not (as surprisingly often expected) travel agents, bankers, doctors, lawyers, plumbers, detectives or nannies. But if something goes seriously wrongs, they are there for our countrymen.
