DFA: Senator Angara not questioning quality of Pinoy diplomats abroad

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday debunked reports that Sen. Edgardo Angara is questioning the quality of Filipino diplomats being assigned by the Philippine government abroad, saying the senator's statements have been taken out of context. Angara reportedly complained of the Philippine diplomats’ lack of foreign language proficiency, particularly those who are posted in non-English speaking states.

“We get dismayed that some people receive postings not even knowing the language used in the post,” Angara was quoted as saying during a Senate deliberation on the DFA’s budget last week. “I think it’s really a shame like when I meet Thai diplomats and they speak the language of Madrid and elsewhere so fluently.”

The DFA said the Senator’s statements have been misconstrued by the media.

“To put things in their proper context, the good senator did not question the quality of our foreign service corps. He merely proposed ways in which we could impose the Foreign Service Institute or FSI, the existing training arm of the DFA,” department spokesman Raul Hernandez said in a text message.

He said Angara even suggested the DFA to maximize the use of grants from various countries and financial institutions to further strengthen the competence of Filipino diplomats.

Hernandez said the DFA agrees with Angara that Filipino diplomats should speak the language of host countries.

However, Hernandez said the DFA is not lacking in terms of diplomats who can fluently speak the language of the countries where they are assigned.  

Still, Hernanadez said the DFA continuously strives to enhance the quality of its diplomats.  

“FSI will continue to train our people through post-graduate studies and/or intensive language courses,” Hernandez said. - Michaela del Callar, VVP, GMA News