PHILIPPINE EMBASSY THE HAGUE PERSONNEL 1962-1975 HOLD REUNION

By Orquidia Valenzuela
Quezon City
January 10, 2015




More than  50  years after they left the country the personnel from1962 until 1975 of the Philippine Embassy in The Hague, the Netherlands , their families and widows of  colleagues had a luncheon reunion in Quezon City on January 10.

Starting as a Philippine legation headed by then Minister Nicanor Roxas it was elevated to a diplomatic mission in 1962 with Ambassador  Librado D. Cayco as its first Ambassador. A year later Amb. Cayco was recalled to the Home Office to assume the post of Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs. Ambassador Eduardo Quintero was assigned in 1963. Among the first personnel of the Embassy were Conchita Ricafort who was assigned in 1962 and Teresita Lopez Mendiola in 1963. When Ricafort  left for the Home Office in Manila in 1964, Orquidia Flores Valenzuela took her place.  

Upon the retirement of Ambassador Quintero Ambassador Delfin Garcia was named the next envoy to the Netherlands in1964 and stayed until 1971. It was during the time of Amb. Garcia that the Philippine government bought the property located, in Laan Copes van Cattenburch where the embassy is now located.

Heading the lunch-reunion was Mrs. Fanny, wife of the late Ambassador Garcia, with their son Ambassador  Evan who is  currently the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs.

The organizers of the luncheon reunion, the 1962-1975  personnel of the embassy in The Hague were  Ricafort, Mendiola, Valenzuela and the families of their colleagues Alice, widow of Trade Attache Pete Quilino and Mary, widow  of Administrative Officer Jose (Peping) Garcia. Their family members joined the reunion: Eddie Flores, Belen Lopez  Pacheco and Cora Lopez Santos.

It was a grand afternoon for the retirees as they recalled their life in the good-old happy years when they were One Family.

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REUNION WITH LONG-TIME FRIEND MARY GARCIA