REMEMBERING UNDERSECRETARY COLLANTES
FORMER UNDERSECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS MANUEL COLLANTES OF TANAUAN, BATANGAS, DIED ON 28 MAY 2009, AND WAS INTERRED OR BURIED TODAY 31 MAY 2009, AT THE FAMILY MAUSOLEUM IN AYALA ALABANG. ALTHOUGH HE IS NOT FROM METRO INFANTA, METHINKS, IT IS WORTH REMEMBERING HIM BECAUSE HE WAS A NATIONAL FIGURE OR PERSONALITY AND SERVED HIS COUNTRY WITH PATRIOTISM AND DISTINCTION. HE WAS AN EX-USAFFE OFFICER AND WW II VETERAN. SUBSEQUENTLY AFTER LIBERATION, HE BECAME UNDERSECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (ADMINISTRATION) FOR MANY YEARS. WOULD APPRECIATE, THEREFORE, IF THE PIECE AND PHOTO BELOW MERIT SPACE IN THE WEBSITE OF METRO INFANTA ORG. FOUNDATION.
REMEMBERING UNDERSECRETARY COLLANTES
By Rudy A. Arizala
31 May 2009
Former Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Manuel Collantes of Tanauan,
Batangas, according to an email message I received from my former
colleagues in the Philippine foreign service, died on 28 May 2009 and
was laid to rest today, 31 May 2009, at the family Mausoleum at
Ayala, Alabang. He was 92 years old. May his soul rest in peace.
I knew him since our “Padre Faura Days†in 1968, when I passed the
foreign affairs officer examinations (written and oral) and was
assigned at the Office of Political Affairs under the late Ambassador
Thomas C. Benitez. Then I was transferred to the Office of
Undersecretary for Policy under Judge Jose D. Ingles (JDI for short
to his subordinates), as one of his Special Assistants. The Honorable
Manuel Collantes was Undersecretary for Administration.
One day I received a call from one of his Special Assistants, foreign
affairs officer Rudy Sanchez informing me that his boss
Undersecretary Collantes (“Macol†for short to his subordinates)
is inviting me for a breakfast conference every Monday at 7:00 a.m.
When I informed my immediate boss (Underscretary Ingles) about said
invitation, he gave me permission. It turned out that said breakfast
conferrence every Monday morning was an informal one wherein not only
administrative matters of the DFA are discussed but also foreign
policy or any subject which may have bearing on our diplomacy. In
said “Macol's Monday breakfast conference his Special Assistants
– Rudy Sanchez, Nick Valderrama and Ralp; Gonzales of Protocol were
also present. After said conference, I make it a point to report to
my immdiate boss (Undersec JDI) what transpired or subjects discussed.
In 1971, I was assigned at our Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina as
vice consul & third secretary. The Philippine Ambassador at that time
in Buenos Aires was Ambassador Thomas G. De Castro. In April-May
1972, UNCTAD III Conference was held in Santiago, Chile. Ambassador
De Castro went to Santiago, Chile because he was designated a member
of the Philippine Delegation to said UNCTAD III Conference in
Santiago so, I was left behind in Buenos Airfes as Charge d'Affaires,
a.i. The next day, I received a phone call from Ambassador De Castro
informating me that according to Undersecretary Manuel Collantges who
is the Chairman of the Philippine Delgation to UNCTAD III, that I
have been also designated as a member of the Philippine Delegation.
I left Buenos Aires for Santiago for the UNCTAD III Conference. When
I reported to Undersecretary Collangtes, he told me that during his
attendance of said conference in Santiago, I would be his Special
Assistant. So, I used to attend all meetings or sessions of UNCTAD
III wherein the Chairman of the Philippine Delegation also attends.
(Pls. see photo attached).
Years later in 1977, from Buenos Aires I was transferred to our
Embassy in Tehran, Iran as Consul General and First Secretary. After
the “Khomeini Revolution†and I obtained the release of two
Filipinos held as among the hostages by the Revolutionary Guards at
the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, I was recalled to the home office and
assigned at the Office of the United Nations and International
Organizations as Deputy Director General. As UNAIC Deputy Director
General, in 1980, whenever the Special Assistant of Undersecretary
Manuel Collantes is absent, in addition to my duties as Deputy
Director General of UNAIC, I am designated by Undersecretary
Collantes as his Actg. Special Assistant.
The last time I saw former Undersccretary Manuel Collantes was in
1991, when I was Consul General in New York. I met him in one of the
Department stores along Fifth Avenue. He was no longer with the
Department of Foreign Affairs. I invited him if we could have lunch
or dinner togather but he politely begged off saying he had to leave
for the airport that very same day. Before we parted, he inquired
about my wife and children and to extend his best wishes and regads
to them.
Undersecretary Manuel Collantes like Undersecretary Jose D. Ingles
was a kind-hearted person. Both of them were men of few words and
dedicated to their duties.