President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday confirmed that foreign affairs undersecretary Erlinda Basilio will be the Philippines' next ambassador to China.
Erlinda Basilio, newly named ambassador to China. DFA file photo
Basilio will replace Ambassador Sonia Brady who had suffered from stroke earlier this year.
“Given that she’s already the senior undersecretary, parang that sends a signal of how important our relations with China are and how serious we are in trying to achieve an understanding with them,” the President told reporters.
He further said, I chose Basilio because of her wealth of experience and also, she is highly recommended by Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario.
Aquino said he is yet to sign the appointment papers of Basilio as it is still being prepared by the office of Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr.
The dispute between the Philippines and China over Panatag (Scarborough) shoal started last April when Manila authorities caught Chinese fishermen poaching in the area. But before the Philippine Navy could make arrests, Chinese ships blocked its path.
The two countries has since been locked in a standoff that has soured relations between the two countries, affecting economic relations.
Last May, as the dispute over Panatag deepened China imposed tighter phyto-sanitary measures for Philippine bananas after it supposedly saw bugs in the banana shipments.
Also last May, China issued an advisory suspending tourism flights to the Philippines after Filipino civil society groups protested against Beijing’s growing aggression in the West Philippine Sea.
Basilio
Basilio was among the Philippine foreign affairs officials talking with Chinese officials at the start of the Panatag standoff.
She was named as acting DFA secretary in February 2011 when then Secretary Alberto Romulo filed an indefinite leave of absence.
Basilio earned her Bachelor of Arts and Masters in Political Science degree from the University of the Philippines.
She joined the foreign service in 1970. She also served as Ambassador to Sweden from 1997 to 2003 and Permanent Representative to the Philippine Mission to the United Nations in Geneva from 2007 to 2010.
Basilio served as Assistant Secretary for Asia and Pacific affairs from 1995 to 1997 and Undersecretary for policy during the Arroyo administration (2006-2007) and continued in this capacity under the Aquino government. — LBG, GMA News
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