Malacañang names new DFA undersecretary for policy

MANILA, Philippines - The country’s permanent representative to the Philippine mission in Geneva, Switzerland is the new undersecretary for policy of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Malacañang announced yesterday.

Evan Garcia replaces Erlinda Basilio, who was appointed ambassador to China.

Garcia served in Geneva from January 2010 until his appointment as DFA undersecretary. He was counsellor and then deputy chief of mission of the Philippine embassy in Washington in January 1998 to September 2006.

Garcia was also assigned in the Philippine embassy in Japan and held various positions in the home office.

In 2007, he was conferred the Gawad Mabini Award with the rank of Dakilang Kasugo and Dakilang Kamanong by former President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo.

Garcia studied foreign service at the University of the Philippines from 1974 to 1981 and obtained his license in International Relations and Political Science from the Graduate Institute for International Studies in Geneva in 1981.

He was said to be one of those eyed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario to be the ambassador to China but President Aquino found him too young.

Others also said he was “western-oriented.”

Aquino also appointed Eduardo Martin Meñez to become the country’s ambassador to Iran with jurisdiction over Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said.