The Names are Familiar

" If you knew the previous Mexican ambassador (Enrique Michel), then you’d know my husband’s first name. If you knew the previous American ambassador (Thomas Hubbard) you’d correctly guess our family name," said the wife of the new Mexican envoy.

Enrique and Marianne Hubbard (pronounced Ubbard) quickly impressed the guests as warm, engaging and charming at the reception the couple hosted following Mr. Hubbard’s presentation of credentials at Malacañang. Mrs. Hubbard is an "old Asia hand", judging by the story she recounted. The Asia Society in Sao Paolo, Brazil, consists of diplomats’ wives who are either Asian or married to Asians. Mrs. Hubbard doesn’t fall in either category but she was taken in, anyway, because she genuinely likes Asians. Liking her back will present no difficulties at all. Besides, the Mexicans and the Filipinos share the same Hispanic heritage.

This may explain why most of the diplomats present were Latin-American. The ambiance was certainly Hispanic, as conveyed by the flair and friendliness of Deputy Hector Mendoza. Guests included Gemma Cruz Araneta who lived and worked in Mexico, and her towering son Leon who was born and raised there. The quiet-mannered, unassuming and highly cultured Instituto Cervantes Director Javier Galvan and Deputy Aranzazu Bañon were among the Spaniards present. As I bade the Hubbards goodbye, I felt sure their tenure here would be as successful as that of the Michels. Bienvenidos!

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The suave, personable, refined Peruvian Ambassador Julio Cardenas dropped many familiar names, likewise, as he exchanged toasts with DFA Undersecretary Franklin Ibdalin during the 180th anniversary celebration of Peru’s independence at the embassy residence. For instance, the envoy mentioned the name of St. Rose of Lima who could be your favorite saint. A street in Lima is named "Filipinas", and a Filipino textile store which once stood there in the 17th century was famous for its manton de Manila.

Mr. Cardenas revealed, as a significant coincidence, that the reception fell just a day before the inauguration of Peru’s new president Alejandro Toledo. Did you know he began as a shoeshine boy, and ended up studying at Harvard? Listeners included IC head Javier Galvan, Deputy David Campbell, ambassadors of Russia, The Netherlands, Japan, Consul Fortune Ledesma, DFA’s Jose Lino Guerrero, Geronimo de Castro, Tony and Mita Rufino, Jaime Laya, Wilfrido Villacorta, Tessie Luz, Christian Ravina, Frank Evaristo and Maritess Pineda.

Peru’s colorful national costume so resembles that of Mexico, I thought for a moment I was down Mexico way!