DFA Asst. Sec. Hjayceelyn Mancenido Qunitana
ABU DHABI: The Commission on Appointments has named a replacement to Ambassador Constancio R. Vingno, Jr. whose term as head of the Philippine mission to the UAE has expired back in December.
Hjayceelyn Mancenido Qunitana, former Consul General to Oman, was Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Middle East and African Affairs (OMEAA) prior to her appointment.
She vowed to work closely with the UAE government like her predecessor to address the worsening problem on human trafficking perpetrated by unscrupulous recruiters in the Philippines apparently in cahoots with Immigration personnel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airports and other major points of exit in the country.
She said she will bank on a law for household service workers introduced in the UAE last June in her efforts to resolve the issue. “Most of the problems we face in the region would not be solved without the cooperation of the host government,” she said during a video interview at a talk show by the independent news portal, Rappler.
“My experience in Oman for that issue for example, was constantly having a dialogue with the host government, documenting each and every case and really presenting the facts,” she said.
As of press time, there were no specific dates as to when Quintana and the other appointees would begin their duties at their respective offices.
Among the appointed new ambassadors is Grace Reclusio-Prinsesa who will now be serving as the head of the Philippine mission to the Holy See with concurrent jurisdiction over Malta. Prinsesa previously served for several years as ambassador to the UAE.
Other newly appointed ambassadors were Frank Cimafranca who will head the Philippine mission in Greece with concurrent jurisdiction to Cyprus; Marichu Mauro, in Brazil with concurrent jurisdiction to Colombia, Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela; Linglingay Lacanlale for the post in the Argentine Republic with concurrent jurisdiction to Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay; Cesar Lee Hiong Wee for Indonesia; and Ombra Jainal for the Czech Republic.
