Amba Girly: Spirit of the Corps
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50 participants pay tribute to Amba Girly in virtual despedida
Tributes flowed from the participants, community leaders who at one time or another had interacted with Amba Girly in her numerous sorties to support Filipino Canadians since she assumed office as Philippine ambassador to Canada on August 24, 2014. In those six years in Canada, Amba Girly went full tilt in strengthening Team Philippines in Canada (Philippine foreign service posts, honorary consular offices in Canada and attached agencies) while building the network toward effectiveness in managing Philippines-Canada bilateral relations.
Soft-spoken and approachable, Ambassador Garcia's unassuming demeanor belies the tough-as-nails experience she brings to her job. She joined the Department of Foreign Affairs in January 1981 after passing the Foreign Service Officers' Examination in 1980. "In 1994 I passed the Career Ministers' Examination administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and was promoted to the rank of Minister. In 2003 I was promoted to Chief of Mission Class 2 and in 2011, I attained the rank of Chief of Mission Class 1," she shared.
Her DFA stint covered a lot of ground: "I had assignments in the Office of United Nations and International Organizations (UNIO) as principal assistant in 1981-83 and as executive director in 2002, as assistant director in the Office of European Affairs in 1993, director of the Office of Middle East and African Affairs in 1991-93, as assistant secretary in 2011-14, as special assistant in 1999-2000 in the Department Legislative Liaison Unit, as special assistant in 2000-01 in the Public Information Services Unit, and as executive director in 2003-04 of the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs," Ambassador Garcia said.
Her Excellency Petronila Garcia, first ever woman ambassador from the Philippines to Canada since diplomatic relations began between the two countries in 1949.
Before attaining the rank of ambassador, she served as a junior diplomat in various posts -- Singapore in 1984-87, Sydney in 1987-91, Israel in 1993-95, South Africa in 1995-97, and Republic of Korea in 1997-99. In May 2004, she was appointed ambassador to Egypt with concurrent jurisdiction over the Sudan, and in January 2007, she was appointed ambassador to Israel, where she stayed until 2011.
In 2018, Ambassador Garcia received the Ambassador of the Year Award (Southeast Asia, Australia, and Oceania Region) from the Faculty of Law of the University of Ottawa at its inaugural Annual Public Diplomacy and Ambassadors of the Year Awards reception held January 24, 2018. As the then dean of the Asia Pacific Group, she also received a recognition certificate as one of the First Regional Dean Founders of the said awards.
Amba Girly credits her parents with being the strongest influences in her life. Her father, the late Brigadier General Cesar Garcia (AFP, retired) was orphaned at the age of four but pulled himself through school with scholarships and graduated from the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1943. He was immediately deployed in action, survived the Bataan Death March, and eventually retired as a brigadier general with the Philippine Constabulary and was superintendent of PMA. He was a lawyer and also held a Master's degree in industrial management, in addition to his degree in BS Military Science from the PMA. Her mother, Petronila Montilla Pena vda. de Garcia belongs to the Montilla-Pena clan of Negros Occidental. She resides in Bacolod City, Isabela, and Blue Ridge Quezon City where she maintains residences.
Ambassador Garcia enjoyed a childhood marked with discipline and a simple life. She and her four siblings grew up in Fort Bonifacio, where "all neighbors were Army kids like us and we grew up like one big happy family," she added.
She attended Immaculate Heart of Mary College from kindergarten to grade 4 and moved to St. Scholastica's College Manila for grades 5 to 7 and first year high school. For second year high school, she moved to St. Scholastica's Academy in San Fernando, Pampanga, then to Maryknoll College where she graduated high school in 1973 and college in 1977 (AB Behavioral Sciences). She took her first three years of law at Arellano Law School and graduated from Philippine Law School in 2004. "Law school was difficult because I was already entrenched in my career and I was busy raising two sons as a single mother," she confided.
Single-handedly she raised two boys--the first one, Angelo, was born in Sydney, Australia when she was posted there. He finished his BA in government, strategy, and diplomacy from the Interdisciplinary Center in Israel in 2010, and his MA in Security Studies in Georgetown University in Washington DC in 2013. Her younger son, Jose Gabriel, lived with her in Ottawa, where he enrolled in courses toward completing his engineering degree begun at De La Salle College of Engineering in the Philippines.
"I am single with no partner. I was married the first time to a Filipino, which ended with an annulment. He passed away several years after we parted ways. My second husband was a Filipino American who divorced me after seven years of marriage," Amba Girly said.
"I have always been focused on raising my children and in my career (in that order)," she ended.
With her mom, Amba Girly join Winter Escapade 6 participants in Lakawon Island Resorts.
Focused, yet vulnerable, transparent, and compassionate, Amba Girly is open to guiding fellow Pinoys who seek better chances abroad. Queried on what advice she has for Filipinos who want to immigrate, Amba Girly counsels them to familiarize themselves with existing immigration programs and requirements. The right information could easily be found on government immigration websites.
"Filipinos are highly regarded for their work ethic, diligence, honesty, and compassion. Whenever I meet federal or provincial officials or employers of Filipino workers, they are profuse in their praise for our people," Amba Girly pointed out.
Certainly sounds like this lady has her head on straight. Our hats off to a strong and empowered woman who has her priorities set on what counts.
The Zoom despedida was organized by Rosemer Enverga, widow of the late Tobias Enverga, member of the Senate of Canada.
Marisa Roque
Marisa S. Roque loves her grandson, selling real estate, writing, and crystals—in that order. She lives in Thornhill, Ontario, Canada.
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