The Philippine post in Paris is a much coveted one and Toto certainly deserves to be assigned there, being a well-experienced career diplomat who is credited with successfully enhancing relationships for the Philippines and the host country.

Formerly Chief of Protocol in the Foreign Affairs Department, Amb. Zaide replaces Amb. Hector Villaroel.

Toto and Meng have been feted and honored with numerous despedidas by friends and colleagues in the diplomatic community, starting with close friends Ernie and Lourdes Fajardo who own the Segafredo chain and Portugal Ambassador Joao Caetano da Silva and his wife Ulrike.

French Ambassador Gerard Chesnel and his wife Ning also hosted a dinner for Amb. Zaide, who is his Filipino counterpart.

Invited to that dinner were Senator Dick Gordon and his wife Kate, Japanese Amb. Ryuichiro Yamazaki, Portuguese Amb. Joao Caetanao da Silva and his wife Ulrike, Amb. Alfonso Yuchengco, BIR Comm. Jose Mario Buñag and his wife Edita, Filipino designer Roy Gonzalez, a longtime resident of Paris… ditto, Hubert d’Aboville of PAMTEC and his wife Ara, Louis Paul and Cynthia Heussaff, Fr. Bienvenido Nebres of Ateneo University (because Toto is an Atenean), Olivia Romulo, Oscar Lopez, Mr. And Mrs. Leonides Valencia, Rosalinda Orosa, et al.

There was much toasting of wine to friendship and to enhanced trade relations between the respective countries.

At this time, the Zaides are busy setting up house in the beautiful city of lights though most likely freezing in the winter cold. But surely they still feel the warmth of their send–off by their many friends back home. We wish Toto and Meng the best. Yes, surely we will get to visit them this time in Paris since we missed them in their previous posts in Vienna, Austria, and Berlin, Germany.

*****

BY THE WAY … Birthday greetings this week go to — exporter Vicky Amalingan, events producer Edwina Tan, today, March 6; ex-senator Robert Jaworski, ex-SBMA chair Tong Payumo, Tom Apacible, Charlotte Quiambao, March 7; ex–senator Ramon Revilla, March 8; antiques collector/guru Nonong Pedero, businessman Francis Choy, my STC classmate Chit Hernandez del Rosario, March 9; violinist John Lesaca, March 10; publicist Vera Isberto, composer/singer/hotelier Jose Mari Chan, March 11; Air Philippines exec Erlinda Santiago, March 12… greetings to Crispina and Nards Belen on their wedding anniversary on March 8…the world celebrates International Women’s Day on Sunday, March 12 … in times like these, it is best to keep cool and level headed and to pray. Meanwhile… SMILE!