A candid interview with Ambassador Domingo L. Siazon, Jr. (Part 2)

As professional diplomat, no one can probably beat the track record of Ambassador Domingo L. Siazon, Jr. who was appointed the chief envoy to Japan for the second time late last year.

His career history spans stints in both the Philippine foreign service and the United Nations, assuming the highest positions one can climb in those career ladders -- as Foreign Secretary of the Philippines under both Estrada and Arroyo, and earlier, as Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

Through the tumultuous change of leadership and the pendulum-like swing of Philippine politics, what kept him anchored and unblemished in the face of mudslinging was his dedication to his profession.

In PT's two-part interview with the venerable ambassador, he candidly shared with us his thoughts on coming back to Tokyo with the colorful background of his experiences in Manila, as well as his views on issues facing him as ambassador to Japan.

The interview was a rare glimpse into the mind of a blue-blooded diplomat. From being straitlaced, the ambassador was refreshingly forthright in his views, never mincing words nor using affected language typical of diplomats.

Probably more at home in Tokyo than in Manila -- and not only because he is finally removed from the simmering cauldron of politics, but also because this is where he literally first built his home when he married Kazuko -- the ambassador fielded our nastiest questions with such relaxed openness that caught us off guard.

Were you looking forward to this post, even as secretary (of Foreign Affairs)?

Yeah, I told President Estrada that I'm not going to stay for six years. It's heavy on the health...very heavy.

So is this a respite for you, away from politics?

In some sense... Least of all, you can concentrate and focus on your goals, which is to strengthen Philippine-Japan relationship.

We have heard unconfirmed reports, and we'd like to stress that these are unconfirmed, that there is some corruption downstairs (in the consular section). Like people who come from afar need to insert "tips" so as to expedite their papers to avoid having to stay in Tokyo for the night.

Yeah, if you have evidence of that, please give me. Madaling manira kasi. It's so easy to destroy reputations. If you have evidence of that .... You know, generally, iyong passport doesn't come in one day. Tingnan mo iyong passport applications, marami eh.

Sir, dati may homepage po ang embassy.

Ina-update ngayon namin, ina-update ngayon iyong homepage.

I-link namin sa homepage namin, sir....

Sure...pati iyong rules nga na luma, ipinabago ko. Ang pinakamahirap na problema namin, dito sa Japan especially, iyong identity, hindi ka sigurado. Iyong kausap mong tao, iyong papel na binibigay sa iyo ay iba. And then after a few years aaminin niya. Hindi pala talaga iyon ang (kanyang) pangalan. Paano mo iko-correct iyon kung hindi mo kakasuhan iyong tao. Walang pang amnesty eh. Pati iyong consular officer ay kasabwat pa diyan. Iyan ang pinakamahirap. Iyong kausap mo, hindi iyong tao, iyong binibigay sa iyong papel, hindi (sa kanya) iyon.

Iyong picture, sir, hindi rin ba mai-confirm iyon?

Hindi, hindi rin. Alam mo, di ba sa Nagoya, nag crash doon iyong China Airlines, iyong (isang) namatay doon ay iyong passport ng kapatid niya ang ginamit niya. Nagkagulo dahil sa isyu na iyon. Masyadong maraming mahiwaga ang nangyayari sa atin. Iyong kausap mo, hindi ka sigurado kung siya talaga ang nasa papeles. Dito ang dami. Nagtatapat. Sir, papano ay pangalan ng... Eh, paano namin iyan iko-correct. Wala namang amnesty. Ang hirap noon. Kasi you keep telling a lie.

Di ba mga authenticated documents na nga iyan.

Kaya nga eh. Ikukulong mo pa eh. Alam mo namang hindi na iyon. Iba. Iyon ang problema eh. And then, niro-rotate din naman iyong staff.

On the lighter side, sir, how do you spend your typical day in the embassy?

Normally, marami akong calls. Kasi sa Japan, iyong ambassador should really

	Amb. Siazon belts out a tune with Filipino students in December last year. BNT photo

not be inside the office. Para kang salesman eh. Alam mo dito, hindi pwedeng telepono lang talaga eh. Mag-iimbita ka lang, pupuntahan mo pa eh. Ganoon ang kultura dito. So iyong personal contact importante. And then a lot of speeches. I'm making another speech tomorrow sa Toyohashi Golden Rotary on Japan-Philippine cooperation. Meetings. A lot of reading.

Nag-i-Internet din po ba kayo?

Oh yeah...

How do you spend your free time, sir?

Yeah, I play golf. Walk. I used to play tennis pero sabi ng asawa ko baka ako mabigla eh. Mabilis kasi ang tennis. Takbo ka ng takbo.

What luxuries do you enjoy now as ambassador that you weren't able to engage in as Foreign Affairs Secretary?

A beautiful office...Aba pati iyong furniture ko noon (as Foreign Affairs Secretary) ay dinonate lang ng kaibigan ko. Walang furniture and DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs). Iyong auto.

Iyong time niyo po? Do you have more time?

I have more time now than as Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Umaga pa lang tinatawagan ka na ng television (at radyo). "Magandang umaga, Bayan!" (laughs) Si Noli (de Castro). Oy huwag naman, alas sies y media, kako, executive secretary muna (laughs). Ang aga aga ni Noli de Castro.

So it's not an enviable position...

And then of course you have to live in your own house. At least dito mayroon kang official residence... maganda. Dinners. And then people call on you. Iyan ang sinasabi ko eh, ang Pilipino, at least kahit na hindi tayo mayaman, maganda iyong may presentation ka, so mayroon may ipagyabang. Kaya dapat ay never sell properties. That's my concept. You can develop it. You can lease part of it, but never sell. Because the country is forever. Iyan ang concept ko.

Sir, mayroon po ba kayong message to the Filipinos in Japan that you would like to convey through our publication?

Mahirap ang sitwasyon ngayon sa Japan. Mahirap ang panahon. Konting tiyaga lang. I think the Japanese are practical people. Give them 2 to 3 years (and) they will get out of this. Sa mga knowledge-based industries, lamang talaga sila. And of course, they (Filipinos in Japan) have to abide by the rules. Bisita lang tayo. So kailangan pakikisama. Iyong Hapon, ang importante ay pakikisama. Maski sa atin din. Taga-labas ka, kung lokoloko ka, eh di bubugbugin ka. Suwerte ka kung bugbug lang ang abutin mo.

(At this point, the conversation shifts to the Philippines.)

Alam mo ang problema sa Pilipinas, ang daming kailangang gawin pero wala kang resources. Napakahirap ng buhay ng presidente. I've watched two presidents very closely. Sometimes you wonder why people want to be president. But still I'm very happy that there are still many people who wish to be president. Talagang napakahirap. Ang dami mong problema. And with our population growth rate, talagang...

How did you manage the transition of loyalty? I know na ka-klase mo rin si Erap (Estrada)...

It was easy, you see. I am a career person. My loyalty is to the presidency, not to an individual. I'm like an armed forces officer...should be. Your loyalty is to the country, to the office and not to the individual.

How was it during the peak of the impeachment trial as Foreign Affairs Secretary?

It didn't affect me. That is purely President Joseph Estrada's (business).

Eh paano po kung tinatanong ka ng iyong mga counterparts mula sa ibang bansa?

Well, we have an ongoing process in accordance with the constitution. We have a framework. It is going on.

How would you assess the performance of the current president?

If you look at the political situation and conditions under which she came, and if you look at the global economic situation last year, and if you do 3.4% (GNP growth), you're doing very well. I think the president did very well.

Wala bang independent audit, sir, iyong 3.4 na iyon?

I think no one has challenged it. It can be 3.4 or 3.2, and the exports went down by 15.6%.

So which part did the growth come from?

Agriculture at saka sa telecommunications sector. Ang growth sa agriculture ay 4%. Pero alam mo, ang Philippine society is so fractious. You can just look at it. Ang dami mong kibitzer. Lahat marurunong. Pero ang lahat may agenda, di ba? At hindi lang regional. Iyong mga sectoral groups.

I'm sure you didn't experience that while working at the UN.

Pero ito this is worst eh, kasi it's in the community where you live itself --- na iyong kamag-anak mo ay nandoon sa kabila. Kung ano ang pinagsasabi. Iba rin ang agenda noon.

Di ba hinold nila iyong appointment mo noon, sir? Just looking back...

In fairness to (Senator) Serge Osmena, you see what was happening was the former Congress wanted me to get approved so that I could come here a few months before the president's visit. But they were asking for a suspension of 3 rules. Sabi ni Serge, huwag naman tatlo, isa lang okay na. And then may atraso daw ako sa kanya on the bases, iyong sa toxic waste. I didn't give the documents, sabi niya. So I asked for a suspension. Okay lang. I waited for the new Congress. I am the first official under the Macapagal-Arroyo Administration to be confirmed, ahead of even the cabinet members.

Do you look to any diplomatic post other than Japan?

Right now, I am enjoying Japan, so I stopped (looking).

Ito na po ba iyong last niyo, sir, o.... Ang bata niyo pa, di ba?

I am already 62 eh. Yuchengco at 70 was still New York ambassador. So we can look forward to...

You still have a long, long.... Dapat lifetime na lang...

Huwag naman.

Do you have plans of visiting (the University of) Tsukuba, sir, as an alumni?

Yeah, one day...maybe after the (president's) visit. Darating si presidente kasi sa May 21 as keynote speaker at sa May 23 siya ang guest speaker sa Mainichi Shimbun symposium sa Osaka. *

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