Flashback!

TOP gossip columnist Cindy Adams of the New York Post today celebrates her 25th anniversary in the paper and reprinted her very first column. It was an interesting read not only because of the celebrity gossip but because it mentioned a very famous Filipino diplomat. Read on... (just remember this is circa 1981)

Current president of the Security Council, Carlos Romulo, age 82, knocked off another triumph. This week the U.N. awarded him its first Peace Medal in 36 years. Romulo said: "It's gold. Maybe I'll hock it."

Romulo's neighbor on the 36th floor of the Waldorf mystified him. The ominous note on the door read: "Keep out. Stay away. Don't anyone come in." Food trays were left in the corridor. Full wastebaskets were surreptitiously stashed in the hall. Wondering who the mystery president or security-logged chief of state was, Romulo inquired. It was Phyllis Diller.

Imagine our very own CPR in the beginnings of one of the most succesful papers in the US! (A tabloid yes, but still very successful.) This was back in the day when Philippine diplomats were really astute and well-respected statesmen, not the common, garden variety species we have these days, whose only claim to fame is being well-connected with whoever is sitting in Malacañang. (At right, a much younger Romulo, signing the UN Charter on Jan. 26, 1945.)

Instead of being able to sell the Philippines to foreigners using brilliant marketing projects or smart networking with officials of the countries hosting them, most of our diplomats these days are quite content schmoozing in diplomatic parties and bringing home foreign cars tax-free. They usually only spring into action when they hear the Malacañang power traipsing through their neck of the woods.

Yes CPR, you were still the best we had.

(CPR excerpt from Cindy Adams' column in the New York Post, Sept. 15, 2006.)

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Almost forgot to post this...this note came from my newly-discovered pariente Choy Arnaldo (from Cavite now residing in Paris. My Arnaldo is from Roxas City, Capiz).

Stella,

Saw your blog on Romulo. Did you receive my note on this, on your blog, or did it get erased? (Sorry, didn't receive it Choy. The blog host acts funny sometimes.)

I was saying, if you look at the man behind Romulo to his left, you will see your uncle, Solomon V. Arnaldo; who was a member of the Philippine Delegation to UN and UNESCO to write both charters.

That's my dad! (Awesome!)

Choy

(see my blog: www.littlealmond.blogspot.com/)