Philippine diplomat "snubbed" by trade mission

This seems to be a significant error by the NDP government. Once the ambasssador declined to attend the NDP should have offered the spot to
Pangilinan. In fact she should have been offered the spot in the first instance since she is the Philippine representative in Manitoba.
As I understand it there is no salary involved as the Philippine representative but it is mainly an honorary position. The Philippine government had difficulty finding a replacement for Guzman since there is really no monetary incentive to take the job! A paid trip to the Philippines would be a well-deserved reward in this case.


Philippines diplomat 'snubbed' by trade mission
Last Updated: Friday, February 15, 2008 3:30 PM CT
CBC News
Manitoba's NDP government has branded its recent trade mission to the Philippines as a success — but that country's representative in Manitoba says she feels snubbed because she wasn't invited along.
Last March, Edda Pangilinan became the Philippine Honorary Consul General of Manitoba, succeeding Roland Guzman, who held the position for more than 20 years.
The provincial government did not invite her along on its trade and cultural mission to the country from Feb. 6 to 13. Pangilinan finds it odd that local businesspeople were welcomed on the trip, but not the local diplomat.
"It's a snub to the Philippine government and to the Philippine community," Pangilinan told CBC News.
"I was disappointed. If you are in my position, will you not be disappointed? I was disappointed because I represent the Philippine government here. Why was I passed by?"
The mission has received a lot of attention in the local Filipino community — as has her absence, she said.

"A lot of people have said, 'Why are you not included?' I just say, 'Well, I was not included. I'm busy, that's all,' I said to them, you know, just to cover up. But there's still sentiments on my part."
Pangilinan said she wanted the chance to tackle issues such as two-year waiting lists for Filipinos wanting to come to Manitoba, and the role of immigration consultants and the fees they charge.
Still, Pangilinan said she counts Premier Gary Doer as a friend.
A spokesperson for the premier said anyone without an official invitation would have been welcomed on the trip, but they would have had to pay their own way.
The Philippine ambassador, Pangilinan's boss, was invited; he initially accepted but later cancelled. It would have been up to the ambassador's office to send Pangilinan instead, the premier's spokesperson said.
More immigrants come to Manitoba from the Philippines than any other country, with Filipinos accounting for more than 25 per cent of the province's total immigration, provincial officials said.
Manitoba's Filipino community currently numbers about 50,000.