Mr. Nestor Padalhin
It was quite sometime before an ambassador was sent to Nigeria; the post left vacant at the end of Ambassador Masaranga Umpa whose tenure spanned for more than a decade. Although the embassy was efficiently run by Consul-General Alex V. Lamadrid, the coming of the ambassador is a relief.
It is a common knowledge that this post has underlying problems, although not in the Middle East category, but mind-boggling all the same. What with illegal recruiters, deployment ban, and moral decadence, to name a few.
The ambassador, a career-diplomat hailed from Aklan. Although this is his first ambassadorial posting, his experiences are vast and varied. Very soft-spoken but exuding confidence, he did not waste time in re-orienting his own staff first and then addressing issues of the Filipino community. He has already lined-up worthwhile activities for the community. He reiterates the obvious: Filipinos seek employment abroad to better the lives of their families.
Ambassador Padalhin is married with four boys.
The Migrants interviewed the new Philippine Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Mr. Nestor Padalhin.
1. How do you find Nigeria and the Filipino workers here?
I find Nigeria as a challenging and interesting country. Nigeria is a regional and economic power in West Africa. It has the 6th largest deposit of gas in the world, the 8th largest producer of petroleum in the world, the 37th largest economy in the world in terms of gross domestic product (GDP), the most populous country in Africa (150 million), the biggest economy in West Africa and the second largest economy in sub-Saharan Africa. Nigeria accounts for 60% of Africa’s GDP. Nigeria is a rich country, materially, and in terms of human capital. It has rich, diverse and interesting culture. The people are warm and they seem to be a happy people.
I am impressed by the Filipinos in Nigeria. They are highly-regarded and well-paid. They have a high sense of patriotism, are cooperative with the Embassy, have a high sense of belonging as Filipinos, are hard-working and helpful of each other. They are happy to be in Nigeria.
2. Before coming here, who is Nestor Padalhin?
Immediately before Nigeria, I was in DFA Home Office as Vice-Chairman of the DFA Overseas Absentee Voting Secretariat (DFA-OAVS) from January 2009 – 24 June 2010. I was confirmed as Philippine Ambassador Extraordinary Plenipotentiary (AEP) to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and seventeen (17) other West African states, by the Commission on Appointments (CA) on 03 February 2010. My departure for Nigeria was delayed until after the May 2010 presidential election.
3. Is this your first ambassadorial position? If not, what country/countries? Can you compare your previous posts to your present post in Nigeria?
Yes, Nigeria was my first Ambassadorial posting. I waited for quite a long time, but the Philippine President gave me 18 countries to handle. So, my long wait was somehow compensated. I have been in the Philippine Foreign Service for over thirty-five (35) years: Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) from May 2006 to August 2008; Beirut, Lebanon from February 2003 to May 2006; Nairobi, Kenya from March 1994 to December 1996; Seattle, Washington, USA from August 1986 to October 1988; Bangkok, Thailand from July 1983 to July 1986; and Kobe, Japan from June 1979 to July 1983.
In-between these dates/years, I have been in the DFA-Home Office, occupying various senior –level positions
4. What can you say about the diaspora of the Filipinos?
Filipinos are located in all corners of the world: either as regular workers or irregular ones, or as residents or as spouses of citizens of their host countries, or a UN staff or international staffs of multi-national corporations. In general Filipinos are dependable, hard-working, industrious, law-abiding, loyal to their employers, patriotic and responsible members of society.
5. What are your programs for the Filipino community here? Knowing the Filipinos’ lifestyle (the good and the bad) everywhere, Nigeria is no different. How would you help restore/rekindle the inherent values/traits of an OFW?
As far as the Filipino community in Nigeria is concerned, I have brought to them a message of love, peace, unity and understanding. I believe that no other nationalities can help Filipinos better than the Filipinos themselves. I plan to restore/rekindle the inherently beautiful values/traits of the Filipinos. I will involve them in worthwhile community activities. As a matter of fact, I have already announced the series of activities for the remainder of 2010 involving the Embassy and the Filipino community.
6. The kidnappings and the eventual ban of the workers in Nigeria was a blow to the economic status of the workers and their families back home. If similar incident happen during your stint, what would be your decision, if ever the government imposes a ban?
I want to clarify that the deployment ban for Nigeria was just partially lifted. It was lifted only for Filipinos who are vacationing in the Philippines and are returning to their employers/jobs. There is still deployment ban for Filipinos entering to work in Nigeria for the first time.
7. As the newly-appointed ambassador, how would you describe the working condition of the workers here to the Philippine government?
I can report to the Philippine government that the Filipino workers in Nigeria are better-paid, provided with suitable accommodation, most of them are given food and transportation allowances, well-treated and appreciate.
8. What is your message to the Filipino workers and their families?
I call on the Filipino workers and their families to be proud of our nation, to continue to be dependable, hard-working, industrious, law-abiding, loyal to their employers/work, patriotic, and responsible members of the society. They should also use their money wisely and not to forget their loved ones in the Philippines, one of the main reasons why they seek employment abroad, in the first place.
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