If he asked, I would tell him the story of how a few days after we repatriated the remains of the 13 overseas workers who died in the fire at the Capitol Hotel in Erbil, three Filipinas came running after us. They introduced themselves as teachers and said they just wanted to shake our hands and thank us for reuniting the victims, who they did not even know, with their families back in the Philippines: “It usually takes weeks but the Embassy was able to send them home in just seven days,” they told us. “That really means a lot to their loved ones.”
Author: Elmer G. Cato
Welcome to Baghdad, Sir!
I have run all sorts of worse case scenarios in my mind before I left for Baghdad but nothing really prepared me for this. These are scenes that one would typically see in the movies but when confronted with these situations in real life, it is completely different. I have never felt so vulnerable, so helpless. I have never been so afraid. And I have never prayed so hard in my life.
No Pasarán: The Bamban Barricade & the 1986 People Power Uprising in Pampanga
By nighttime, thousands of Kapampangans have made their way to Mabalacat and have massed up along the approach to Bamban Bridge. It was a spontaneous, unprecedented display of People Power. A few hours later, President Marcos fled Malacañang. After four days, it was finally over.
Kafala: The Fight We Must Win
Kuwait was the most traumatic period in my diplomatic career. What I went through was nothing compared to what others had to go through.
Salimpusa
“Are you sure you know what you are getting yourself into?” I could sense his hesitance in sending someone who might just as well be his son into harm’s way.
Return to Baghdad
The Embassy remained open despite the bombing of Baghdad at the height of the first Gulf War in 1991 and during the United States-led action against Saddam Hussein in 2003.
The Sole Survivor
"Sometimes it does not feel like 30 years ago. Sometimes, I can still see every detail,” Captain Pulsifer told me after I messaged him to remind him how fortunate he was for cheating death in the hands of the NPA not just once but twice.
Of Chocolates and Katyushas
It is the only grocery store in Jadriya that we declared safe enough for us to go to from time to time for a quick resupply. On this particular afternoon, I had a sudden craving for chocolate. I badly needed some. And Naqla was along the way to the Green Zone.
The Other Face of Kuwait
“It was the best meal I’ve had since I arrived for my second visit to Kuwait,” I told the woman who turned out to be the owner of the establishment. Out of curiosity I asked: “Why did you name your place Taste of Pinoy? Do you have any connections to the Philippines?”
United Against Daesh
I looked at them and saw that unspoken expression of sympathy and solidarity written in their faces. And they went even further. Talking through one of our Iraqi local hires, they told me: “We will fight and defeat Daesh wherever they are, whether here in Iraq or in the Philippines.”
Yolanda: The First Responders
Less than 36 hours later, Mammoth Medical Mission and Team Rubicon became the first foreign volunteer groups to make it to Tacloban. Thanks to Ambassador Cuisia's intervention, the two teams were able to make a difference and helped save hundreds of lives.
A Taste of History in Baghdad
Atrakchi in Baghdad's upscale Jadriya District near the Philippine Embassy is not just an ordinary coffeeshop. It is also a museum that allows visitors to experience Iraqi history and culture.
Assignment: Tripoli
My task was to escort and debrief the Abu Sayyaf hostages on board and upon arrival in Tripoli, observe their turnover to their respective governments, and then send reports to Manila.
Lito and the Sniffing Dog
Lito already had an assignment order even before I volunteered to go to Iraq but as head of post I still had the final say. I really wanted to make sure I get the right people to serve with me in Baghdad—one of the most challenging posts in the foreign service because of, among others, the average of five terrorist bombings that take place there everyday.
Farewell, Sonny
Sonny was among those I asked if it was a good idea to go to Iraq taking into account the serious security challenges I would face there. He told me to go for it. I knew that was what he was going to tell me. That's why I made sure I asked him.
Hospitality in the Desert
One afternoon in April, our Kuwaiti friends allowed us to experience local hospitality when they invited us for afternoon tea in the desert outside Kuwait City.
DISPATCHES FROM THE FRONTLINE 