I respect Carlos P. Romulo as one of the greatest Filipinos. He wrote the Pledge "I am a Filipino".And was the first Filipino winner of Pulitzer Prize. He was author of "I saw the Fall of Bataan" while he was in Australia.". He was President of the United Nations General Assembly. The Secretary General is more prestigious and powerful.,by the way.

What I am amazed of is the statement that he and President Diosdado Macapagal laid the groundwork for the rapprochement between the U.S. and People's Republic of China before Nixon. I remember there was a ping pong or table tennis diplomacy first. While I respect also Cong Dadong for not accumulating wealth, I remember he used, though Ranger Justice by using the Scout Rangers in relieving the governor of the Central Bank to install Andres Castillo to succeed midnight nominee Dominador Aytona.

What I knew is that the Vice President is traditionally named Secretary of Foreign Affairs, starting with Elpidio Quirino during the term of Manuel Roxas; maybe Romulo and Joaquin Elizalde(voted for Israel state) during the Quirino years because Vice President Fernando Lopez was given another portfolio. Ramon Magsaysay's VP Carlos P. Garcia was the DFA secretary and when he became president, he had VP Disodado Macapagal. Macapagal"s secretary of foreign affairs was VP Emmanuel Pelaez.

When Marcos became president, his VP was again Fernando Lopez who held the department of agriculture portfolio. Thus, secretaries of foreign affairs Carlos P. Romulo, Felixberto Serrano, Paciifico Castro and in the list that followed , maybe during the time of Marcos who ruled for almost 20 years. There was a time that Carlos P. Romulo was president of the University of the Philippines. You see, in the Philippines, during the two-party system, there was a "cambio" or change of appointees, according to your party affiliation. There was a possibility that Romulo was named by Garcia when Macapagal, Liberal Party boss was challenging the Nacionalista incumbent. Marcos put Romulo back to DFA until EDSA.

I am gratified to note that two Filipino greats helped in cementing the foreign and trade relations for the United States of America, despite the Bamboo Curtain, before Nixon meeting with Mao Tze Tung(Mao Zendong). But it was Deng(Teng) Shiao Ping who followed the path of pragmatism when he established the People's Republic of Capitalism(but still communist in ideology). Today, Uncle Sam is wary about the economy and the threat of balance of power in South East Asia, including the South China Sea(renamed West Philippine Sea) because of the Spratly islands oil deposit.

Just talking aloud. Bilibid or Not.

Non Omnis Moriar!!!

Ben Ongoco, KCR

Houston, Texas