As had been expected for the past week, President Duterte has nominated Grace Relucio-Princesa as Philippine Ambassador to the Holy See.
“Nanay Amba,” as she is known by friends, had spent more than 20 years in the Philippine diplomatic service before she was named assistant secretary of the Foreign Affairs Department’s Legislative Liaison Unit.
She was the first female Philippine ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and had previous postings in Iraq, the United States, Egypt and Switzerland. Bishop Ruperto Santos, chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of the Philippines (CBCP) Episcofal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People, has welcomed the nomination, saying that it’s an added “blessing” for Princesa “to work in Vatican and for the Vatican.”
“Nanay Amba is very known to our OFWs [overseas Filipino worker] in UAE where she was posted before. She has her heart for OFWs, truly caring and working for their well-being,” Santos said.
The bishop said they are ready to work with Princesa, whose nomination was announced by Malacañang over last weekend.
“We welcome her appointment, extend our cooperation and collaboration with her,” he added.
In Italy besides the 57 Filipino centers all over the country, the CBCP has at least five Filipino chaplaincies in Rome, Milan, Bergamo, Padova and Florence.
“Our OFWs fill the Italian churches and help the parishes as pastoral workers. And our OFWs in Italy are very hardworking, very religious, and honesty is their natural traits,” Santos said.
“Surely there will be holy and happy relationships of Nanay Amba Grace with our OFWs, priests and religious sisters,” he added.
Princesa’s nomination must be approved by the bicameral Commission on Appointments. There has been no opposition to her appointment, so far.