Former Presidential Management Staff (PMS) chief Zenaida Angping was appointed ambassador to France because of her experience in the foreign service "for years."
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. revealed this in an interview on Monday, Jan. 23.
Although Marcos said that the reason behind Angping's transfer from her Palace post to foreign service is personal, he vouched that the former PMS chief is suited for the job.
"She has not held, formally, a diplomatic position but she has been working with the foreign service for years and years and years," the President said.
He disclosed that Angping has worked at the Philippine embassies in the United States, China, and other areas.
"Sanay siya sa trabahong 'yan (She is used to that job). And for years now, she has been working on her foreign service exam. Yun talaga ang gusto niyang gawin (That's really what she wanted to do) since before. Now, we will formalize her wishes," he further said.
The chief executive revealed that Angping has personally asked him to transfer her to any foreign service position after she asked for a time off from her Palace post in December.
"The situation with then Secretary Naida Angping was— it was a personal decision in her part. She had some personal issue that she had to work through and she said: I cannot do my work while I'm having to go through this. That's why I need to go and think about it," Marcos said.
"And she came back and maybe I can just find something that I will be able to handle. And I said: what do you think? And she said: if you could appoint me to a diplomatic position," Marcos added.
Angping was nominated to be the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the French Republic.