Romania's ambassador bids farewell
Published May 20, 2026 10:52 am
Archbishop Charles Brown III, Apostolic Nuncio and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, presents Ambassador Răduţa Dana Matache with a framed Mother and Child image as a farewell token, joined by her spouse Constantine Matache. (Photos: Manila Bulletin)
After four and a half years in Manila, Răduţa Dana Matache is concluding her diplomatic mission with the kind of sendoff that reflected the relationships she built both within and beyond the diplomatic community.
Over a series of farewell gatherings held across late April and early May, diplomats, government officials, and longtime friends gathered to recognize the Romanian ambassador’s role in expanding cooperation between Romania and the Philippines across education, culture, development, and diplomacy.
Among the final high-level calls during her tenure was a meeting with former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on April 28. Discussions touched on the future of Romania-Philippines relations and areas where bilateral engagement could continue to grow.
Arroyo herself holds the Star of Romania, the country’s highest civil order, reflecting longstanding ties between the two countries and Romania’s recognition of her support for bilateral cooperation.
The following day, diplomats gathered at the residence of Marielle Geraedts for a despedida lunch attended by women ambassadors and senior officials, including Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro.
The gathering reflected the close relationships often formed within Manila’s diplomatic community, where formal cooperation frequently extends into personal friendship.
Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Domingo Albert later hosted a separate merienda cena in honor of Matache, attended by members of the diplomatic corps and officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
A special farewell gift from Ambassador Delia Domingo Albert
The farewell call transformed into a celebration of Romania-Philippines cooperation, with distinguished officials and dear friends in attendance. Seated (from left): Myrna Yao, Ambassador Răduţa Dana Matache, PGMA, and Former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo. Standing (from left): Representative Arthur Yap, AJ Violago, Rachel Arenas (Chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee), DFA Asec. Deena Amatong (for European Affairs), Anagine Guevara, and Cynthia Carrio.
Fairmont-Raffles Hotel General Manager Bernd Schneider hosted a despedida gathering in honor of Ambassador Răduţa Dana Matache, joined by friends and colleagues
Ambassador Delia Domingo Albert, Former Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, hosted a merienda cena at her residence with DFA and DENR dignitaries, colleagues, and friends from the diplomatic community gathered to honor Ambassador Räduta-Dana Matache
Women Ambassadors assigned to the Philippines, together with the Secretary of Foreign Affairs Maria Theresa Lazaro, attended a luncheon graciously hosted by Ambassador Marielle Geraedts of the Embassy of the Netherlands
Ambassador Răduţa Dana Matache saying goodbye to her EU colleagues at the close of her Philippine posting.
Hon. Consul Helen Ong, Honorary Consul of Angola, hosted a farewell gathering at her residence in honor of departing diplomats. Seated from left are former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Consul Helen Ong. Standing are Ambassador Räduta-Dana Matache with her spouse, Constantin Matache
During her posting, Matache became particularly active in strengthening academic and institutional exchanges between Romania and the Philippines. She also maintained visible engagement with universities, cultural organizations, and various sectors within the diplomatic community.
Her farewell gatherings reflected the breadth of those relationships.
A despedida hosted by Fairmont and Raffles Manila General Manager Bernd Schneider brought together diplomatic colleagues and friends, while Honorary Consul Helen Ong also hosted a farewell gathering for departing ambassadors.
The series of events culminated in a dinner hosted by Archbishop Charles Brown, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps.
There, Matache reflected on her years in the Philippines with visible affection for the country and its people.
“The Philippines is a diamond with thousands of facets, some yet to be discovered by the world,” she said during her remarks.
She spoke warmly about the openness of Filipinos and the friendships formed during her posting, while also highlighting the Embassy of Romania’s efforts to deepen bilateral ties during her tenure.
When asked what she would miss most about the Philippines, the ambassador answered candidly.
“The truth is that I will miss my friends and the beautiful smile of the people, full of good will and joie de vivre,” she said. “You have an amazing cuisine and world-class, unique produce.”
Throughout her years in Manila, Matache became known for combining formal diplomacy with a visibly personal approach to engagement—one that placed equal value on institutional partnerships and human connection.
Her departure closes a chapter in Romania’s diplomatic presence in the Philippines, but many of the partnerships strengthened during her tenure—in education, culture, and people-to-people exchange—are expected to continue well beyond it.