Duterte names new envoy to the Vatican

MANILA — As had been expected for the past week, President Rodrigo 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, USA, Egypt and Switzerland.Bishop Ruperto Santos, chairman of the CBCP’s 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 for our OFWs 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 that they are ready to work with Princesa, whose nomination was announced by Malacañang over the weekend. We welcome her appointment, extends our cooperation and collaboration with her, he said.In Italy, aside from 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 helping the parishes as pastoral workers. And our OFWs in Italy are very hardworking, very religious and honesty is their natural traits, said Santos. Surely it 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 (CA). There has been no vocal opposition to her appointment, so far.CBCPNews