President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has formally appointed Ambassador Willy C. Gaa ‘66 as Philippine Ambassador to the United States, Malacanang announced last August 9. In his weekly press conference that afternoon, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the appointment of Gaa was signed by the President recently together with those of five other officials in various government offices.
By virtue of Department of Foreign Affairs Assignment Order No. 311-06 signed by Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alberto G. Romulo last July 15, Ambassador Gaa had been assigned to the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. as Charge d’Affaires and Deputy Chief of Mission effective July 25. He arrived in Washington, D.C. from Los Angeles on July 26 and assumed his official duty on the same day. Prior to this current assignment, Ambassador Gaa served as Consul General of the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles.
Ambassador Gaa met with US State Officials on August 1. In the photo below are from left: Nathaniel “Chip” Dean, Philippine Country Officer; Angela Dickey, Director, Office of Maritime Southeast Asia, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs; Peter Hemsch, Philippine Country Officer; Minister Carlos “King” Sorreta ‘88, Philippine Embassy; Ambassador Willy C. Gaa ‘66; and Evan P. Garcia.
28 JULY 2006
AMBASSADOR GAA MEETS WITH EMBASSY OFFICERS AND STAFF
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ambassador Willy C. Gaa who has been assigned to the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. as Charge d’Affaires and Deputy Chief of Mission effective July 25, 2006 held a general meeting with the Embassy’s officers and staff this morning. Outgoing Ambassador Albert del Rosario was on hand to welcome Ambassador Gaa and joined him during the general meeting at the Embassy’s Romulo Hall.
In his brief remarks before the Embassy personnel, Ambassador Gaa said that “like in the Olympics marathon,” he considers himself as “a runner carrying the torch until he reaches (his) next point or until another runner comes along to whom he has to pass on the torch.” He added that as a “marathon runner, he expects the officers and staff to support (him) when (he) is thirsty or hungry, as a matter of speaking.”
He stressed that as the Acting Ambassador, he will implement the Country Team approach where the Embassy officers and personnel who come from various line departments such as foreign affairs, defense, trade, labor, agriculture and veterans affairs are expected to collaborate and cooperate with each other to promote the Philippines’ national agenda in the United States.
After the general meeting, Ambassador Gaa held an exclusive officers/attaches meeting where the activities and concerns of various Embassy sections were tackled.
By virtue of Department of Foreign Affairs Assignment Order No. 311-06 signed by Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alberto G. Romulo last July 15, Ambassador Gaa has been assigned to the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. as Charge d’Affaires and Deputy Chief of Mission effective July 25. He arrived in Washington, D.C. from Los Angeles on July 26 and assumed his official duty on the same day.
Prior to this current assignment, Ambassador Gaa served as Consul General of the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles. Below is the bio-data of Ambassador Willy C. Gaa.
BIO-DATA OF AMBASSADOR WILLY C. GAA
Ambassador Willy C. Gaa has been assigned to the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. as Charge d’Affaires and Deputy Chief Mission effective July 25, 2006.
Prior to his current position, he was Consul General of the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles. He served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (AEP) of the Republic of the Philippines to the People’s Republic of China (2003-January 2006). He also served as Ambassador to Australia and non-resident Ambassador to Nauru, Tuvalu and Vanuatu (2002-2003).
He was formerly Philippine Ambassador to Tripoli, Libya and non-resident Ambassador to Tunisia, Malta and Niger (1992-1997). He was Consul General in New York (1997-1999); Deputy Consul General in Los Angeles (1987-1990); Consul in New York (1981-1985) and Vice Consul, subsequently Consul, in San Francisco (1975-1970).
His career as a diplomat began when he was appointed as Foreign Service Officer in December 1974 after passing the FSO examination and taking the oath of office in 1975.
He served in various capacities in the Department of Foreign Affairs, Manila: Principal Assistant, Office of Administration (1975); Secretary, Board of Foreign Service Administration and Board of Foreign Service Examiners (July-August 1985); Acting Chief Coordinator, Office of the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs (September 1985-February 1986); Director Office of Middle East and African Affairs (July-August 1986); Executive Director, Office of Consular Services (August 1986-February 1987); Assistant Secretary, Office of Asian and Pacific Affairs (May 1999 to 11 January 2002).
Ambassador Gaa represented the Philippines in various United Nations conferences, as well as multilateral and regional meetings, seminars and training. He served as Adviser of the Philippine Delegation to the 36th and 53rd United Nations General Assemblies (1981 and 1998, respectively). He attended several ASEAN Senior Officials meetings and various bilateral dialogue meetings as member of the Philippine Delegation.
He was Head of the Philippine Delegation to the Working Group on SEANFWZ (Southeast Asian Nuclear Free Weapons Zone) and ZOPFAN (Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality) and Senior Officials Working Group on the Regional Code of Conduct on the South China Sea in Singapore, Bangkok, Thailand, China, Vietnam and Brunei Darussalam (1999-2000); the Intersessional Group Meetings On Confidence Building Measures of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, New Delhi and Singapore (1999-2001); and the Philippine Working Group Meetings on Confidence Building Measures Between China and the Philippines in Beijing (1999) and Manila (2001).
Ambassador Gaa obtained his Bachelor of Arts (A.B. Political Science) degree from Manuel L. Quezon University in 1996. He graduated from the University of the Philippines in 1970 with a Bachelor of Laws degree and from New York University in 1985 with a degree in Master of Laws (International Legal Studies).
He passed the government career service exam in 1968, the Philippine Bar Examination in 1970 and the State Bar of California, U.S.A. in 1990. His previous legal work experience was as tax and compliance attorney at Petrophil Corporation (1974-1975) and as trial attorney at the Office of the Solicitor General (1971-1974).
For his long and dedicated service to government and country, Ambassador Gaa was presented with the Gawad Sentenaryo (Centennial Award) in 1999 by the National Centennial Commission and the Distinguished Service Award in 2000 by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Ambassador Gaa is married to Erlinda Concepcion, with whom he has two sons,Wendell and Warren.