Cardozo M. Luna - Diplomatic Career

Diplomatic Career

Lt. Gen. Cardozo Luna was originally set to retire on the 7th of September 2009 but opted to retire four months early in view of his nomination to the post of the highest ranking Filipino diplomat to the Netherlands. He will serve as the focal person for the Philippines' defense engagements not only in Netherlands but as well as with other countries in Europe.

On May 20, 2009, Cardozo Luna was appointed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo with the approval of the Commission on Appointments as the Philippine Ambassador to Netherlands. Along with Luna, President Arroyo has also appointed six new ambassadors to Spain, the United Kingdom, the Vatican, Finland, Brazil and Timor-Leste.

Cardozo Luna assumed the post of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of the Philippines to The Netherlands, replacing Ambassador Romeo Arguelles, on the 6th of August 2009. Luna intended to make his contribution to further strengthen the existing political, economic, cultural, and security relations between the Philippines and the Netherlands, as well as actively promote peace-making initiatives through multilateral relations.

Ambassador Luna presented his Letter of Credence to Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of Netherlands on the 26th of August 2009. After the ceremony, Queen Beatrix invited Luna to a private meeting, discussing bilateral matters between the Philippines and the Netherlands. Luna assured that the relationship between the two countries will be strengthened during his term.

During the PMAAAI 2010 Annual General Membership Meeting held at the Manila Hotel on the 24rd of January 2010, Nicanor A. Bartolome, President of the Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association, Inc. (PMAAAI), awarded Ambassador Luna the Cavalier Outstanding Achievement Award in recognition of his exemplary commitment and dedication to service.

Several Dutch businessmen worked hard to persuade their compatriots to invest in the Philippines during the Philippine Netherlands Business Council (PNBC) meeting on the 9th of July 2010. Ambassador Cardozo Luna supported the testimonies and assured the potential investors that the business is very promising in the Philippines especially in the new government of President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. According to Luna, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific gave a projection that the Philippine economy will grow by 3.5% in 2010.

The Philippines marked a milestone after it became a member of the oldest international legal organizations in the Netherlands on the 14th of July 2010. Ambassador Luna transmitted the Instrument of Acceptance of the Statute of the Hague Conference on Private International Law and the Act of Accession to the Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. The documents were signed by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on June 29 and June 25 of 2010, respectively. The Philippines officially became the 70th member of the Hague Conference on Private International Law and the 111th member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

As part of the public diplomacy efforts of the Philippine Embassy in The Hague, a workshop was conducted on the Philippines’ migrant worker protection laws to the students of the Hague Academy of International Law on July 20, 2010. Ambassador Luna opened the program by citing the Philippines’ membership in the Hague Conference on Private International Law and the Permanent Court of Arbitration. He also made reference to the directive of President Aquino for the Department of Foreign Affairs and other relevant agencies to be more receptive to the needs and welfare of 8.7 to 11 million overseas Filipino workers.

On September 30, 2010, Ambassador Luna left his post in the Netherlands. After the 3 month extension set by the Department of Foreign Affairs for the non-career envoys under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, 25 ambassadors were ordered to report back to the Philippines.