A newly assigned diplomat — let us call him BTS, for “Boy Too Sensitive”—has wasted no time making an impression in Manila, though perhaps not the sort one would hope for in diplomatic circles.
During a recent conversation with a journalist, BTS was offered what many would consider a professional courtesy: candid observations about the local media landscape, cultural nuances, and the realities of dealing with Philippine journalists.
Among the points raised was a frank but fair remark — that some officials from his embassy had, on occasion, behaved in a manner many would describe as undiplomatic in their dealings with the press.
Rather than receiving the comment in the constructive spirit intended, BTS reportedly took offense, insisting such feedback was inappropriate.
A curious reaction from someone in diplomacy, where criticism and candid observations are hardly foreign concepts.
Seasoned diplomats know that honest feedback —especially from those who regularly engage with embassies — is not an affront but an opportunity to better understand one’s posting.
Still, perhaps sensitivity is not unique to BTS.
The embassy in question has earned a reputation among journalists for treating follow-up questions after press briefings as optional inconveniences. Clarifications sought by media are often met with silence, as if the questions had disappeared into a diplomatic black hole.
Its former ambassador, meanwhile, left behind his own memorable reputation. At one diplomatic gathering, the envoy reportedly asked the host ambassador why a journalist was present at the event — despite the journalist being an invited guest and personal friend of the host.
The host ambassador, said to be visibly taken aback, reminded the envoy of precisely that.
Several ambassadors within earshot were likewise stunned by the condescending remark, noting the envoy’s apparent belief that he had standing to police a guest list that was not his own.
Inside the embassy, whispers of high turnover among local staff have only added to questions about the mission’s internal culture.
Then again, embassies often take their cue from those at the top.
If BTS hopes to survive his posting with dignity intact, he may wish to learn that diplomacy requires more than rank and credentials.
It also requires the maturity to accept honest feedback without behaving as though one has suffered a personal affront.
Tant pis.