3 November 2005 —The Philippine Embassy in Ottawa, together with the Filipino community in Canada, gave a warm welcome to Philippine Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Canada Jose S. Brillantes, who arrived in Ottawa on Wednesday, 26 October, to assume his post.

Ambassador Brillantes has a distinguished and accomplished professional career that covers politics, law, legislation, public and interpersonal relations, and national and international diplomacy. Prior to his appointment as Philippine envoy to Canada, Ambassador Brillantes was the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila. He was elected Member and Vice-Chairman of the United Nations Committee on the
Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. He was Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia, former Secretary of Labor and Employment and former Undersecretary of Labor for Employment Promotion and Manpower Development.

A highly esteemed diplomat for over 32 years, Ambassador Brillantes served in various capacities in Philippine diplomatic posts in Ottawa, Bonn, Washington D.C. and Kuala Lumpur. Before joining the government service, Ambassador Brillantes was a private law practitioner for 11 years and was twice elected Councilor to the City Council of Manila. He also served as Technical Assistant of the Philippines’ Commission on Elections.

A native of Manila and Ilocos Sur, Ambassador Brillantes was a consistent honor student. A lawyer by profession, he was a top alumnus of the Ateneo de Manila College of Law, where he was President of the Ateneo Law Student Council and Editor of the Ateneo Law Journal. The Ambassador was one of the top notchers in the 1960 Philippine Bar Examinations. He took up graduate studies in Public Administration at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and holds a Doctor of Laws degree from Lyceum Northwestern University in Dagupan City, Philippines.

Engaged in the people business and in the protection and promotion of the welfare and interests of Filipino workers all his professional life, Ambassador Brillantes was most active in Filipino community and international migration affairs in his various overseas postings, during his stewardship of the Department of Labor and Employment and during his stint as Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs in charge of Migrant Workers’ Affairs.

According to Ambassador Brillantes his assumption of post as Philippine Ambassador to Canada comes at an auspicious time when relations between the Philippines and Canada continue to grow and prosper.

The Philippine Embassy and the Filipino-Canadian community wish Ambassador Brillantes a happy and most productive stay in Canada. END