GMA, proud mom of envoy Luli

Former President and current Senior Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo congratulated her second child and only daughter, Evangelina Lourdes "Luli" Arroyo-Bernas for her confirmation as Philippine Ambassador to Austria.

She also thanked President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. for the appointment and the members of the Commission on Appointments for the confirmation.

"I thank President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. for appointing Luli as Ambassador to Austria and the Commission on Appointments for confirming the appointment. My husband and I are proud of what our three children have achieved," she said.

Arroyo-Bernas was appointed mid-October by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Philippines to the Republic of Austria.

Also Croatia, Slovenia posts
The post has concurrent jurisdiction over the Republic of Croatia, Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic. The Commission on Appointments confirmed the appointment of Ambassador Arroyo-Bernas on 7 December.

Former President Macapagal-Arroyo also thanked the members of media who mentioned Ambassador Arroyo-Bernas' qualifications and stressed that the latter had passed the difficult exams for Foreign Service Officer in 2000.

She said "some reporters mentioned Luli's qualifications, and I thank them for reminding the public that she is highly qualified on her own."

Ambassador Arroyo-Bernas was one of only three passers out of the over 3,000 examinees of that year's FSO exams.

She holds a Master of Science in Foreign Service degree from Georgetown University in Washington DC, USA and was chair of the board of trustees of the National Museum prior to being appointed ambassador.