THESE were the words spoken by Madame Lourdes Locsin, wife of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locisn Jr., during her short remarks at the farewell and thanksgiving tea party given for her by the Spouses of the Heads of Mission (SHOM) led by its president Rhonda Robinson, wife of Australian Ambassador Steven Robinson.

Mrs. Locsin, or Louie as she is fondly called, serves as the chair of the International Bazaar Foundation (IBF) and the Asean Ladies Foundation (ALF), ORGANIZATIONS AFfiLIATED WITH THE Department of Foreign Affairs. The IBF hosts the annual International Bazaar that has for 56 years raised funds to help uplift the lives of the less privileged.

Madame Locsin, for the past fiVE YEARS, WAS THE DRIVING FORCE that brought together the spouses of the Ambassadors and Filipino members of the IBF Board to bond and work with each other in order to raise funds to support quite a number of charities. She also organized activities that promoted fellowship and camaraderie between the spouses of the Ambassadors in the country, establishing friendships among many of them.

At the height of the pandemic, Louie tirelessly continued to work daily to ensure, among others, that the regular help being given to the charities such as feeding programs for the marginalized, food supplies for orphanages, and meals for front liners were sustained.

The tea party, held at the lovely home of the Australian Ambassador was attended by several male and female spouses of the Heads of Mission in the Philippines. There are currently at least six new female ambassadors in the country. Since the usual tour of duty of ambassadors is three years, they and their spouses eventually establish lasting friendships in the country. At present, there are 32 SHOM members working together with Locsin and the IBF board.

Outgoing SHOM President Robinson of Australia, together with incoming President Ritta Laakso of Finland, presented Locsin with a token of appreciation and expressed their profound gratitude for her indefatigable efforts and leadership since taking over the helm of the IBF and the ALF.

As the new administration takes over, Locsin is saying her farewells to the members of SHOM, many of whom have become her good friends. But she assures that her departure from the DFA and the end of the assignment of an Ambassador does not mean the end of the friendships. For in this digital world, neither distance nor time zone can hinder true friendship.