Former Ambassador Garcia retires ending 4 decades of distinguished foreign service

Former Philippine Ambassador to Thailand H.E. Jocelyn Batoon-Garcia retired after four decades of distinguished career in the foreign service.  

Ambassador Batoon-Garcia was one of the much-loved, admired and respected Filipino ambassadors posted in Thailand. She served in the Kingdom from 2012-2015. Her last post was in Philippine Embassy in Oslo, Norway. 

Consul General Edgar Badajos, who also served in Thailand alongside Garcia, penned a heartwarming message on Garcia’s retirement. 

“WE  WISH YOU A HAPPY RETIREMENT, AMBASSADOR JOCELYN BATOON-GARCIA!

Our eternal gratitude goes to Ambassador Jocelyn for setting a stirring example of courage, commitment and selfless dedication to duty which she demonstrated everywhere she was assigned while with the Philippine foreign service. She previously served as our Ambassador Extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Venezuela, Thailand, and Norway.

I am fortunate to have worked with Ambassador Jocelyn at the Philippine Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand. Serving under her was a daily learning experience of how not just to manage an organization, but to run it so smoothly to the point of near perfection. Hardly anyone comes out of her tutelage without having learned new ideas and better ways of doing things. No topic is so insignificant to her that is not worth a moment of animated discussion. I remember having a spirited meeting with her just talking about vetiver grass to prevent soil erosion, and about fire trees and how these could enliven Manila’s otherwise boring boulevards.

The Philippine foreign service is one less of a brilliant mind as the curtain gloriously falls on the illustrious career of Ambassador Jocelyn. We will miss her.”

Thank you very much, Madam Ambassador, for your inestimable service to our country and people. We wish you a happy retirement. 

Consul General Edgar Badajos

H.E. Ms. Karntimon Ruksakiati, Ambassador of Thailand to Norway, also hosted a farewell dinner at the Thai residence in honor of Ambassador Batoon-Garcia

Thank you for serving the Philippines and the Filipinos abroad.