His Excellency Jose Santiago "Chito" Santa Romana | |
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Ambassador of the Philippines to China | |
In office September 28, 2016 – April 19, 2022 | |
President | Rodrigo Duterte |
Preceded by | Erlinda Basilio |
Succeeded by | Jaime FlorCruz |
Personal details | |
Born | Jose Santiago Santa Romana January 15, 1948 Manila, Philippines |
Died | April 19, 2022 Huangshan, Anhui Province, People's Republic of China | (aged 74)
Resting place | thumb right |
Parent |
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Jose Santiago "Chito" Santa Romana (January 15, 1948 – April 19, 2022), was a Philippine journalist and diplomat who served as that country's ambassador to China.[1][2]
Born in Manila, Romana was the grandson of Senator Santiago Lucero, for whom he was named.[3][4] As a young man, Romana studied at De La Salle University and was active in the anti-government demonstrations known as the "First Quarter Storm". In 1971, as a student, he visited the People's Republic of China as the head of a Philippine youth delegation. However, during this period, the then Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos began to suppress the Philippine communists, and Romana was forced to stay in China.[2] After that, Romana studied at the Beijing Language Institute (now Beijing Language and Culture University) and later became a translation editor.
In 1987, Romana went to the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in the United States to pursue a master's degree in international relations. After graduation, due to the continued instability in the Philippines, Romana returned to China. From 1989 to 2010, Romana served as a long-term reporter for the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in Beijing. In 2011, Romana returned to the Philippines after 40 years and joined the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement in 2012.[5]
On September 28, 2016, Romana was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as the Philippine Ambassador to China, with concurrent accreditation to North Korea and Mongolia.[6] Romana presented his credentials in March of the following year. He "played a key role in repairing once-tattered bilateral relations".[2] On April 18, 2022, Romana died of illness during quarantine in Huangshan, Anhui Province while serving as the ambassador to China, at the age of 74.[7][8] After his death, he was described as "an old friend of the Chinese people".[9]
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