Nope, US State Department’s Mina Chang is not new ambassador to PH

Don’t believe everything you read.

The United States Embassy in Manila today denied reports that a U.S. Department of State official named Mina Chang will become their new ambassador to the Philippines.

In an email statement sent to Coconuts Manila, the U.S. Embassy denied reports that Chang will become the new U.S. ambassador to the Philippines. It clarified that Chang was nominated by U.S. President Donald Trump to a post at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

“In September 2018, the White House announced the President’s intent to nominate Mina Chang to be an Assistant Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development for the Bureau of Asia. The nomination was referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in January 2019.  There have been no additional White House announcements regarding her nomination to the USAID position.”

The false news surrounding Chang started when local blog Politiko published a cringe-y post where they identified her as the newly-appointed U.S. ambassador to Manila. Instead of just focusing on Chang’s impressive academic and professional achievements, which includes graduating from the Harvard Business School, the blog also commented on her appearance and likened her to video game character Lara Croft.

The same story was picked up today by broadsheet the Philippine Star, which has an even wider reach than Politiko. In their version, they said Chang is being eyed as the next U.S. ambassador.

Before the U.S. Embassy’s statement, netizens were already reacting to the prospect of having Chang as the new ambassador.

This includes former comedian Gabe Mercado, who wrote: “Can’t wait for the president (Rodrigo Duterte) to say something wildly inappropriate.”

Duterte is known for making misogynistic remarks in public, especially when she finds a woman attractive. In June last year, he kissed a married overseas Filipino worker during a speech in Seoul. During the 2016 presidential campaign, Duterte joked that he should have been the first person to rape a “very beautiful” Australian missionary held hostage by prisoners in Davao City.

It was also in 2016 that the newly-elected Duterte wolf-whistled at GMA News reporter Mariz Umali, which his spokesperson defended as part of “freedom of expression.”

 

Photo: Gabe Mercado
Photo: Gabe Mercado

@JPAlipio, who possibly had the same thoughts as Mercado, thought Chang’s appointment was “well played.”

“I’m sure Pres. Duterte will like her way better than Chinese Pres. Xi [Jinping]!,” wrote a netizen using the name A Dulfo Loste.

Photo: A Dulfo Loste/FB
Photo: A Dulfo Loste/FB

Writer Wilson Lee Flores said this could be a strategy by the U.S. government who may have been aware of Duterte’s weakness for pretty women.

“This might be a smart move by #America’s State Department, because President #Duterte seems angry at #Western, #Caucasian colonial attitude in the past & seems to respect east#Asians, he is also well-known for admiring pretty #women?” he said.

Photo: Wilson Lee Flores
Photo: Wilson Lee Flores

But, alas, their theories and excessive analyses were for naught because the rumor turned out to be false.



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