It would seem, at the outset, that the word "diplomacy" is easily defined. Our reader, if he or she were to take a few seconds pause before continuing with this article, would come up with his or her own idea of what diplomacy is, and most probably, it would be along the lines of dealings between nations (if the reader were to perceive diplomacy as a practice), or along thoughts of tact and social skill (if the reader perceived diplomacy as a personal trait.)

A random sampling of dictionary definitions favors the international connotation. Webster’s defines diplomacy as "the management of communication and relationships between nations." Black’s Law Dictionary defines the same word as "the art and practice of conducting negotiations between foreign governments for the attainment of mutually satisfactory political relations."

These definitions, while internationally accepted, yearn for something more, especially in so far as Philippine diplomats are concerned.

His Excellency Jose S. Brillantes, the Philippine Ambassador to Canada, would be the first one to point out that Philippine diplomacy stands on three co-equal pillars: National Security; Economic Security; and Assistance to Nationals. And he would quickly add that while the foreign services of all nations are tailored to attain the first two objectives, the Philippine Foreign Service stands out as having the legislative mandate to do the third.

Both national and economic security clearly have an international, or at least a nation-to-nation feel, especially considering globalization and how security and economic issues have become borderless phenomena. Dealing with one’s own nationals, however, somehow goes against the grain. It is obvious enough that to protect and promote the interests of one’s own nationals, a diplomat must do so within the context of those nationals being in a foreign country. This is especially true when a national is affected by the foreign country’s laws, as when, for example, a Filipino is charged of an offense. In such instances, the Embassy always aspires to be in the forefront of developments to ensure that rights are protected and due process strictly adhered to.

It seems to us, however, that the vast majority of Filipinos in Canada are not in dire circumstances (Thank God!), and that they appreciate it more when their diplomats make them touch base with their Filipino-ness. While they are thankful when their diplomats champion their interests in Canada, they also want their diplomats to bring the Philippines to them, or at least make them re-live the Philippine experience, if only for a while.

Kindly allow us to elaborate.

For several months now, Ambassador Brillantes has led a delegation of Embassy officials on Orientation Seminars all over Canada. Accompanied by Minister and Consul General Joseph Gerard B. Angeles and 2nd Secretary and Consul Rhenita Rodriguez, the Ambassador has made official visits to Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer, Banff, Lake Louise, St. John’s and Charlottetown, and more visits are planned in the future. Meetings with provincial and city officials have been immensely successful, both in terms of building rapport and goodwill, and in identifying substantive areas of collaboration especially in manpower deployment, improving working conditions of Philippine migrant workers, and in trade and investment.

But the success of these missions was not pre-ordained. Diplomacy is not an exact science, and the results of diplomacy cannot be determined with mathematical precision. After all, policy is determined by men, and men ultimately decide on the basis of personal perception. Thus, in the end, the Ambassador’s successful diplomacy pertained to his skill and tact in dealing with his counterparts, with the complete foreknowledge that personal relations can influence assessments that affect the country’s national interests. Ultimately, it is people-to-people skills, or people-to-people diplomacy, that wins the day.

The experience with the Filipino communities appears to run parallel. During the Orientation Missions, a trove of knowledge is passed along, running the whole gamut of matters that concern Filipinos overseas – from immigration laws to consular services to remittances to dual citizenship to overseas absentee voting to balikbayan privileges to all and sundry.

The information dissemination is genuinely appreciated by our kababayans, but the experience that they appear to enjoy more is the opportunity to break bread with the Ambassador and his delegation, to share a warm handshake or even an embrace, to trace relationships and family roots to the old hometown, to listen to the Ambassador’s speech in flawless Wikang Pilipino; to admire everyone in impeccable Barong Tagalog, Terno and Filipiniana – indeed, to be a Filipino among Filipinos.

Clearly, this kind of diplomacy does not partake of "negotiations to attain mutually satisfactory political relations between nations," as the dictionaries would define diplomacy to be. It is a kind of diplomacy unique to the Philippine Foreign Service. It is not nation-to-nation. It is people-to-people diplomacy. It is not faceless interaction. It is a warm handshake, a smile, an offer of genuine friendship.