After the recent
appointment of Antonio de la Cruz Modena as Ambassador to Israel,
comes the formal oath-taking of another Romblomanon from Looc, Willy
Gaa as Ambassador Extra Plenepotentiary to the People's Republic of
China, Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea and Mongolia.
Prior to this
assignment, he was Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (AEP)
of the Republic of the Philippines to the Commonwealth of Australia
while concurrently accredited to the Governments of Nauru, Tuvalu
and Vanuatu.
Ambassador Gaa was also formerly Philippine Ambassador to Tripoli,
Libya and non-resident Ambassador to Tunisia, Malta and Niger (1992-1997).
He was Consul General in New York (1997-1999); Deputy Consul General
in Los Angeles (1987-1990); Consul in New York (1981-1985) and Vice
Consul, subsequently Consul, in San Francisco (1975-1980).
His career as a diplomat began when he was appointed as Foreign Service
Officer in December 1974 after passing the FSO examination and taking
the oath of office in 1975.
He served in various capacities in the Department of Foreign Affairs,
Manila: Principal Assistant, Office of Administration (1975); Secretary,
Board of Foreign Service Administration and Board of Foreign Service
Examiners (July-August 1985); Acting Chief Coordinator, Office of
the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs (September 1985-February 1986);
Director Office of Middle East and African Affairs (July-August 1986);
Executive Director, Office of Consular Services (August 1986-February
1987); Assistant Secretary, Office of Asian and Pacific Affairs (May
1999 to 11 January 2002).
Ambassador Gaa represented the Philippines in various United Nations
conferences, as well as multilateral and regional meetings, seminars
and training. He served as Adviser of the Philippine Delegation to
the 36th and 53rd United Nations General Assemblies (1981 and 1998,
respectively). He attended several ASEAN Senior Officials meetings
and various bilateral dialogue meetings as member of the Philippine
Delegation.
Ambassador Gaa obtained his Bachelor of Arts (A.B. Political Science)
degree from Manuel L. Quezon University in 1966. He graduated from
the University of the Philippines in 1970 with a Bachelor of Laws
degree and from New York University in 1985 with a degree in Master
of Laws (International Legal Studies). He passed the government career
service exam in 1968, the Philippine Bar Examination in 1970 and the
State Bar of California, U.S.A. in 1990. His previous legal work experience
was as tax and compliance attorney at Petrophil Corporation (1974-1975)
and as trial attorney at the Office of the Solicitor General (1971-1974).
For his long and dedicated service to government and country, Ambassador
Gaa was presented with the Gawad Sentenaryo (Centennial Award) in
1999 by the National Centennial Commission and the Distinguished Service
Award in 2000 by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Ambassador Gaa is married to Erlinda Concepcion, with whom he has
two sons, Wendell and Warren.
