Bernardita Catalla facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bernardita Catalla
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Ambassador Catalla in February 2018
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| Born | February 18, 1958 Makati, Philippines
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| Died | April 2, 2020 (aged 62) Beirut, Lebanon
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| Nationality | Filipina |
| Education | University of the Philippines Los Baños University of the Philippines Diliman International Institute of Social Studies |
| Occupation | Career diplomat |
| Years active | 1993–2020 |
Bernardita Leonido Catalla (born February 18, 1958 – died April 2, 2020) was an important diplomat from the Philippines. She worked as an ambassador, which means she represented her country in other nations. Her last job was serving as the Philippine ambassador to Lebanon. Before that, she also worked in Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
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Early Life and Education
Bernardita Catalla was born on February 18, 1958. Her birthplace was Makati, which was then part of the Province of Rizal in the Philippines.
She went to the University of the Philippines Los Baños. In 1979, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree there. Later, she continued her studies at the University of the Philippines Diliman. She also studied at the International Institute of Social Studies in the Netherlands. In 1991, she received a Master of Arts degree in development studies from there.
What is a Diplomat?
A diplomat is a person who represents their country in other nations. They work to build good relationships between countries. Diplomats also help their country's citizens who are living abroad. Bernardita Catalla was a career diplomat. This means she dedicated her entire working life to this important role.
Her Career as a Diplomat
Bernardita Catalla began her work in the Philippine Foreign Service in 1993. This is the part of the government that handles relations with other countries.
- From 1994 to 1995, she worked in the office that dealt with the ASEAN.
- Between 1996 and 2001, she was assigned to the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She started as a Vice Consul and then became a Consul.
- She returned to the main office in the Philippines from 2001 to 2005. During this time, she was a director for offices dealing with the United Nations and passports.
- From 2005 to 2011, she served as a Consul at the Philippine Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia.
- She was again a director at the main office from 2011 to 2014. This time, she focused on Asian and Pacific affairs.
Working in Hong Kong
From 2014 to 2017, she was the Consul-General in Hong Kong. This is a very important role, like being an ambassador for a specific city or region.
While in Hong Kong, she helped make an important change. She led efforts to amend contracts for foreign domestic helpers. This change added a rule that banned dangerous window cleaning. This was seen as a big help for the Filipino community in Hong Kong.
Ambassador to Lebanon
After her time in Hong Kong, she was promoted to Ambassador to Lebanon. She served in this role from 2017 until her death in 2020.
As Ambassador to Lebanon, she led a special program. This program helped many Filipino workers (OFWs) in Lebanon return home safely. This was a voluntary program, meaning people chose to go back to the Philippines.
Her Death
Sadly, Bernardita Catalla passed away on April 2, 2020. She died in Beirut, Lebanon, from COVID-19.
Special Recognition
After her death, Bernardita Catalla received a special honor.
She was given the Order of Sikatuna (Rank of Datu, Gold Distinction). This is a very high award in the Philippines. It was given to her by the Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on behalf of President Rodrigo Duterte. This award recognized her excellent service to the country.
See also
In Spanish: Bernardita Catalla para niños
