New Philippine Consul General Arrives in Jeddah
Philippine Consul General to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Imelda M. Panolong arrived in Jeddah on 01 September 2015 and took charge of the Consulate General effective 02 September 2015. Consul General Panolong is the ninth (9th) and first ever female Philippine Consul General of the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah, KSA.
On 07 September 2015, Consul General Panolong received her exequatur during her courtesy call on Ambassador Mohammad Bin Ahmad Tayyeb, Director General of the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Makkah Al-Mukkaramah Branch.
During the call, Ambassador Tayyeb congratulated Consul General Panolong on her appointment as Consul General in Jeddah, K.S.A. For her part, Consul General Panolong thanked Amb. Tayyeb for the Ministry’s support to the Consulate General and to the OFWs in the Western Region.
Prior to her appointment as Consul General to Jeddah, K.S.A., Consul General Panolong was the Deputy Consul General of the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. since 2014.
It is the second time that Consul General Panolong was assigned in Saudi Arabia. The first was from 1996 to 2001 as Consul. She was also assigned at the Philippine Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan (1995-1996) as Third Secretary and Vice Consul; Philippine Embassy in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain (2003-2006) as First Secretary and Consul, and at the Philippine Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia from 2011 to 2013 as Deputy Chief of Mission and Consul General.
At the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila, Consul General Panolong served in various capacities namely: Director for Middle East Division (2009-2011) and for North African Division (2001-2003) of the Office of Middle East and African Affairs (OMEAA) and as Assistant Director for Passport Division (1994-1995) of the Office of Consular Affairs. She was also with the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) from 1993-1994, Office of the Undersecretary for International Economic Relations from 1992-1993, and with the Office of Cultural Affairs and Public Information Services from 1991-1992. She attended several local and international conferences, trainings and seminars.
A career diplomat, Consul General Panolong graduated with a degree of Bachelor of Arts major in Political Science and took units in International Studies from the University of the Philippines.
In her brief message during the Consulate’s welcome dinner for her and her family on 03 September 2015 held at the PCG Hall, the very amiable Consul General Panolong thanked her Consulate family for the warm welcome. She said that she considers Jeddah as her second home and that she looks forward to serving as Consul General in Jeddah.
Consul General Panolong is married to Mr. Jamel Panolong. They have three (3) sons, Mohammad, Mohsen and Mohaisen. END.
