Marilyn Cahatol

Philippine ambassador to Japan Mylene Garcia-Albano during her confirmation talks to the Commission on Apointments on September 21, 202. Garcia-Albano is the country’s first female ambassador to Japan. Joseph Vidal, Senate PRIB handout

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Mylene Garcia-Albano

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176285179613920220921-garcia-albano-mylene-PRIB-120526.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Philippine ambassador to Japan Mylene Garcia-Albano during her confirmation talks to the Commission on Apointments on September 21, 202. Garcia-Albano is the country’s first female ambassador to Japan. <em>Joseph Vidal, Senate PRIB handout </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Philippine ambassador to Japan Mylene Garcia-Albano was appointed to the position upon the request of her husband, Isabela Governor Rodolfo Albano III, to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the governor revealed Tuesday. </p><p>Rodolfo disclosed this during his interview with ANC’s Dateline about his trip to Germany amid Typhoon Uwan&#x27;s onslaught.</p><p>Rodolfo explained that the Isabela local government was working on a flood mitigation master plan project with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).</p><p>He said his wife, Philippine Ambassador to Japan Mylene Garcia-Albano, helped him talk to the Japanese researchers. </p><p>The governor said that he specifically asked then-newly inaugurated President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to appoint his wife as the Philippine envoy for Isabela to secure JICA studies about the Cagayan River Basin. </p><p>“Tama, nakakalamang nga kami sa Isabela. Yun nga ang hiningi ko sa presidente pag-upo niya. Kasi dahil gusto ko makuha yung mga JICA studies para sa Cagayan (River Basin),” he said. </p><p>“May selfish motive ako nung pina-appoint ko yung asawa ko as ambassador sa Japan para lang makatulong dun sa region namin, Cagayan Region. Kasi kami lagi yung binabaha, kami lagi yung binabagyo. So tama, medyo may unfair advantage ako dun sa ibang mga governors,” he said. </p><p>More than a month after his inauguration as the new president, Marcos appointed Mylene as the first female Philippine ambassador to Japan on Aug. 12, 2022. The Commission on Appointments <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/09/22/22/phs-first-woman-ambassador-to-japan-gets-ca-nod">approved </a>the designation on Sept. 22, 2022.</p><p>When asked why the president heeded his request, he said: “Pakiusap naman iyon. Kung sino naman yung nakikiusap sa presidente, pinagbigyan niya lang ako. Nasa kanya pa rin yung choice whether kung i-appoint niya.”</p><p>Before being an envoy, Mylene served as the House representative for Davao City&#x27;s 2nd District from 2010 to 2019. During these three terms, she became an assistant majority leader, chair of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments and deputy speaker.</p><p>She also worked as chief of staff of former senator Mar Roxas, and as assistant secretary and executive director in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.</p><p>Rodolfo said he may also leave for Japan soon for a seminar on tsunami preparedness. </p><p>“I might be leaving again, officially for Japan. Because the Japanese government invited us for this seminar to mitigate naman yung tsunami preparedness,” he said. </p><p>The governor has been criticized for attending an agricultural trip in Germany despite the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/weather-traffic/2025/11/8/dilg-orders-local-officials-to-stay-in-post-as-typhoon-uwan-enters-par-1410">order </a>for all local chief executives to suspend foreign travel and to stay in their respective jurisdictions to lead disaster preparedness and response efforts as typhoon Uwan hit the country last weekend. </p><p>He also drew flak for advising Isabela residents to “pray and chill” while then-Super Typhoon Uwan hit the Philippine lands. He said the statement was “taken out of context.”</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/11/11/isabela-gov-albano-to-finish-germany-trip-while-province-recovers-from-uwan-onslaught-1419">&#x27;Very important&#x27;: Gov. Albano to finish Germany trip as Isabela recovers from Uwan</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tghpxqtthQc?si=LOSbQlChhFksK0-n" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>Philippine ambassador to Japan Mylene Garcia-Albano was appointed to the position upon the request of her husband, Isabela Governor Rodolfo Albano III, to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the governor said Tuesday.</p>

Philippine ambassador to Japan Mylene Garcia-Albano was appointed to the position upon the request of her husband, Isabela Governor Rodolfo Albano III, to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the governor said Tuesday.

Isabela Gov Albano says wife's appointment as PH envoy ‘requested’ to Marcos

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Isabela Gov Albano says wife's appointment as PH envoy ‘requested’ to Marcos

Marilyn Cahatol,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 11, 2025 05:21 PM PHT

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Updated November 11, 2025 08:51 PM PHT

Read More:

Rodolfo Albano

Mylene Garcia-Albano

Philippine ambassador to Japan

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

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