Establishment of Diplomatic Relations

The Philippines and Jordan agreed to establish formal diplomatic relations and to exchange ambassadors at the earliest possible time on 1 March 1976. The signing of the agreement between then Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Carlos P. Romulo and then Jordanian Prime Minister Zaid Al-Rifai (father of former Jordanian Prime Minister Samir Al-Rifai) capped the two-day visit to Manila of King Hussein bin Talal and Queen Alia. Also in the royal delegation was Dr. Fayez Al-Tarawneh, who later served as Prime Minister (from August 20, 1998 to March 4, 1999) and Chief of the Royal Hashemite Court. Dr. Al-Tarawhen was made Prime Minister for the second time around on April 26, 2012, following the resignation of his predecessor, Prime Minister Awn Shawkat Al-Khasawneh. A Filipina private secretary to Queen Alia, Ms. Elnora Agulto, was also part of the King's delegation.

Opening of the Embassy in Amman

Before the Embassy was formally opened, the Philippines appointed Mr. Costandi M. Muna as Honorary Consul General for the period 1979-1980. Then Counselor and now Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rafael E. Seguis formally opened the Embassy in Amman upon his designation as Chargé d'Affaires, a.i. in 1980. He was replaced a year later by Hon. Cesar C. Pastores, who also served as Chargé d'Affaires, a.i. until 1983 when he was appointed Ambassador.

Ambassador Pastores completed his tour of duty in 1985 and Consul Emmanuel J. Contreras was designatedChargé d'Affaires, a.i. until 1986 when Ambassador Juan V. Saez arrived to assume his duties. Upon the departure of Ambassador Saez from Amman, Consul Ernesto N. Diano and Consul Walter S. Salmingosuccessively served as Chargé d'Affaires, a.i. until the appointment of Ambassador Pacifico A. Castro in 1989. Ambassador Castro headed the Embassy during the Gulf War of 1990-1991 and until the Embassy temporarily closed in 1993.

Embassy Re-Opens after Five-Year Hiatus

Maj. Gen. (ret.) Shafiq Jumean served as Honorary Consul General for part of the time during the Embassy's closure between 1993 and 1998. During that period, the bilateral relations also fell under the responsibility ofAmbassador Rafael E. Seguis in a non-resident capacity as he was then assigned to the Philippine Embassy in Baghdad.

The Embassy formally re-opened in 1998 with the arrival of Ambassador Ruperto M. Dizon, who was tasked with addressing the needs and concerns of the growing number of Overseas Filipino Workers in Jordan. The Philippines also decided to re-open its Embassy in Amman in recognition of the critical and strategic role that Jordan continues to play in regional and international affairs, particularly with respect to its role in the Middle East Peace Process.

Ambassador Dizon served for seven years in Amman until his retirement in 2005. Consul Arvic V. Arevalo and later, Consul General Renato P.O. Villa temporarily took charge of the Embassy until Ambassador Jose P. Del Rosario, Jr. assumed his duties in January 2006. When Ambassador Del Rosario retired in February 2008, he was immediately succeeded by Ambassador Julius D. Torres who served as Ambassador until November 23, 2011, when he was cross-posted to the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu, Hawaii as its Consul General. His departure from Amman coincided with that of the Post's only remaining Foreign Service Officer at that time, Vice Consul Jeffrey P. Salik, who had to file for an extended leave in order to take care of his ailing wife. Consequently, the task of heading the embassy fell on the shoulders of Ms. Rosamy B. Reyes who then served as its Officer-in-Charge. On March 30, 2012, Consul General Emmanuel R. Fernandez took over the leadership of the Embassy as Charge d'Affaires, a.i. He served in that capacity until July 31, 2012, when Ambassador Olivia V. Palala assumed her duties as the new Ambassador of Amman PE.

Ambassador Palala served in Amman until 2014. Her successor, Ambassador Junever M. Mahilum-West, was cross-posted from Toronto and served for three years from 2015-2018. She was followed by Ambassador Akmad Atlah Sakkam, who was assigned in Jordan from 2018-2022. His tenure was marked by the visit of President Rodrigo R. Duterte to the Hashemite Kingdom in September 2018.

The current Ambassador, H.E. Wilfredo C. Santos, arrived in Amman to assume his duties on December 21, 2022.                                                                                                                                                                           

List of Philippine Ambassadors to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan:

Cesar C. Pastores: 1983-1985

Juan V. Saez: 1986-1989

Pacifico Castro: 1989-1993

Ruperto Dizon: 1998-2005

Jose P. Del Rosario: 2006-2008

Julius D. Torres: 2008-2011

Olivia V. Palala: 2012-2014

Junever M. Mahilum-West: 2015-2018

Akmad Atlah Sakkam: 2018-2022

Wilfredo C. Santos: 2022 to the present