Figuring it Out

Philippine Honorary Consul General Raoul Donato is back with a mission. In an ironic twist of fate, now it’s his turn to help his kababayans in getting their US visa.
By Cristine Antonette B. Catu

Former senior vice-president and assistant to the president of the sixth largest trading company in Japan-- Nissho Iwai American Corporation (NIAC), Raoul “Ray” Donato [GS ’55, HS ’59, BSBA & BSLA ‘65] rose from the basement to the executive suite.

The Donatos were among the most prominent families in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. The family had a power plant and transportation business back then. Mariano Donato, Consul Ray’s father, was the first Filipino graduate of Notre Dame in 1929. That inspired Consul Ray to study and work abroad. He finished his Master in Business Administration (MBA) in Executive Management at Pace College in 1968 and the Executive Program for International Management in St. John’s University in 1971. Then, he further pursued his studies in Columbia University in 1991.

Consul Ray went into global business in Atlanta, Georgia where he met some billionaires or the richest people in the world. As a matter of fact, he had a 3 hours vis-à-vis conversation with Wal-Mart’s Sam Walton, whose assets are worth twice as Bill Gates; befriended the “most powerful man in the sports,” Nike’s Philip Knight, Hollywood action film star Arnold Schwarzenneger, politics icon Jimmy Carter, and former president of National Council of Churches Andrew Young.

Success was not served, however, to Consul Ray on a silver platter.


Wrecked air-conditioning unit

After college, Consul Ray was on the brink of discovering what he wanted to do with his life. For seven months, he floated around--partying all night. He felt a torrent of rejection and hopelessness from his family, especially from his mother Carmen and his father Mariano.

His father sheepishly told him that he ought to do something about his life. “I’m going to give you a one way ticket and 500 dollars. And you can go wherever you want,” he says. Consul Ray was swallowed up in one gigantic thought: he needed to get a visa.

Incidentally, the air-conditioning unit in his room conked out. “I couldn’t sleep at night. It’s too hot.” That madman stuff propelled him to come to the States.


An inflammatory letter

The Estradas and the Limhucos, owners of the Far Eastern Travel Agency (FETA), advised Consul Ray to place his assets [as a requirement] to get a US visa. But he declined because he didn’t want to get his father involved. Consequently, he wrote a provocative letter to the president of the United States (John F. Kennedy) agitating on democracy and communism.

In his epistle, he said that “… I went to De La Salle College and I was trained by the brothers of the Christian school. I want to go to New York and Philadelphia because they have been telling me what a beautiful country it is. And now that I just want to see the country of what I was been educated for about 16 years, they rejected my visa…”

After a month, he received a buzz from the [United States] embassy notifying him that a copy of the inflammatory letter went to the Attorney General. It was referred to the Department of State, then to the Ambassador. Consul Ray sarcastically challenged the diplomat to make the processing of his travel permit rapid since the embassy stated with great consideration that they have a special door for him. That’s how he used De La Salle University and the Christian brothers. And that’s how he got his visa.


One way ticket plus 500 bucks

Consul Ray believed that there’s a limit in life but there’s no limit in life itself. “I live by today. I don’t live by tomorrow.” At 24, that was the mentality that he set when he left for the States.

Accidentally, he met Mr. (first name) Gamboa, father of his good friend Francisco “Boy” Gamboa, who was then bound to Milwoki to visit his daughter. When asked where he is going, Consul Ray answered that he was still figuring it out. It was a perfect timing for him because Mr. Gamboa suggested that they go together on their trip and in their lodge. To save some money, they got a roll-away bed in the hotel. (How did you meet Fr. Abaya?) Father Abaya, one of the Filipino priests in the community, noticed that he was freezing so he gave him a coat from the Salvation Army. That overcoat kept him warm for 20 years.

Mr. Gamboa said that he’s going to New York. At such point, Consul Ray blurted out “I’m going there too.” Consul Ray had his gangly eyed and brace-faced season of struggle as he needed to buy a ticket to go to New York. Perhaps still, it was the same arrangement--He had to carry Mr. Gamboa’s luggage, sleep in the hotel roll-away bed, and do some household chores.

He said in his straight polish to Boy Gamboa: “I just have 300 dollars left and I need to get a job right now.”

The next day, Mr. Gamboa talked to Mr. Yamasaki of NIAC [which specializes in the metal industry] and inquired if there’s any vacant position in the company. Since Mr. Gamboa is a valued client, Mr. Yamasaki gave Consul Ray a job in the mail room.

Consul Ray felt that his condition in abroad was getting better but he had another problem--his visa. He doesn’t want to violate the immigration rules so he went to the [immigration] department to arrange his visa. He found out that he needed two letters--from his corporation--and the company that he’s doing business with. He made himself a representative of Gamboa-Rodriguez [company] and Nissho. That shifted his visa from B1B2 to an E1.


From the mail room to the executive chamber

At the mail room, Consul Ray had to read and sort all the letters and documents sent to NIAC and then deliver it to the different departments along with the smuggled cigarettes from Washington which he supplied to the Japanese and Cuban bosses.

John O’nneal, head of NIAC’s Steel Department, passed away due to heart attack. Seeing an opportunity, Consul Ray approached NIAC’s manager and volunteered to take the job.

“You try me. I will take this job at a salary that is the same with what I receive at the mail room [even less]. Just give me the job in two weeks. If I can’t deliver, take me out,” he offered. He got the post and the E1 visa.

Looking back twenty five years later, he became the first Filipino to be nominated as the senior vice-president and officer of their corporation. For 39 years, he worked in the metals, energy, soft goods division and also interacted with the automobile, aluminium, and construction industry. Over the past 10 years, he developed strategic areas of acquisition and mergers for the company in areas of chemical, general commodities, food, plastics, and machinery equipment. Recently, he also engaged in the oil and gas business in the energy field. Thus, he was able to travel extensively worldwide.

Heralding a new era, the principal operating arms of the group, Nichimen Corporation and Nissho Iwai Corporation, were merged to form a new single entity called Sojitz Corporation on April 1, 2004.


From senior vice-president to honorary consul general

After retiring three years ago, Consul Ray became active in the Filipino community. He was always impelled in [Filipino] parties in Georgia. Anghel Aranda, whom he met in New York, gave him the idea to do pro-bono work for Philippine nationals in the Southeast area of the US. He vied for the honorary consul general position and made an amendment and platforms.

Meanwhile, Br. Rafe was paying a visit to then Foreign Affairs Secretary Raul Manglapus. Manglapus said “There’s this guy, Raoul Donato from Atlanta who’s bagging everybody that he should be the honorary consul. And his paper is stuck here. Is he related to you?” When Manglapus found out that Consul Ray was Br. Rafe’s brother, he approved Consul Ray’s application as an honorary consul general.

As an honorary consul general, Consul Ray provided assistance to his kababayans in securing their US visa. Most Filipino immigrants don’t have an idea about the visa’s structure so he’s reaching out to them with empathy.


Back to De La Salle University

What Consul Ray remembered about De La Salle is the foundation that the Irish-American Christian brothers (Br. Benedict, Br. Gabriel, and Br. Fidelis) have inculcated in him. These are the things that he wanted to do--his journey in going to the United States--and to the global businesses.

“All De La Salle people were like a club because there’s a link. It’s hard to get in and it’s hard to get out,” he says.

Among his old confidants in De La Salle were Henry Cojuanco, Monchoy Garcia, Raffy Rufino, Manny Rufino, Louie Esteban, Mac Fernandez, Micky Ortigas, and Fred Garcia. His bond with his classmates and the spirit of De La Salle were kept in years.

When asked on what he wants to do within the next 5 or 10 years, Consul Ray would say with a wince: “I’m still trying to figure out what I’m going to do in the next few years.”

Consul Ray is married to (name of wife) and blessed with 2 children, Christine and Alexis.