NEW Philippine Ambass-ador to Bahrain, Corazon Yap-Bahjin, has made history by becoming her country's first female Muslim ambassador.

The appointment was confirmed on May 20, but the Philippine Foreign Affairs Department said yesterday that she was the first Muslim wo-man to hold the rank.

In 1979, she also became the first Fili-pina Mus-lim to pass the Foreign Service Officers (FSO) exam - said to be one of the toughest examinations in the Philippines and a requirement for joining the Philippine foreign service.

She succeeds former ambassador Eduardo Pablo Maglaya who left Bahrain in March.

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Before her confirmation, Ms Yap-Bahjin served as the assistant secretary for personnel at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Pasay City.

She also served as assistant secretary of the Office of Strategic Planning and Po-licy Co-ordination and as acting assistant secretary of the Office of Consular Affairs.

Her previous postings included Cairo, Amman (Jordan), Bangkok and Xiamen (China), where she was consul-general.