28 March 2014 - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), in partnership with the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), successfully conducted from March 03 to 14 March 2014 the Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (AEP) Economic Diplomacy Strategic Management Workshop for 25 Heads of Posts, including 11 AEPs, two Consuls General, and 12 prospective Heads of Posts.
The program design of the two-week training workshop sprung from the instructions of Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario to enhance the skills and strengthen the capacity of the DFA’s Heads of Posts to effectively and efficiently promote economic diplomacy at their places of assignment.
With the effective collaboration of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM), the training workshop focused on refreshing the knowledge base of the participants with regard to economic theories and analytical models utilized in business management and leadership set in counterpoint or in support of those theories and models applied in the field of foreign policy analysis.
The sessions spread over three days in AIM helped participants to construct an overall picture of Philippine economic diplomacy as it relates to the global economy. Case studies and lectures series, including an interactive session with a select group of Philippine mayors who shared their experiences in successful governance initiatives, served to give the participants a widened perception of the value-added role of the Philippine ambassador in pursuing economic diplomacy programs and projects that directly impact their main constituents – the Filipino people.
Two days of interactive sessions and roundtable discussions of the use of communication skills as tools for economic diplomacy were managed by EON, a public relations company whose CEO, Mr. Junie del Mundo, a former Foreign Service Officer, strategically steered the training workshop into a unique learning experience that successfully wedded communication theories and skills with the experiences of Philippine diplomats on the ground. Trends and innovation in country branding planning and stakeholders relations, as well as leadership skills and management tools were also addressed with emphasis on the role of the Ambassador as clarifier and synthesizer.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Laura del Rosario outlined specific areas for action plans that the Heads of Posts could undertake in their host countries to push for DFA economic diplomacy programs and projects. Undersecretary Ferdinand Cui, Deputy Head of the Presidential Management Staff (PMS), highlighted a multi-government approach to delivering the goods to the Filipino citizenry at the lowest level in order to substantially address the challenge of poverty.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), in cooperation with the DFA Regional Consular Office (RCO), organized a study tour of the Province of Cebu which enabled the participants to interface directly with members of the private sector. Mr. Raymond Albert H. Batac, Executive Director of the DTI Foreign Trade Service Corps, flew personally to Cebu to present key facts and figures of DTI’s plans and programs to boost and further support the economic development of the country. His presentation laid the ground for greater understanding on the part of the participants of the high value of directly interacting with the country’s stakeholders in economic development – the private sector. During the study tour, the participants visited factories and stores promoting Philippine export products, among them the Profood Corporation, Kenneth Cobonpue furniture showroom, Ang Tindahang Pinoy and Ferimar. Interaction with representatives of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce was facilitated by the organization of a working dinner by Ambassador Jose Maria Cariño where there occurred a free flow of discussions on issues affecting the private sector in business development and the means by which the DFA through its ambassadors could directly boost private sector efforts to more towards greater economic prosperity for the country. Discussions also focused on the challenges of penetrating the traditional foreign markets as well as opening new markets for Philippine goods and services.
Insights on how local governments can indeed be partners for economic development were provided through meetings organized by the RCO with Cebu Governor Hilario P. Davide, III, Vice-Governor Agnes A. Magpale, Cebu City Mayor Michael L. Rama as well as Mandaue City Vice Mayor Glenn O. Bercede and Mandaue City Administrator Atty. James Abadilla. These meetings, each one lasting over an hour, served as forums in which local government representatives presented their views on the critical role held by ambassadors in promoting economic development on the provincial level in support of the national efforts. END