DFA Marks 125th Year Milestone, Vows to Continue Legacy of Patriotism, Professionalism, and Service to the Nation
MANILA 19 July 2023 – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) marked its 125th founding anniversary today in a celebration hosted by Malacañan Palace at the fabled Heroes Hall. The event was graced by the presence of President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin, former President and current Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Chair of the House Committee for Foreign Affairs Rep. Maria Rachel J. Arenas, Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo, other high-ranking government officials, and descendants of the Department’s founding chief – the revolutionary hero Apolinario Mabini.
President Marcos hailed the DFA for its professionalism and its quiet yet effective diplomacy, underscoring in particular the skill and efforts of the career foreign service corps. As the Chief Architect of Philippine foreign policy, the President cited the DFA’s valuable contributions to the success of his international engagements and to helping steer the country through a complicated global political landscape.
In his remarks, Secretary Manalo lauded DFA colleagues for keeping alive the agency’s revolutionary spirit, driven forward by patriotism, passion, and national pride. The Secretary emphasized the Department’s determination to innovate and push frontiers across the wide breadth and depth of its mandate – from digitizing frontline consular services, to providing critical assistance to overseas Filipinos, to projecting a responsible, engaged, and peace-oriented Philippine brand of diplomacy.
“The DFA can truly claim that its women and men have built indelible legacies that every Filipino can be proud of", said Secretary Manalo, who further exhorted the foreign service corps to continue answering the call of duty and selfless service to the nation.
The celebration was also highlighted by the conferment of a number of Departmental and Presidential awards, including the prestigious Gawad Mabini, which for this year was given to four honorees from the DFA in recognition of exceptional and distinguished accomplishments.
The DFA was founded on 23 June 1898 as one of the initial four Departments at the very dawn of the first Philippine Republic. Apolinario Mabini was appointed by President Emilio Aguinaldo to lead what was then known as the Department of Foreign Relations, Marine, and Commerce. Today, the DFA is guided by the Constitutional mandate of an independent foreign policy, anchored on the three pillars of the preservation and enhancement of national security, the promotion and attainment of economic security, and the protection of the welfare and interests of Filipinos overseas. END