15 July 2013 - As part of the celebration of the 115th anniversary of the foundation of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and in preparation for the 150th birth anniversary of the first Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Apolinario Mabini, the DFA opened today the exhibit on “The Philippine Foreign Service: Its Beginnings” at the DFA Main Building in Pasay City.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario led the inauguration of the exhibit together with former Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Albert, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Administration Rafael Seguis and Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Special and Ocean Concerns Jose Brillantes.
Members of the diplomatic corps, retired ambassadors, retired Foreign Service personnel, DFA officials and employees, as well as distinguished guests and members of the media were likewise present during the opening ceremony.
“As we move towards modernizing and improving all aspects of our work in the Foreign Service, it is worthwhile to take stock and reflect on the past, particularly on the significant personalities and events that shaped the history of our institution and also their impact on the country given our agency’s national significance,” Secretary del Rosario said in his remarks during the opening program.
Secretary del Rosario stated that the Philippine Foreign Service has grown in size and has expanded its global presence since the country attained its independence in July 1946.
“From its humble beginnings, with only four Foreign Service posts and around 40 officers and staff at the Home Office, the Philippines embarked on its lofty quest of gaining international recognition and securing its rightful place in the community of nations,” Secretary del Rosario cited.
“The hard work and sacrifice of our predecessors in the Foreign Service served as the foundation for the next generation of Foreign Service personnel and their good examples should be an inspiration to all of us,” he added.
The DFA-Office of the Undersecretary for Administration (DFA-OUA) has organized the exhibit in order to rekindle the interest of the Philippine Foreign Service personnel, students and the general public in the rich and multifaceted history of the country’s Foreign Service.
The two-week exhibit showcases the development of the Philippine Foreign Service for the period 1946 to 1970. It features rare photos, documents and memorabilia from archives here and abroad, including valuable items from the Carlos P. Romulo collection, antique travel and consular documents, photos of prominent personalities like Elpidio Quirino, Carlos P. Romulo, Leon Ma. Guerrero, Raul Manglapus, Narciso Ramos and Luis Moreno Salcedo, among others, and digital displays on selected topics on the Philippine Foreign Service.
The exhibit will also be complemented by two lectures on certain aspects of Philippine diplomatic history to be given by outstanding resource persons from the academe and active and retired Foreign Service officers. The lectures will discuss relevant issues in the past that have long-term impact in the growth and development of the Philippine Foreign Service.
The DFA-OUA organized the exhibit together with the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), the Office of Personnel and Administrative Services (OPAS), Office of Consular Affairs (OCA), Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Coordination (OSPPC), Office of Fiscal Management (OFM), Office of Protocol (OP), Public Information and Services Unit (PISU), and the Cultural Diplomacy Unit of the Office of the Undersecretary for International Economic Relations (OUIER-CDU).
It will run until 26 July 2013 at DFA Main Building at 2330 Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City and will be made available for viewing at the DFA-Office of Consular Affairs Aseana Building from 5 to 16 August 2013.
Part of the exhibit will be replicated in the different DFA satellite offices in Metro Manila and in the regions, particularly Visayas and Mindanao, as well as in the Foreign Service Posts.
For more information on the exhibit, please contact Mr. Manny Oira at telephone number 834-4068 or e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. END