DFA Engages Students of Mindanao State University in Iligan and Marawi During Third Leg of DFA Public Diplomacy Caravan
OPD Assistant Secretary Arvin R. de Leon (standing in gray jacket) formally opens the DFA Caravan at MSU-IIT
(photo credits to DFA-OPD Alexis Jerahmeel Tecson)
MANILA 25 March 2025 - The Department of Foreign Affairs successfully conducted the third leg of the DFA Public Diplomacy Caravan on 20-21 March 2025 at the Mindanao State University (MSU)-Iligan Institute of Technology and Mindanao State University-Marawi campuses. Around 500 MSU students participated in the said caravans.
The DFA delegation, led by Office of Public Diplomacy (OPD) Assistant Secretary Arvin R. de Leon, was composed of representatives from OPD, the Maritime and Ocean Affairs Office, the Office of Policy Planning and Coordination, the Human Resources Management Office, the Asian and Pacific Affairs office, and the United Nations and International Organizations office.
The delegation engaged the students in a two-hour session in each school with presentations on an independent Philippine foreign policy, the West Philippine Sea, Philippine maritime zones, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 2016 Arbitral Award, the Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month (MANAMo), Philippine bilateral relations in Maritime Southeast Asia, the Philippines’ work in the United Nations and other international organizations, and careers in the DFA.
An open forum followed the presentations where the DFA representatives responded to questions from students relating to Philippine foreign policies and current issues relating to the West Philippine Sea, the Trump administration’s policy pronouncements and its implication to the Philippines; the Philippine response to the Gaza humanitarian crisis; the Philippines rejoining the International Criminal Court; piracy; the Philippines claim in North Borneo; Philippine-Taiwan relations; and others DFA-related issues.
The goal of the DFA Public Diplomacy Caravan is to give the public a better understanding of the DFA’s different functions and responsibilities. Moreover, the caravan allows DFA to have direct interactions with its stakeholders to better appreciate their concerns and perspectives in relation to the DFA as a public service agency.
The DFA Public Diplomacy Caravan will continue in various universities and local government units around the country in the coming months. END
OPD Assistant Secretary de Leon explains to the students from MSU-Marawi the purpose of the caravan (photo credits to DFA-OPD Alexis Jerahmeel Tecson)
The DFA delegation calls on MSU System President Atty. Basari D. Mapupuno; included in the photo are (L-R) Atty. Norsary Mamad, Director, MSU Presidential Management Staff, Dr. Amerkhan Cabaro , MSU-Marawi Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, HRMO Acting Director Anna Marie Mae Guerra, UNIO Acting Director Johaira C. Wahab-Manantan, Assistant Secretary Alferez, Atty. Mapupuno, Assistant Secretary de Leon, Dr. Johara Alangca-Azis, OPD Acting Director Jacqueline Arquiza, Dr. Aldrich June Caraecle, Special Assistant, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, OPPC Acting Director Mark Hanzel Lao and ASPAC Acting Director Charles Lawrence Ching. (photo credits to DFA-OPD Alexis Jerahmeel Tecson)
The DFA delegation calls on the Chancellor of MSU-IIT, Prof. Alizedney M. Ditucalan, JD, LLM; also in photo are (L-R) UNIO Acting Director Johaira C. Wahab-Manantan, OPPC Acting Director Mark Hanzel Lao, Assistant Secretary Alferez, Assistant Secretary de Leon, Prof. Alizedney, Dr. Hazel Jovita-Olvez, Chairperson, Political Science Department, Acting Director Arquiza, Acting Director Guerra, and Acting Director Ching. (photo credits to DFA-OPD Alexis Jerahmeel Tecson)
Assistant Secretary Alferez (seated 2nd from left) responds to one of the questions posed by MSU-IIT students. (photo credits to DFA-OPD Alexis Jerahmeel Tecson)
MSU-Marawi students scan the QR code of information materials on West Philippine Sea; students were invited to follow the Department’s social media accounts (photo credits to DFA-OPD Alexis Jerahmeel Tecson)
Assistant Secretary de Leon (2R) responds to one of the questions from MSU-Marawi students (photo credits to DFA-OPD Alexis Jerahmeel Tecson)
Acting Director Wahab-Manantan presents the other agencies under the United Nations system (photo credits to DFA-OPD Alexis Jerahmeel Tecson)
The DFA delegation with the faculty and officials of MSU-IIT (photo credits to DFA-OPD Alexis Jerahmeel Tecson)
The DFA delegation (standing, last row) with the faculty and officials of MSU-Marawi (photo credits to DFA-OPD Alexis Jerahmeel Tecson)