19 June 2013 – To bring the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) closer to the Filipino people and for them to have a greater understanding and appreciation of the DFA’s role in nation-building, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario called on the more than 800 students of Silliman University and its neighboring universities and schools to take part in promoting Philippine Foreign Policy.

Secretary del Rosario made the call on June 18 at Silliman University in Dumaguete City where he was invited as guest speaker in the University’s first academic convocation.

In his remarks, the Secretary encouraged the students to take the Foreign Service Examination as one of the ways to participate in advancing the country’s Philippine Foreign Policy.

 “It has been said that you have to be an exceptional individual to be a Foreign Service Officer because you have to take a series of exams that are as tough as you have never seen in your life,” Secretary del Rosario said in his remarks.

 “It will be challenging but it is one of the most satisfying jobs in the world,” the Secretary said as he encouraged the students to take the Foreign Service Examination which is held annually.

The convocation, dubbed the “General Education Integrative Learning Series,” was held at the University’s Claire Isabel McGill Luce Auditorium and was likewise broadcast live on Skycable covering Dumaguete City and the three neighboring municipalities of Sibulan, Valencia and Bacong. Skycable in Dumaguete City has an estimated number of 25,000 viewers.

The Secretary then shared with the students the foreign policy priorities of the Department which are anchored on the three pillars of Philippine foreign policy, namely, the promotion of national security, the promotion of economic diplomacy and the promotion of the welfare and protection of the rights of Filipinos overseas.

In particular, the Secretary highlighted the country’s choice of bringing the West Philippine Sea dispute against China to arbitration and emphasized to the students the importance of the rule of law in resolving the West Philippine Sea disputes.

He underlined that the Philippines’ choice of arbitration under UNCLOS is the last resort for a peaceful resolution of disputes in the West Philippine Sea after exhaustion of political and diplomatic approaches. He added that the Philippines had nearly 50 consultations with China for a peaceful negotiated settlement of its maritime disputes but with no success.

“Arbitration is an open, friendly and durable approach. Arbitration benefits all nations. For China, we think that the arbitration will be able to define and clarify its maritime entitlements for its constituents. For the Philippines, the arbitration will clarify what is ours. It will define where we can fish. It will define our access to our natural resources and it will define our enforcement of our laws within our own exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf. For other countries, it serves a very useful purpose as well. We will be able to do away with the threat to freedom of navigation from the region,” the Secretary emphasized.

Convinced that interacting with the young minds who will take over the helms of the government in the future is always a worthwhile task, the Secretary also shared to the students that in making the DFA more effective, projects and programs are designed and are being implemented in making it “smarter, leaner and meaner.”

He cited that the Department has brought services closer to the people by opening over 15 consular offices in attractive malls not only in Metro Manila but in the provinces and cities. He also mentioned that a consular office will be opened at the Robinsons’ Place in Dumaguete on the third quarter of the year to make the DFA’s services closer to the people of Negros Oriental.

 “I see a wealth of talents of future leaders before me and I’ve told you what the challenges are in the DFA. You have to be dedicated. You have to read. You give up sleep,” he said but he quickly added: “However, we have come up with a battlecry in the Department, ‘reach beyond your grasp.’ If you are prepared to do that you have the whole world in front of you.”

The academic convocation was likewise attended by Representative George Arnaiz of the Second District of Negros Oriental, Representative Henry Pride Teves of the Third District of Negros Oriental, Representative Josie Sy-Limkaichong of the First District of Negros Oriental, Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo, Dumaguete City Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria, Professor Leonor Magtolis-Briones, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of Silliman University, Judge Candelario Gonzales, Jr., Vice Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of Silliman University, former Ambassador Tony Villamor, Presidents, administrators, faculty and students of St. Paul University Dumaguete, Foundation University, Negros Oriental State University, Asian College of Science and Technology, and Maxino College. (Photos by Mr. James Karl Roa and Mr. Denniz Futalan of Silliman University) END