DFA-HRMO Successfully Conducts Gender-Responsive Leadership Training for its Top Management Officials 

Secretary for Foreign Affairs-Designate Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro (middle row, center) together with the DFA senior officials composed of the Undersecretaries for Administration, Migration Affairs, and Multilateral Affairs and International Economic Relations, including the Chief Coordinator, Assistant Secretaries, Deputy Undersecretary, Deputy Assistant Secretaries, Acting Heads of Offices, Senior Special Assistant, and Director-General of the Foreign Service Institute 

MANILA 19 June 2025 — The Department of Foreign Affairs, through its Human Resources Management Office (HRMO) and in collaboration with the Office of the Secretary, successfully conducted the Gender–Responsive Leadership Training for the Department’s top management officials from 14 to 15 June 2025 at the Makati Diamond Residences, Makati City. 

The two-day training is a key initiative under the DFA’s ongoing efforts to reinforce its institutional mechanisms on Gender and Development (GAD), promoting a culture of inclusivity, respect, accountability, and safety in the workplace. 

In her opening message, Secretary for Foreign Affairs-Designate Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro acknowledged the Department’s significant progress in advancing its gender-mainstreaming strategies. She also underscored the crucial role of leadership in cultivating a professional environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered. 

The training provided a platform for aligning leadership with the Department’s gender mainstreaming strategies, soliciting insights to enhance future GAD programs, and reaffirming collective accountability in preventing and addressing all forms of sexual harassment in the workplace. It reinforces the DFA’s commitment to building a workplace where every individual feels safe—guided by inclusive leadership and grounded in mutual respect. END

Secretary for Foreign Affairs-Designate Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro delivering her opening remarks

HRMO Assistant Secretary Christopher B. Montero delivering the GAD Milestones of the DFA 

Undersecretary for Administration and Chairperson of the GAD Focal Point System Executive Committee Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega (center), HRMO Assistant Secretary and Head of the GAD Secretariat Christopher B. Montero, together with the members of the GAD Secretariat