PEOPLE AT THE CENTER OF PHILIPPINE FOREIGN POLICY:
Highlights of the Department’s Accomplishments in 2006 

The year 2006 was a year of extraordinary challenges for the Department of Foreign Affairs – and, likewise, a year of extraordinary achievement. The Department’s mission has always been to advance the interests of the Philippines and the Filipino people in the international community. Its accomplishments in 2006, however, are a true testament to the dedication of its personnel to implementing and shaping a foreign policy that serves the people. Our Foreign Service personnel were actively involved in ensuring the safety of our nationals in various crisis points around the globe, even as they worked to push for international and regional initiatives that would protect Philippine interests. 

The Department’s work, as always, was focused on the three pillars of Philippine foreign policy: the preservation and enhancement of political/national security; the promotion and attainment of economic security; and the promotion and protection of the welfare of overseas Filipinos. 

Political/National Security 

The Department continued its work in facilitating and coordinating international efforts to sustain the peace process in southern Mindanao. It created opportunities for members of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) and the representatives of the Organization of the Islamic Conference’s (OIC) Secretary General to visit the affected areas and meet with local stakeholders such as the mayor of Marawi City. These meetings resulted in the OIC’s renewed commitment to supporting the peace process, particularly in terms of developing a socioeconomic environment in Mindanao that would foster peace and eradicate terrorist activity. 

Likewise, the Department continued to update other members of the international community of developments in the Philippine peace process, and has facilitated the formal invitation of several interested countries, such as Japan, Finland, and Sweden. During this year’s celebration of the 50^th Anniversary of the Normalization of Japan-Philippine Relations, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso announced his country’s intention to join the International Monitoring Team. Japan has since deployed a development expert who now serves as Senior Adviser for the socioeconomic aspect of the IMT. Sweden, on the other hand, has indicated its positive consideration of the invitation, and has sent a mission to visit the IMT headquarters in Cotabato City. 

The Philippines continues to pursue its bid for OIC observer status, and to this end, Secretary Romulo attended the 33^rd Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (ICFM) in Baku, Azerbaijan, where he delivered a speech before the OIC plenary. The Secretary also took the opportunity to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Indonesia, Iran, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, and Libya, to ensure their support for the Philippines’ observer bid. 

The Philippines has taken a proactive stance toward the enhancement of national and regional security. In 2006, the country focused its efforts on promoting the Philippine-led interfaith initiative, as well as enhancing regional and bilateral cooperation for counter-terrorism initiatives. 

The interfaith initiative, which was introduced by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during her term as president of the UN Security Council last year, rapidly gained ground this year. The Philippines has articulated, in various regional and international fora, its experience in using interfaith dialogue within its multicultural, multi-ethnic society, and its conviction that interfaith dialogue can serve as a foundation for lasting peace. The initiative has enjoyed support from the international community in the past year. On March 24, 2006, when Secretary Romulo launched the Tripartite Forum for Interfaith Cooperation for Peace in New York, he was joined by 50 governments, 12 UN agencies, and 110 religious NGOs that were similarly committed to exploring practical measures for the application of interfaith dialogue and cooperation for peace. 

The strengthening of key bilateral and regional partnerships for counter-terrorism efforts has also been at the top of the Department’s agenda for 2006. As a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and chair of the APEC Counter-Terrorism Task Force (CTTF), the Philippines has been actively pushing for public-private cooperative partnership in building the counter-terrorism capacities of developing member economies in APEC. This year, the Philippines came out with the APEC Counter-Terrorism Review, which presented a comprehensive review of the CTTF’s accomplishments since its activation in 2003. 

Economic Security 

On the economic front, the Department has concentrated not only on strengthening existing partnerships for trade and development, but on the promotion of Philippine culture as a means of enhancing the international community’s awareness of the country’s products and tourist attractions. The year 2006 saw the signing of the historic Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) at the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Helsinki, Finland. Under the JPEPA, the Philippines is the only country at this time that is allowed to send health workers to Japan, which is estimated to need 7.5 million health professionals by 2010. The Philippines also continued to strengthen its economic ties with China, in pursuit of a mutual trade goal of US$ 30 billion by 2010. 

In coordination with relevant government agencies, the Department has organized roadshows and trade missions to important markets, such as the US, Canada, India, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and Russia. Taking advantage of the recent economic boom in the Gulf States, the Department launched the Roadshow to the Middle East, which covered major commercial centers in the Gulf Area such as Riyadh, Dammam, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha. The Roadshow concentrated on promoting Philippine service exports such as outsourcing, engineering, and architecture, which are in demand due to the ongoing infrastructure development that is taking place in these cities. 

Developing energy security has also been a major part of the Department’s work in economic diplomacy, and to this end the Philippines has strengthened its bilateral and multilateral relationships with strategic partners such as China and Russia. The thrust toward developing energy security was highlighted during the State Visit of President Macapagal-Arroyo to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in May 2006, during which she explored possible technical cooperation between the two countries in developing the Philippine energy sector, and invited investors to explore the possibility of putting up an oil refinery in Mindanao. 

The promotion of Philippine cultural awareness in the international community has been one of the Philippines’ key strategies for the promotion of trade and tourism. In coordination with DOT, the Department organized the 2^nd Ambassadors/Consuls General Goodwill Tour of the Philippines in July 2006, which aimed to expose and familiarize participants from the United States and Canada to various potential areas of investments, livelihood, business, retirement, and tourism in the Philippines. 

Philippine products have also been creatively marketed through the annual Independence Day celebrations of our Foreign Service Posts, which use the celebrations as an opportunity to promote trade and tourism. The Centennial Tribute Gala hosted by the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. in commemoration of the Centennial Anniversary of Filipino Migration to the United States featured a cultural heritage show headed by Jose “Pitoy” Moreno, one of the Philippines’ top designers. 

Promotion and Protection of Overseas Filipinos 

Since the Gulf War in 1990, the Department, through its Foreign Service Posts, has actively developed and updated evacuation strategies for Filipino communities in the event of crisis situations. These evacuation strategies, which are developed and implemented in coordination with Filipino community leaders, relevant Philippine government agencies, and the local authorities of the host country, were a critical factor in the successful evacuation and repatriation of over 6,000 Filipinos from Lebanon during the Israel-Hezbollah conflict. 

Through the coordinated efforts of various agencies of the Philippine government, the first batch of evacuees was repatriated a mere week after the initial outbreak of hostilities. The efficiency and professionalism of the Philippine evacuation operations were later cited by the Regional Representative of the International Organization for Migration, who commended the Philippine government for its “excellent work”, as well as the “professionalism and commitment” of the personnel involved in the operations. 

The Department has also been active in the protection of the welfare of overseas Filipinos, particularly those facing criminal cases in foreign countries. In 2006, out of a total 33 Filipinos reported to be on death row, the Department successfully negotiated for and secured the commutation of the sentences of 5 Filipinos. The cases of another 19 Filipinos are currently undergoing negotiations for the grant of tanazul, or forgiveness, which is a requirement of shari’ah courts for the commutation of the death penalty. 

The improvement of the Department’s consular services, such as the issuance of passports and authentication certificates, has also been a key strategy for the protection of our overseas Filipinos. Aside from the ongoing development of a machine-readable passport, which will provide increased security of personal information, the Department has been continuously working on streamlining its frontline services in an effort to reduce the incidence of fixers. 

In 2006, the Department implemented Project 30-15, which effectively reduced the average waiting time for processing and release of authenticated documents to 30 and 15 minutes respectively. Likewise, Oplan Fastport allows the uninterrupted processing and release of passports from 7am to 5pm from Mondays to Fridays. 

Through its Mobile Passport Missions, the Department was also able to offer one-day processing and release of passports in various municipalities and cities across the country. 

The dedication of Foreign Service personnel to their mission to protect and promote the welfare of Filipinos was highlighted by their voluntary efforts to contribute to various causes. In November, the Department and Gawad Kalinga (GK) launched the GK-DFA Volunteers Village in Barangay Tawi-tawi, Pasig City, which was funded solely by donations of DFA personnel in the home office and in Foreign Service posts. More recently, Department personnel contributed donations in kind to the President’s humanitarian mission to areas and families devastated by Typhoons Milenyo and Reming. 

It is this dedication and a sense of personal responsibility of its personnel for their mission that has contributed to the achievements of the Department in 2006, as a truly exceptional year.

/jay

(Home)