The incoming Foreign Affairs secretary

Early on during the first year of President Marcos’ term, he clearly indicated that the Philippines would pursue an independent foreign policy – one that would protect our national interest while promoting peace and strengthening relationships with like-minded nations.

“Our independent foreign policy – a friend to all and enemy of none – has proven effective. We formed strategic alliances with our traditional and newfound partners in the international community,” the President said during his second State of the Nation Address in July 2023, underscoring that a multilateral approach to foreign policy would be the best for the future of the country as we work with other nations to address issues of mutual concern.

Calling on the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United Nations to reaffirm their commitment to multilateralism during the 14th ASEAN-UN Summit in Laos last October, the president also highlighted the need to protect, uphold and live by the rules-based international order that has been established “to avoid the conflicts in the past – conflicts which have set humanity back several decades.”

At the 127th Independence Day celebration in Malacañang last Thursday, he told members of the diplomatic corps during the traditional vin d’honneur reception: “Our engagements with the world are geared towards building peace and cooperation, and to fostering enduring partnerships. We build bridges, not walls. We forge alliances that are based on mutual respect, reciprocity and shared goals.”

Although strengthening our relationship with our old ally, the United States, is a key factor in his foreign policy approach, the President also believes in the importance of diplomatically engaging with China, as evidenced by the fact that his first foreign trip in 2023 was to China, hoping that the opening of diplomatic relations that was initiated by his father in 1975 would ultimately lead to better relations – which, to a certain extent, probably worked in the beginning. However, the issues surrounding the West Philippine Sea obviously continues to be a challenge in maintaining a harmonious relationship with our neighbor.

The choice of our incoming Foreign Affairs secretary, Maria Theresa Lazaro – who will be assuming office in July – is fortuitous to a certain extent because of her exceptional skills in navigating delicate situations and de-escalating tensions, as seen in the important agreement that was forged with China in July last year that honored a provisional arrangement for the unhampered delivery of supplies to Philippine troops stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.

I met incoming Secretary Tess Lazaro over a decade ago at a despedida at the Manila Polo Club with my late friend Max Soliven, shortly before she assumed her post as Philippine Ambassador to France. As Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs, she has been at the forefront of negotiations for a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea and acts as lead negotiator with China, stressing the need for both countries to “restore trust, rebuild confidence and create conditions conducive to productive dialogue and interaction” while maintaining that the Philippines would be “relentless in protecting its interests and upholding its sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea.”

She is firm but at the same time highly respected, not only by the Chinese but many countries as well. Having Tess Lazaro as the next secretary of Foreign Affairs is undoubtedly an excellent choice, judging by comments made by mainstream media, the diplomatic community and the academe. This perspective is also shared by the members of the Commission on Appointments during her confirmation hearing.

There is no doubt, however, that outgoing Foreign Affairs Secretary Ricky Manalo played a key role in our foreign policy because of his experience and his multilateralist perspective that must have been honed during his various stints with the United Nations, the most recent of which was as Philippine Permanent Representative to the UN prior to becoming Secretary of Foreign Affairs.

As President Marcos described it, Ricky will be back in his “natural habitat” when he goes back to New York as Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations, now that our good friend Ambassador Tonet Lagdameo is retiring after serving for many years as Ambassador to London, Mexico and Spain.

The timing of Ricky’s appointment couldn’t have come at a better time, as we are gunning for one of the 10 non-permanent seats at the UN Security Council for the term of 2027-2028, with the elections taking place in June 2026 in New York.

“Our candidature is anchored on our country’s legacy in multilateralism as evidenced by our history of forging cooperation and seeking peace. We earnestly hope to receive the support of your respective governments in that field,” President Marcos emphasized during the Independence Day vin d’honneur in Malacañang, where he sought support from the members of the diplomatic corps.

The Philippines wants to have good relations with every nation as embodied by our foreign policy approach that we want to be a friend to all and an enemy of none. Admittedly, it has been challenging to be friends with some, but we will continue to work on engaging with them. Fortunately, we have a lot of good, smart professional diplomats at the DFA.

With Ricky Manalo in New York as our Permanent Representative to the UN and Tess Lazaro at the helm of the Department of Foreign Affairs – I am confident this diplomatic powerhouse will help us navigate the “choppy waters” we face in the next couple of years, particularly our relationship with the United States and China. Certainly, I look forward to working with both of them.

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