DE LA SALLE-COLLEGE OF SAINT BENILDE

THE FOREIGN SERVICEINSTITUTE

“The Birth Place of Diplomats”
Patrick C. Agonias3/1/2012
CONTENTS
The paper will discuss about the Foreign Service Institute; its history, structure,function and
programs. This paper will be submitted to Ambassador Jose P. delRosario Jr. in partial fulfillment of the
requirements in Consular and DiplomaticPractices 1.
PREFACE.................................................................3ACKNOWLDEGEMENTS...........................................4 H
ISTORY..................................................................5FUNCTIONS.............................................................7STRUCTURE...
.........................................................8ILLUSTRATION OF THE STRUCTURE........................9PROGRAMS
AND SERVICES...................................10REFERENCES.........................................................12
HISTORY
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PREFACE
What is the Foreign Service Institution (FSI)? How it came to be? What is its structure, functionor
purpose? The term paper would answer the following questions. It will provide to answer the
historical background of the FSI and how it involved into the institution that it is today. Second it
will also give thestructure of the FSI and how it is governed and administered. Third, it will show
the programs of the FSIthat makes it a crucial agency especially to the Department of Foreign
Affairs (DFA).This term paper is done after an actual interview to FSI which was
conducted on the 20
th
of February2012 from 2:00 – 3:30. This is to be submitted to our Professor Ambassador Jose P. del
Rosario Jr. It isrequired for his class under Consular and Diplomatic Practices 1 (CONDIP1) on the 1
st
of March 2012.
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ACKNOWLDEGEMENTS
The author would like to acknowledge the support of Rhodora M. Joaquin, Supervising
ForeignAffairs Research Specialist of the Foreign Service Institute who gave her time
to me and my groupassigned to the FSI in coordinating and conducting an interview. Also the
support of Ambassador Jose
P.d e l R o s a r i o J r . o u r p r o f e s s o r w h o h e l p e d i n c o o r d i n a t i n g w i t h t h e D e p a r t m
e n t o f F o r e i g n A f f a i r s specifically to the Office of Personnel and Administrative Services
(OPAS). I’m grateful to their supportin helping me finish this term paper for CONDIP1.
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HISTORY
The Foreign Service Institute first began operating in the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)soon
after independence in 1946. Back then it was called the Institute of Foreign Service
and its mainactivity was the training of personnel for the Foreign Service.However, it did not
exist as a permanent organ of DFA. In the past, its graduates were exempted
fromtaking the Foreign Service Officer (FSO) examinations. The Republic Act No. 708 or the
Foreign Servicelaw stated that: any person who had satisfactorily completed the
training in the Institute of ForeignService and has served continuously for at least one
year in an advisory capacity or as a secretary to aPhilippine delegation or mission abroad
shall be certified as by the Board as eligible for appointment as aForeign Service Officer.With
the discontinuance of the institute, the DFA periodically organized and conducted in-
servicetraining courses on a need basis. Their primary objectives were to train newly recruited
DFA personnel.On the other hand other government agencies can also study in
the Institute. For example in 1966, theD F A w a s
requested by the Department of Commerce and Industry to train their 25 ne
w l y r e c r u i t e d commercial attaches and analysts. Therefore a 6-week training program called
the Basic Foreign ServiceCourse was conducted. It was conducted under Consul General Pacifico A.
Castro as Director.The course was expanded the following year into a 2-month course
under Dr. Pura S. Castrence, thenAssistant Secretary for Cultural Affairs. Again the following
year 1968, it was further expanded to a 3-month course under Ambassador Tomas C. Benitez, then
Assistant Secretary for Political Affairs.Then Foreign Minister Carlos P. Romulo realized the
importance of a continuing training program, headdressed the 1969 graduates – “I shall
explore the possibility of converting the existing Foreign Service course of the Department intoan
Institute with invited specialists and experts to assists through lectures, orientations and
discussions.”Seven years later, on December 9, 1976, President Ferdinand E. Marcos
signed into law PresidentialDecree No. 10600, it is popularly known as the Charter
of the Foreign Service Institute (FSI). The firstDirector of the FSI was Ambassador Vincente
I. Singian. He also served in concurrent capacity as SpecialConsultant of the Minister
of Foreign Affairs on Political Problems, until his retirement on January 23,1979.During
his tenure, the FSI organized and conducted four general orientation PED (Program for
ExecutiveDevelopment) training programs of 8 weeks each that were held at
the Development Academy of thePhilippines (DAP) in Tagaytay City and attended by about
150 Ministry of Foreign Affairs personnel atall levels from Chief of Mission, Counsellors, Foreign
Service Officers (FSOs) and Foreign Service Staff Officers (FSSOs).
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As stipulated by law, operations of FSI during its initial three years have been contracted to theDAP
and its training programs are handled mostly by the faculty members from
the University of thePhilippines (UP). In addition, what made the new FSI different
from the past is that they now provideresearches on concerns of the Philippines and
publications of official documents of the Philippines suchas trade agreements, treaties and the like.
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FUNCTIONS
The long term goal of the FSI is the professionalization of the Philippine Career Foreign Service.The
institute seeks to strengthen and to enhance its effectiveness through multi –pronged approach to
thetask of promoting professionalization in the Foreign Service.The FSI serves as a centre for the
professional career education of the Foreign Service corps. Pursuant of this goal; the training
component directs its efforts to the design, development and implementation
of c o u r s e p r o g r a m s o r i e n t e d a l o n g t h e l i n e s o f c a r e e r e d u c a t i o n . I t a
l s o s e e k s t o p r o v i d e t h e t a r g e t beneficiaries the opportunities for upgrading their
existing skills and knowledge and to develop in themthe attitudes, tools and methods for
career planning and decision-making.It also seeks to be research base on issues and problems in
foreign policy, diplomacy, international law,Foreign Service and the organization and management
of foreign affairs. The research and informationcomponents extended its support to training
and education programs through the development and publication of learning and
educational materials and resources suited to the needs of learning.It seeks to generate
on a continuing systemic basis the learning resources, information and
researchmaterials necessary to support the long range educational program of the
Institute. Moreover, it alsoendeavours to meet the immediate needs of the DFA,
in terms of information services and supportiveresearch projects in foreign
policy.I t i n t e n d s t o f u n c t i o n a s a n i n s t i t u t i o n a l c o n s u l t a n t o f t h e D F A o n c a r e
e r m a n a g e m e n t s y s t e m s development as well as related organizational systems. The Institute
studies and asses the existing career system in the Department in terms of the characteristics of its
career population, competence standardsdeveloped from its career structure and performance
criteria derived from its tasks structure.It defines and establishes opportunities offered by
the career system through the manpower planning and the development of a career
progression. Correspondingly, it designs and installs supportsystems for the maintenance,
establishment and development of opportunities and competences such as performance appraisal
system, career planning, guidance and counselling systems, etc. The functions areaccording to the
Republic Act 1757 of 1991, which contained the expanded mandate of the FSI.
STRUCTURE
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The FSI since it as a separate entity from the DFA in itself has its structure. It has a five-
personBoard of the Foreign Service Institute, chaired by the Secretary of Foreign
Affairs. It is the institute’sgoverning body. The remaining four is composed of the Chairman of
the Civil Service Commission,
theP r e s i d e n t o f t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f t h e P h i l i p p i n e s , t h e P r e s i d e n t o f t h e D e v e l
o p m e n t A c a d e m y o f t h e Philippines, and the Director of the Foreign Service Institute.The
institute is headed by the Director who is a senior career Chief-of-Mission. He is assisted byheads of
the Carlos P. Romulo School of Diplomacy (CPRSD), the Centre for International Relations
andStrategic Studies (CIRSS), and the Administrative and Financial Division (AFSD).
ILLUSTRATION OF THE STRUCTURE
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This is the structure of the FSI. The
s t r u c t u r e s h a l l s h o w t h e h i e r a r c h y w i t h i n t h e I n s t i t u t i o n a n d emphasize its
distinction from the DFA as a separate agency.
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
Training and Education
–
The Carlos P. Romulo of Diplomacy (CPRSD) was established with the FSI through
the FSIresolution No. 30-2000 and was inaugurated on the 22
nd
of May 2000. CPRSD was created out
of t h e o r i g i n a l a c a d e m i c o p e r a t i o n s u n i t k n o w n a s t h e C e n t r e f o r C a r
e e r F o r e i g n S e r v i c e Development (CCFSD). The School is envisioned to provide quality
training and education to thecareer foreign service corps and other public officials in subjects
related to their respective areasof responsibility.
Lectures, Symposia and Workshops
–
To increase the awareness and understanding of international trends, the Institute also hosts
thecurrent issues forum, symposium on diplomacy ad occasional lecture series.
These forums areenvisioned to provide venue for practitioners of foreign affairs, policy-makers,
members of theacademe, think tanks and non-government representatives to discuss
and asses’ crucial issuesaffecting the Philippines.
Scholarships
–
The Institute administers Foreign Scholarships and Training Programs (FSTP) offered directly
toDFA officers and regular employees, and coordinates with the Department of Education
(DepEd)for teacher’s basic education; Commission on Higher Education (CHED) for degree courses;
andTechnical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for non-degree courses
sourcedthrough Official Development Assistance (ODA).
–
The FSI sits as a member in the Foreign Scholarship and Training Program (FSTP)
ScreeningCommittees of CHED and TESDA
Research
–
By mandate of the Philippine Service Act of 1991, the FSI maintains a Centre for
InternationalRelations and Strategic Studies (CIRSS).
–
It undertakes studies in support of the formulation, review and dissemination of the
Philippineforeign policy. It also provides channels for interaction, cooperation and integration of
the effortsof local and foreign experts from the government, private and academic sectors on
foreign policyissues and their domestic implications.
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Publications
–
To disseminate information on Philippine foreign policy and diplomacy, the FSI publishes
booksa n d o t h e r r e a d i n g m a t e r i a l s a n d d i s t r i b u t e s t h e m t o b o t h H o u s e s o f C o
n g r e s s , n a t i o n a l government agencies, embassies in Manila, Philippine Foreign Service posts,
libraries of localuniversities, schools and colleges and other research institutions.
Library
–
The Carlos P. Romulo Library caters to the DFA, other government and non-
g o v e r n m e n t institutions, and academe. It provides reference services for inquires and literature
searching, aswell as information services through its Library Update, and the publication of Special
SubjectBibliographies.
–
The library houses a collection of approximately 13,000 volumes of books and 40
titles
of n e w s p a p e r s , j o u r n a l s a n d m a g a z i n e s , b o t h d o m e s t i c a n d f o r e i g n a n d 5 0 t i
t l e s o f n o n - p r i n t materials. It also serves as repository of annual or post reports of
Philippine Foreign
Servicee s t a b l i s h m e n t s a n d t h e o r i g i n a l s o f t r e a t i e s a n d a g r e e m e n t s e n t e r e d i
n t o b y t h e P h i l i p p i n e government.
–
The collection of the library are as follows:
○
General Collection - books for general circulation on different subject areas such
as political science, social sciences, literature, and military and naval science.
○
Reference Collection - reference materials such as encyclopaedias, dictionaries, atlases,handbooks,
manuals, and yearbooks.
○
Treaty Collection - a collection of certified true copies of treaties entered into by
thePhilippine government.
○
Philippine Treaty Collection (restricted) - original copies of agreements entered into bythe
Philippine government.
○
FSI Publications - a collection of publications of the FSI.
○
Maritime Collection - books on maritime matters and border and territorial disputes
○
Legal Collection - a collection of books on international law and other law-
relatedliterature.
○
ASEAN Collection -
a c o l l e c t i o n o f A S E A N d o c u m e n t s a n d o t h e r r e l a t e d A S E A N publications.
○
Periodical Collection - professional journals, newsmagazines, and newspapers.
○
Country Files - a collection of pamphlets, yearbooks, magazines, and other materials onvarious
countries, regions of the world, and international and regional organizations.
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○
Gender and Development Collection - a collection of books on gender and gender issues
○
Labour and Migration Collection - a collection of books on labour migration, refugees,and other
related issues, including ILO publications.
○
Other collections/materials - annual and post reports of Philippine embassies, consulates,missions,
and regional consular offices (restricted collection), materials published by theAPEC Secretariat,
United Nations, and UNESCO and non-book materials.
REFERENCES
Foreign Service Institute.
1979 Yeabook.
Manila, Philippines: Foreign Service Institute.Foreign Service Institute. (2012, February).
Brochure: The Foreign Service Institute. Metro Manila,Philippines: Foreign
Service Institute.Foreign Service Institute. (2011).
Foreign Service Institute: Programs and Services
. Retrieved
Febuary2 5 , 2 0 1 2 , f r o m F o r e i g n S e r v i c e I n s t i t u t i o n : h t t
p : / / w w w . f s i . g o v . p h / i n d e x . p h p ? option=com_content&view=category&i
d=15&Itemid=105Marasigan, C., Diaz, S., & Joaquin, R. (2012, Febuary 20). Term Paper: The Foreign
Service Institute. (P.Agonias, M. Alabado, B. Alvarez, A. Aquino, & J. Amores, Interviewers) Manila,
Philippines.The Republic of the Philippines. (1991).
Republic Act No. 7157.
Manila: The Republic of the Philippines.
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