Honorable Secretary Alberto Rómulo,
Madame Rómulo,
Colleagues in the Department of Foreign Affairs,
Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen:

Today is a new day: we have a new leader of DFA! Colleagues, let us welcome the 24th Secretary of Foreign Affairs! Mabuhay si Secretary Alberto Rómulo!

Once more, I wish to thank most sincerely Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for the ineffable honor she has given me by appointing me the first woman Foreign Secretary of the Philippines from among the career officers of the DFA. Words fail to express fully my profound appreciation.

Once more, I thank you, my dear Co-Workers in the Department for your support and your cooperation. Your recognition of that “great swing” and “new drive” would not have been possible without your above par performance and winning team spirit. I commend you, your hard work and dedication, your strong sense of service and professionalism, and your deep and profound commitment to our people. I have every confidence that you will continue with your outstanding work and service under the leadership of Secretary Rómulo. I leave the position of honor that I have strived to give credit to for the last nine months, but I remain with you. Fortunately, I still belong to the ranks of career officers of our Service.
My term as Secretary of Foreign Affairs has been marked by numerous achievements, supportive of the pillars of foreign policy and the realities identified by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

We have kept the peace process on track by pursuing continued talks with the MILF and the NPA with the assistance of our bilateral partners, in the hopes of achieving progress and development, particularly for the people of Mindanao.

The war against terror continues to be a major agenda of our foreign policy. The Philippines is actively engaged in counter-terrorism initiatives and measures to ensure maritime security.

In support of efforts for peace in Iraq and the Middle East, we promoted the safety and welfare of the 1.5 million Filipinos in the region. Despite criticism over our decision to bring home our humanitarian contingent, our relations with our allies remain strong. As a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, we successfully contributed to the passing of UNSC Resolution 1546 which seeks to bring lasting peace to Iraq and subsequently, the entire Middle East.

We have continued active engagement in multilateral fora such as ASEAN, APEC, ASEM, FEALAC, NAM, WTO and the United Nations, while regularly informing our publics of our policies and actions.

We have heightened our initiatives in economic diplomacy.
While continuing to assist Filipinos overseas, we have also given them the new opportunity to participate responsibly in the electoral process through overseas absentee voting.

We have remained true to the vision and mission of the Department of Foreign Affairs and time has now come for me to pass the leadership of the Department to our President’s inspired choice. Secretary Rómulo assumes the leadership of our Department at a crucial time in our foreign policy. As Executive Secretary, he worked closely with us in the Department on many critical issues and brings with him intimate knowledge and experience in Philippine foreign policy.

Secretary Rómulo’s distinguished career and high positions in the executive and legislative branches of government have prepared him for the many challenges facing our country in this increasingly more complex world.

An alumnus of a Philippines “ivy-league” school, he aims at target objectives and hits them with “Green Archer” accuracy. A Doctor of Laws from the Universidad Central de Madrid, his insights on the rule of law governing men and nations blend classic and contemporary thought; integrate fundamental, immutable principles with pragmatic and progressive jurisprudence.

His mastery of economics and finance is outstanding. It shone in his performance as President Corazón Aquino’s Secretary of Budget and Management. As Senator, he headed the Senate Committee on Banks, Currency, and Financial Institutions. His major economic and financial legislation—including the Salary Standardization Law, the Tax Exemption on Christmas Bonus, and the Early Retirement Act—bear the stamp of genius. I sincerely hope that all these could find meaning in our dedicated efforts to improve our modest DFA budget.

He is also a manager par excellence. He was Senate Majority Floor Leader for five years. As Executive Secretary, his remarkable skill in planning, organizing, and implementing programs contributed immensely to the President’s outstanding governance of our people.

Keenly attuned to the President’s mental wave length, Secretary Rómulo is confidently poised to pursue her eight diplomatic realities; to bolster the three pillars of Philippine diplomacy; and to meet the multi-faceted challenges of international relations—wisely, prudently, firmly committed to the national interests of our people.

Led by a man of such intellectual caliber, such education, such experience, we in the premiere Department of our Government will, I am sure, as true and stalwart professionals, live up splendidly to our world-class aspirations.

Colleagues, we are marking an auspicious beginning. Indeed, this is a new and glorious day. Let us welcome Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alberto G. Rómulo.

Mabuhay!