SECRETARY ROMULO OFFICIALLY WELCOMES RP's AMBASSADORS AND CONSULS GENERAL
 TO THE FIRST POLICY CONSULTATIONS WITH HEADS OF POST  

20 March 2007 — Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo officially welcomes RP's 71 Ambassadors and Consuls General to the First Policy Consultations with Heads of Post as he hosts a Welcome Dinner at the Renaissance Hotel in Makati City tonight, jump-starting three days of consultations and direction-setting guided by the three pillars of foreign policy and the nine realities enunciated by H. E. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the chief architect of Philippine foreign policy.  

The Policy Consultations, spearheaded by the Department of Foreign Affairs, is the first of its kind to be held in the Philippines .  It aims to set the policy directions of the Department for the next three years in line with the Department’s goal of incorporating a pro-active approach for a more relevant and responsive Philippine foreign policy.  

Discussions will revolve around foreign policy concerns and avenues for stronger inter-agency and public-private cooperation in the areas of economic security, national security, and the promotion and protection of the welfare of Filipinos overseas.  

Possible inter-agency projects as well as tie-ups with Philippine businesses and organizations will be explored in order to improve services in key areas such as Assistance to Nationals (ATM), trade promotion, political and security monitoring, as well as public diplomacy opportunities in niche areas such as medical tourism, mining, BPOs and other areas where the Philippines is globally competitive.  

At the end of this four-day event, the Department and the Foreign Service Posts are expected to come up with key deliverables and flagship projects related to these priority areas.  END

/jay

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