MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) plans to open 14 foreign service posts – embassies, consulates general, and a permanent mission – in the next 5 years, said Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano.

Cayetano disclosed this plan in the DFA’s budget hearing at the Senate on Tuesday, August 28. 

The DFA said the Philippines intends to open the following foreign service posts in the next 5 years: 

• Embassies – Sweden, Ireland, Palau, Colombia, Cuba, Ethiopia, Morroco, and Kazakhstan
• Consulates general – Barcelona, Nagoya, Istanbul, Melbourne, and Almaty
• Permanent mission – International Maritime Organization in London 

Of these places, Cayetano said, DFA wants to prioritize Barcelona, Nagoya, Stockholm, Istanbul, and Dublin.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said that during the time of the late foreign secretary Blas Ople, they agreed on the standards to use in opening posts abroad:

• Political, “as in, we must have posts in all ASEAN countries, in the US, et cetera”
• Economic, “meaning, there is substantial trade or potentially large trade in the place where we are”
• Presence of Filipinos

“Yes, we are following those 3, plus another one – security, which we can also put under political,” Cayetano said. 

The DFA said that, currently, the Philippines has 85 foreign service posts based in 60 countries – including 60 embassies, 21 consulates general, and 4 permanent missions.

The DFA said 3 more posts will be opened this year. – Rappler.com