THE repatriation of distressed Filipinos from areas affected by armed conflict in the Middle East and victims of scam hubs in Southeast Asia were some of the accomplishments of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in 2025. The Philippine government repatriated 2,004 distressed Filipinos. About 138 of them fled the war between Gaza and Israel while 35 others left Iran. The DFA brought home 308 Filipinos who were trafficked by syndicates operating online scam compounds in Myanmar. Another 102 Filipinos were rescued from scam centers in Cambodia. They were among the 37,000 Filipinos who benefitted from the Assistance to Nationals Fund. On the other hand, 349 others availed of the Legal Assistance Fund. Scam hubs operate online “love scams” victimizing nationalities from the above mentioned countries. The perpetrators of love scams create fake online identities to exploit the vulnerabilities of their would-be victims, especially those who look for romance. The Philippine Embassy in Myanmar reiterated its advice to Filipino job seekers to be wary of social media posts advertising vacancies for Customer Service or Chat Support Representatives overseas. More passports, visas and better verification system The DFA, as part of its mandate, issued over 1.497 million passports and more than 89,000 visas and electronic visas (e-visas) this year. It opened 42 consular offices nationwide to reach more Filipinos. It improved its apostille system for faster processing of apostille for Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), Land Transportation Office (LTO), Philippine National Police (PNP), Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), and export documents “with no appointment required.” An apostille is a certification that verifies the origin/authenticity of a public document such as birth certificate, diploma, and marriage certificate. The DFA established 12 apostille hubs and three apostille receiving centers. Manila hosted high-level international conferences. “We actively promote the Philippines’ multilateral advocacies through the hosting of international conferences on women, peace and security; health security for Pacific Island States; and concerns and development priorities of middle-income countries,” the DFA said. Maritime dialogues and enhancing ‘soft power’ The Philippines also held 11 maritime dialogue mechanisms to address overlapping claims in the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea. “The Philippines will remain steadfast in upholding its interests in the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea, anchored on international law, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and the 2016 Arbitral Award,” the DFA said. The DFA said Philippine studies programs were now being offered in 33 academic institutions worldwide as part of the country’s effort to enhance its “soft power.” “We continue to showcase Filipino culture, arts, and heritage to foster mutual understanding and strengthen diplomatic relations,” the Foreign Affairs department said. The DFA conducted 16 public diplomacy caravans and study visits in different academic institutions nationwide to enable students and the public to know more about the department and better understand its role in implementing Philippine foreign policy. Changing of the guard The DFA was not spared in the Cabinet revamp instituted by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as he assigned then Foreign Affairs secretary Enrique Manalo to serve as Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations. Manalo on July 1 stepped down as DFA chief and passed the baton to former undersecretary for bilateral relations Ma. Theresa Lazaro. “In the face of formidable challenges, increasing regional and global tangents, domestic pressures, economic uncertainties, the accelerating pace of climate change, as well as disruptive forces of technology, the Department has remained steadfast through it all,” Manalo said. In her message to DFA officers and personnel, Lazaro said, “As the face of the Philippine government to the world, we are tasked with representing our country with both conviction and compassion.” “We are the vehicle by which the Philippine government conducts business with other countries,” the veteran diplomat said. “We safeguard our statehood as well as the dignity of every Filipino. Throughout all this, we must remain guided by the DFA’s core values of patriotism, integrity, professionalism, excellence, and service,” Lazaro said. The DFA and its attached agencies sought a P30.089 billion budget for 2026 which is 0.44 percent of the P6.793 trillion proposed national budget for next year. The proposed allocation will aid the department to continue to promote and protect Philippine interests in the global community and achieve a resilient foreign service for a “strong Philippines.” The Philippine government aims to open next year an embassy in Accra and Astana to further improve relations with Ghana and Kazakhstan respectively. It also intends to establish a consulate general in Miami, Florida in the United States to better serve the growing number of Filipinos there. Asean chairship and COC in 2026 The DFA looks forward to lead the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in 2026 as it took over the Asean chairship from Malaysia. The Philippines intends to finish the formulation of the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea during its Asean leadership next year. Lazaro said it was the “aspiration” of Asean and China to formulate the COC which has been pending since 2017. “It is a protracted process but it is moving,” Lazaro said in a press briefing in November.