On 10 September 2014, Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Jose Eduardo E. Malaya III served as the guest speaker on the fourth Diplomat’s Hour: Dialogue between Heads of Posts and Latest Batch of Foreign Service Officers.

He encouraged the FSO Cadets to write more,“I cannot overemphasize writing enough, because that is how you convey thoughts. If you need to report on something, you have to be good in writing.”

As a diplomat, he said that one can be creative by using one’s imagination. He stressed on the importance of going through the basics in order to clarify misconceptions. He advised the cadets on personal commitments to the job; that while they have the opportunity, they must try to do something because we all take turns and we need to move things.

On ASEAN, he suggested that “we should be sending our best ones within the region because this is where the problems are”, and inspired the new FSOs to aim to be posted within the region because this is where they would be most needed.