Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Chair of the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) Board Albert F. Del Rosario presided over the oath-taking of Hon. Claro S. Cristobal as the Director-General of the Institute in a simple ceremony at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on 23 July 2015.

The ceremony was attended by former FSI Director and now Undersecretary for International Economic Relations Laura Q. del Rosario and Chief Coordinator Ma. Theresa Dizon-De Vega.

Deputy Director-General Julio S. Amador III led the representation of the Institute, which include Ms. Marichu C. Liwanag, Head of the Carlos P. Romulo School of Diplomacy; Ms. Maria Anna Rowena Luz G. Layador, Head of the Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies; Ms. Carmelita S. Marasigan, Head of the Administrative and Financial Services Division; and Ms. Rowena C. Villanueva, Board Secretary and Head of the Institutional Linkages Unit.

Director-General Cristobal was designated by President Benigno S. Aquino III as Director-General of the Institute on 2 July 2015. Prior to his designation to the Institute, Director-General Cristobal was assigned to seven foreign postings, the latest as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Arab Republic of Egypt. He was also the Foreign Affairs Spokesperson of the Department from 2007 to 2009.

Prior to his diplomatic service, the Director-General taught Social Sciences at the University of the Philippines in Iloilo City and was a lecturer in Economics at the De La Salle University, Manila. He also held a managerial position at Cocomark, Manila. He obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy (cum laude) and Master’s degree in Economics and completed all course requirements for a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of the Philippines. He also has a Master’s Degree in Accountancy from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.

The Director-General is a recipient of the Presidential Citation Award for 2009-2010 and the Gawad Mabini Award in 2007.