Two senior diplomats of the Department of Foreign Affairs participated in the “Diplomat’s Hour,” an online dialogue between Chiefs of  Missions and Heads of Post, and Cadets  of the Foreign Service Officers’ Cadetship Course (FSOCC), conducted by the Institute’s Carlos P. Romulo School of Diplomacy.

Ambassador Antonio A. Morales of the Philippine Embassy in Singapore recounted to the cadets his tour of duty with much detail, from his first posting in Turkey to his assignment in Rome, his subsequent stint in the Home Office, and the succeeding assignments in Malaysia and, finally, Singapore. He emphasized that in each of his assignments, he found that it was important for every diplomat to learn the language of their host country. On a personal note, he recalled with fondness how both his stay in Turkey and Rome were like “a walk in history.”

Afterward, the cadets introduced themselves to the ambassador and took turns ask more about life in the foreign service.

Meanwhile, on 16 March 2016, Minister and Consul General Arlene R. Gonzales-Macaisa of the Philippine Embassy in Wellington joined the Cadets in the Diplomat’s Hour, sharing as well her experiences while serving in the Philippine foreign service.