The Foreign Service Institute (FSI) conducted the Basic Foreign Service Staff Officers’ Course (BFSSOC) on 8-26 October 2018 at the Institute’s Special Envoy Carlos Chan Room for 15 Foreign Service Staff Officers (FSSOs) and Senior Foreign Service Staff Employees (FSSEs).

The participants and program managers of BFSSOC

 Due to the high demand and wide array of work that the FSSOs and FSSEs embark on, the course is offered to develop the essential tools and skills that they need to perform their duties and responsibilities competently and efficiently.

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila-College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences Professor Jennifer Decena-Monje discussed the rules and principles of written communication.

The course aimed to provide FSSOs and FSSEs with the theoretical concepts as well as the practical aspects of their duties and responsibilities in the Home Office and at Posts. The 48-hour training program included the topics on (1) the Philippine foreign service, (2) the basic duties and responsibilities of a foreign service staff officer, (3) written communication, and (4) leadership and management.

The training used lecture-discussions, question-and-answer sessions, and workshops to maximize learning. The participants also took an evaluation test to assess their knowledge and understanding of the topics that were discussed during the course.