The Foreign Service Institute (FSI) trained 24 personnel of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Public Diplomacy and Global Reputation Management from 9 November to 4 December 2020.

The Course covered Public Diplomacy, Philippine National Identity, Symbolic Action, Nation Branding for Diplomats, Risk Assessment, Crisis Communication, and Using Social Media to Communicate a Nation Brand and was participated in by personnel from various Philippine embassies, consulates, and consular offices.

Senior diplomats and experts from government agencies, academe, private sector, and non-profit organizations that are based in the country and abroad, shared their experiences and knowledge through lecture-discussions and mini-workshops.

The participants’ presentation of their project proposals to promote the Philippines abroad highlighted the Course outputs. The participants, grouped into five (5) teams, built on selected Philippine Foreign Service Posts’ existing public diplomacy and cultural diplomacy programs. The Teams presented their proposals to a panel of experts and then submitted those to the Cultural Officers and Heads of Posts of Philippine Embassies in China, Germany, Russia, South Korea, and United Arab Emirates for consideration.

The Course design for Public Diplomacy and Global Reputation Management was a collaboration among FSI’s Diplomatic Tradecraft Programs and Area Studies Section (DTPASS), Ms. Khrystina Corpuz-Popov (DFA–Office of Public and Cultural Diplomacy), Ms. Mary Grace A. Perpetua (Philippine Embassy in Russia), and with substantive inputs from Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Commercial Counselor Mr. Enrico A. Mariano (Philippine Trade and Investment Center, Bangkok, Thailand).

From the first to the second row: Consul Gonaranao A. Musor (Philippine Embassy in Singapore) and Ms. Dulce Amor N. Fortunado (Foreign Service Institute) both served as Moderators; Mr. Frederick Martelino (San Miguel Brewery), Ms.  Vanessa Valdez (Star Cinema), Ms. Christrella Marey Garcia (Tarsier Records), and Ms. Kay Lee (Max’s Group of Companies) shared experiences on the ground and shared their suggestion to build upon PH nation branding and uphold global reputation of PH products and industries.
Acknowledging that nation branding involves a whole-of-nation approach, the Course engaged a private sector panel to discuss with participants issues and opportunities to push for PH brands internationally.
L-R, first to the last row: Consul Darell Ann Artates (Philippine Embassy in the United States of America);  Prof. Dazzelyn Zapata, PhD (National University of Singapore); Ms. Khrystina Corpuz-Popov (DFA – Office of Public and Cultural Diplomacy); Prof. Seul Ki Lee, PhD (Sejong University); Brad Geiser and Amor Maclang (GeiserMaclang Marketing Communications, Inc.); Jason Magbanua, videographer; Philip Roskamp (Embassy of the United States of America  in the Philippines); Ambassador Maria Theresa Dizon-De Vega (Philippine Embassy in Germany); Ambassador Ma. Angelina M. Sta. Catalina (Ret.);  Ambassador Hjayceelen Quintana (Philippine Embassy in the United Arab Emirates); Ambassador Jesus “Gary” Domingo (Philippine Embassy in New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga, and Cook Island); Undersecretary J. Eduardo A. Malaya (Undersecretary for Administration); Tama Merker and David Cutler (Fortuna Cools); and Prof. Lailani Alcantara, PhD (Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University).
Experts were assigned as coaches to facilitate a brainstorming and guide the teams: (From left to right) Coach Vikki Antoinette G. Luta (EON, Inc.) for Team Seoul; Coach Mary Grace A. Perpetua (Philippine Embassy in Russia) for Team Moscow; Coach Enrico A. Mariano (Philippine Trade and Investment Center – Bangkok) for Teams Beijing and Abu Dhabi; and Ms. Carolyn RH Malasig (AlmostDiplomatic.com) for Team Berlin.