The Social Graces: Protocol and Etiquette
This course is a concise program designed to provide the participants with an overview of the diplomatic practice, order of precedence, and diplomatic ceremonies, as well as to familiarize them with the different types of arrangements for social functions. It includes a simulation exercise that allows participants to apply what they learned during the lectures.
Course on Conflict Resolution, Negotiation and Mediation
This course is designed to reinforce the participants’ knowledge on preventive diplomacy and to enhance their skills in utilizing negotiation and mediation as effective tools in preventing, managing and resolving conflicts between and among states. Participants get familiarized with the types and phases of a conflict. They also learn about the different types of diplomacy carried out at different stages of a conflict; discuss the various techniques and approaches in negotiation and mediation as diplomatic tools; identify common problems, and measures in resolving conflicts; and pinpoint the best practices in conflict resolution.
Training methodologies consist of lecture-discussions, case studies, simulation and workshops.
Course on Diplomatic Communication
This course is specifically designed to upgrade and develop the writing skills of the participants in preparing diplomatic correspondence. It aims to develop a sense of style to complement the substance of written communication. The course is intended to respond to specific English language needs.
To facilitate learning, this course is conducted through lectures and writing exercises.
Course on WTO Negotiations
This course focuses on the World Trade Organization (WTO) as a multilateral trading system, its principles and structures, and the agreements tackled in its forums. It also discusses the WTO dispute settlement mechanisms and procedures and the issues affecting the developing countries, particularly in the ASEAN region, in the areas of agriculture, textiles and garments, services, intellectual property rights and tariffs. It also includes a trade negotiation exercise. A simulation is conducted as the culminating activity.
Basic Course in International Relations
This course discusses international relations theory, the emergence of a world society and globalization, the different aspects of international relations, the diplomatic-strategic relations among sovereign states, cross-border transactions of nongovernmental groups and organizations, and the transgovernmental linkages between the departments of national governments that are not under complete central control. The course also examines the historical development of international relations and various concepts that are relevant to the study of the contemporary international system.
The course consists mainly of lectures and class discussions. Group reporting and other integrative exercises are also used to stimulate learning.
Course on Foreign Policy Analysis
This course systematically explains and provides a better appreciation of a country’s external relations. It emphasizes the study of foreign policy away from the non-cumulative descriptive case study approach to a method aimed at constructing a systematic and concise explanation of the foreign policy behavior of a state in a changing global order. It applies the theoretical analyses to explain the foreign policy behavior of other states in general. It further aims at relating changes in foreign policy to the overall transformation of world politics and the world political economy.
The course uses lecture-discussions as methodologies.
Course on Political and Economic Reporting
This course assists participants in preparing analytical and policy-oriented political and economic reports. Target participants are those currently doing research in their respective offices. The course, as designed, serves as a refresher program and enables participants to gain new knowledge and insights from resource speakers and subsequent learning exercises.
The course aims to hone the participants’ skills needed for sound political and economic analysis and forecasting, grounded on awareness of national interest and a well-defined conceptual framework. It provides new insights other than those that are available from standard sources like print media and published academic papers.
The course includes lecture-discussions, workshops and report-writing exercises to enhance learning.
Course on International Strategic and Security Issues
This course helps the participants gain a better understanding of the various aspects of security including human security, a concept that tackles population growth, public health, poverty, education, human rights and environmental protection, among other issues.
The course aims to strengthen the participants’ understanding of the general concepts of strategy and security. It also provides an overview of the methods used in promoting international peace and security and their significance to national security.
The course utilizes lecture-discussions as methodologies.
Course on International Terrorism
This course acquaints the participants with the basic issues concerning terrorism in both foreign and domestic settings. It focuses on terrorism as a phenomenon that affects communities and governments and the need to strengthen international cooperation and group action to mitigate it. It also provides opportunities for participants to develop a deeper understanding of terrorist behavior, its impact on international and regional security, and the various types of countermeasures.
Course on Environmental Diplomacy
This course is designed to prepare the participants in articulating national policies on the protection and preservation of the environment in Philippine territories as well as global environmental issues and concerns. It aims to provide the Philippine foreign service corps with the basic understanding of the global ecosystems and national environmental policy and the negotiating skills needed for this emerging task.
The course utilizes lecture-discussions, audio-visual presentation and field visits as methodologies.
Course on Conference Diplomacy
This course aims to assist the participants in developing and upgrading their skills and capabilities in planning, organizing and managing international conferences/meetings. It presents the various types of international meetings, their efficacy in achieving short or long range, general or specific, objectives. Participants learn how to maximize their involvement in international meetings before, during and after the conference. The course covers topics such as objectives, issues and problems of international meetings/conferences confronted by the delegation, its leaders, members and alternates, while providing points for analysis and decision-making.
Instructional methodologies include lectures, dialogue, group exercises and simulations.
Course on Transnational Organized Crimes
This course aims to equip the participants with the requisite knowledge to effectively help in the fight against transnational organized crime. It is divided into three modules. The first module focuses on the impact of transnational organized crime on the nation-state, especially on society, as well as its implications on governance, development and democracy. The second module presents transnational organized crime undertakings and the legal and administrative mechanisms pursued by the Philippine government to curb these crimes. There are also discussions on the measures adopted and on relevant institutions involved at the national, bilateral and multilateral levels. The last module serves as an evaluation of the effort and endeavor at various levels to mitigate the effects of transnational organized crimes and the problems these created.
The course uses lecture-discussions, audio-visual presentations, case studies and other participative approaches such as workshops and panel discussions.
Course on Maritime Law and Policy
This course covers a broad range of topics within the scope of maritime law and policy. Specifically, the discussions include (a) the historical and contemporary evolution of oceans law and policy; (b) the recent developments in ocean use and management in the Philippines and the world as a whole; (c) the diverse and conflicting international issues regarding ocean use and management; (d) the different approaches to the settlement of maritime territorial disputes; (e) the established international legal framework as well as new areas of cooperation toward sustainable utilization and development of the oceans; and (f) present-day Philippine maritime policy and other Philippine positions relative to oceans law.
The course uses lecture-discussions, simulations and other appropriate methodologies to maximize learning.
Archipelagic Consciousness Course
This course deepens the awareness of the participants on Philippine maritime territories and provides them with a basic understanding of the legal, political, security, economic, developmental and diplomatic implications of being an archipelago. It also includes an appreciation of the centrality of the archipelagic state principle to the country’s national and foreign policy.
The course utilizes lecture-discussions and includes a study tour.
Course on Labor Migration and Assistance to Nationals
This course aims to provide participants with a deeper understanding of the overseas Filipino worker—his environment, his problems and opportunities. The program also seeks to increase the participants’ knowledge on Philippine labor laws and the international agreements on labor and its instrumentalities.
Training methodologies include lecture-discussions, case studies, exercises and an open forum.
Consular Officers Course
This course aims to enhance participants’ awareness in the areas of (a) law and consular relations, (b) citizenship evaluation, (c) processing, issuance and essential considerations in awarding passports and visas, and (d) consular assistance.
Instructional methodologies include lecture-discussions, exercises and case analyses. Practicum sessions are organized to enable the participants to apply the knowledge and skills gained from classroom instructions.
Course on Philippine Culture and Values
This course heightens the participants’ appreciation of Philippine culture and values. Included in the program are guided tours and sessions with local experts in specialized subjects pertaining to culture and arts, Philippine society, its evolution and the interaction of its various institutions, Filipino identity and culture, traits and values, and Philippine ethno-linguistic groups. It also presents the historical development and notable achievements in literary, culinary, visual and performing arts, and further aims to enhance the participants’ skills in cultural diplomacy.
This course utilizes lecture-discussions, demonstrations, exercises and a study as methodologies to maximize learning.
Course on Investment Promotion
This course equips the participants with the requisite information and tools for promoting the Philippines as an investment site. It highlights the country’s competitive features and priority areas, favorable investment policies and legislation, and attractive incentive packages and prospects. It also discusses specific limitations and weaknesses of the Philippines as an investment destination, as well as the mechanisms adopted to address and overcome them. One module focuses on useful and practical marketing strategies, tools, and techniques to pro-actively promote Philippine economic interest in a particular area.
To maximize learning, lectures are reinforced by audio-visual presentation and group discussions. A familiarization tour of the Board of Investments (BOI) and a study tour of selected investment sites complement classroom discussions.
Course on Tourism Promotion
This course is designed to (a) brief the participants on tourism as a growth sector of the Philippine economy, (b) present the government’s policies and programs on tourism, (c) identify the various public and private agencies involved in tourism promotion and development and their respective roles, (d) identify the country’s main tourist destinations, (e) discuss the various promotional methods, and (f) provide the opportunity for the application of newly acquired knowledge and skills through tourism planning and promotion simulation.
Audio-visual presentations, lecture-discussions, group work, simulations, writing exercises and a study tour are used as methodologies.
Course on International Trade
This course aims to provide general knowledge and understanding of contemporary international finance and trade issues. It includes not only the dynamics among various players in the global arena but also the interaction with other domains such as peace, security and governance. In addition, it intends to equip the personnel of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) with pertinent administrative and legal instruments and existing global and regional economic regimes and institutions. At the end of the course, participants are expected to be able to articulate the Philippines’ trade policies and instruments as well as identify emerging economic trends and trade prospects.
Lecture-discussions, audio-visual presentations, panel discussions and forums are used.
Course on Export Trade Promotion
The participants in this course get familiarized with the relevant issues and developments as well as the policies and practices of some players in the global trading arena. These issues are discussed vis-à-vis Philippine foreign trade performance and position in the world market.
The course prepares DFA personnel for the promotion of trade in foreign posts without trade representatives or commercial attachés. The module focuses on promotable Philippine products and their potential markets, principles and procedures of market research and market intelligence, the mechanics of export transaction, and basic knowledge of product promotion.
Lecture-discussions, audio-visual presentations, workshops, a study tour, and case studies are employed to enhance learning.
Course on Crisis Management
This seminar-workshop provides the participants with insights into possible crisis situations that they may encounter while in the foreign service—from natural calamities such as fire, flood and earthquake to man-made disasters such as civil war and revolution. This is complemented with a discussion on the standard operating procedures and the more innovative approaches to manage exigencies.
Participants are expected to identify different types of crises, be familiarized with administrative mechanisms, support systems and linkages for crisis situations, enumerate the elements of a contingency plan, and prepare a country-specific contingency plan.
Lecture-discussions, case studies, and workshops are utilized.
Course on Public Relations
This course aims to hone the skills of participants in effectively communicating, nationally and internationally, an accurate image of the Philippine government and its policies as well as the continually shifting and expanding nature of the responsibilities of the DFA.
It employs lecture-discussions, communication exercises, study visits and other methodologies to enhance learning.
Orientation Program Toward Enhancing Responsiveness to OFWs
This program provides participants with insights into the realities of Philippine poverty as basis for deepened sensitivity, empathy and heightened understanding and responsive service to the Filipino migrant workers. It also aims to raise the awareness of participants on the factors of poverty and its effects on the family and the OFW, get acquainted with the life situations of the families of an OFW, and recognize the roles and limitations of the DFA in protecting the Filipino migrant worker.
The program uses participatory and experiential methodologies, which include case studies, interviews and field visits.
Seminar-Workshop on Human Rights
This seminar acquaints the participants with the basic principles and legal provisions of human rights in order to safeguard the rights of the Filipino migrant worker. It includes a topic on international and Philippine human rights systems, discussions on the provisions of Republic Act 8042, and measures to improve the mechanics and substance of local monitoring, international reporting and standard procedures in observing human rights.
It utilizes lecture-discussions, visual presentations, workshops, field visits and other appropriate methodologies as methodologies.
Administrative Officers Course
This course provides support and guidance to participants performing administrative functions in the DFA, both in the home office and the foreign service. Through this course, the enforcement and implementation of the Department’s regulations concerning administrative matters are ensured.
It uses group discussions, case studies and workshops in addition to the conventional lecture-discussion method.
Finance Officers Course
This course enhances the participants’ knowledge and skills in effectively managing and controlling financial resources and budget and in preparing accurate accounting and reporting of fiscal transactions in the home office, foreign service and the regional consular offices (RCOs) of the Department.
The training methodologies include lecture-discussions and practical exercises.
 
COMPUTER-BASED LEARNING PROGRAMS
Protecting Domestic Workers from their Vulnerability to Forced Labor and Trafficking: A Training Tool for Foreign Service Officers, Staff Officers and Attachés
This training tool is an interactive computer-based CD designed for individual use. It seeks to improve the service delivery of foreign service personnel to migrant domestic workers, particularly in posts with a large number of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), such as Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.
It consists of modular instructions, exercises and tests to maximize learning. Upon completion, the CD prints out a temporary certificate to be submitted to the FSI for the issuance of the original Certificate of Completion.
Various Courses on Computer Technology Applications
These courses aim to provide participants with knowledge and skills in presenting, processing, storing, managing and retrieving data with the aid of computer technology, and utilize lectures, demonstrations and hands-on exercises as methodologies.