Article 21p. 21

ADMINISTRATIVE CODE AND LAW OF PUBLIC OFFICERS TEXT AND RULES

(3) Conduct Philippine representation in the United

Nations,

the

Association

of Southeast Asian Nations

(ASEAN),

and

other

international

and

regional

organizations;

(4) Serve as the channel for matters involving foreign

relations, including official communications to and from

the Republic of the Philippines;

(5) Negotiate treaties and other agreements pursuant

to instructions of the President, and in coordination with

other government agencies;

(6) Promote trade, investments, tourism and other

economic relations with other countries in cooperation

with other government agencies;

(7) Foster cultural relations with other countries and

protect and enhance the Philippines' image abroad;

(8)

Undertake

efforts

to

inform

the

international

community about the Philippines in cooperation with

other government agencies;

(9) Protect and assist Philippine nationals abroad;

(10)

Carry

out

legal

documentation

functions

as

provided for by law and regulations;

(11) Monitor and analyze events in other countries and

report them, as appropriate, to the President and other

government agencies;

(12) Initiate, formulate, integrate and submit to the

President short, medium, and long-range foreign policy

plans

and

programs

in

cooperation

with

other

government agencies;

(13)

Supervise

and

direct

officials and employees

assigned by the Department and other government

agencies to Foreign Service establishments abroad in

accordance

with

the

pertinent

laws,

rules

and

inter-agency agreements;

(14)

Recruit,

maintain

and develop a professional

career foreign service based on merit; and

(15) Perform such other functions as may be provided

by law.

SECTION

4.

Organizational

Structure .

—

The

Department shall have the following units:

(1) The Department Proper which shall be composed

of

the

Office

of

the

Secretary,

the

Offices

of

the

Undersecretaries, the Offices of the Assistant Secretaries,

and the Home Offices;

(2) The Foreign Service Establishments which are the

Philippine

Embassies,

Consulates,

Legations

and

Permanent Missions.

CHAPTER 2 Department Proper

SECTION 5. Offices Under the Direct Supervision of

the Secretary . — The Secretary shall exercise direct

supervision over the following:

(1) Foreign Service Institute . — The Foreign Service

Institute shall continue to operate under its charter, and

shall

have

the

following

main

objectives

and

responsibilities:

(a) Program, implement, and manage the Career

Foreign Service Development Program (CFSDP) in all of

its main components for the purpose of upgrading the

professional Career Foreign Service Corps;

(b) Program, implement and manage complementary

organizational

development

programs

for

the

Department as well as other training and educational

programs for both its career and non-career personnel,

and personnel of other government agencies assigned to

foreign missions;

(c) Program, implement and manage the necessary

supportive plans and operating systems for the Career

Foreign

Service

Development

Programs

and

complementary programs;

(d) Develop its own policies, and rules, program of

activities,

core

staff

and

consultants,

administrative

structure, operating systems and resources, in order to

enable it to accomplish competently its activities.

It shall be revitalized as the training, research, and

career

development

arm

of

the

Department,

in

accordance with such rules as may be prescribed by the

Secretary. The Institute shall be an integral participant in

the planning review process in the Department.

(2) UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines .

— The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural

Organization

(UNESCO)

National

Commission

of the

Philippines shall, in coordination with the Office of United

Nations and other international organizations, advise the

Philippine Government and the Philippine delegation to

the UNESCO Conference, on matters relating to UNESCO,

and

shall

function

as

a

liaison

agency

on

matters

pertaining to the Commission.

(3) Technical Assistance Council . — The Technical

Assistance Council shall continue to perform its present

functions including the conduct and expansion of its

programs.

SECTION 6. Undersecretaries . — The Secretary shall

be assisted by two (2) Undersecretaries, who shall be

appointed by the President, upon the recommendation

of the Secretary. The Secretary shall determine and assign

the

respective

functions

and

responsibilities

of

the

Undersecretaries. The Secretary shall designate one of

the Undersecretaries as Acting Secretary in his absence.

SECTION 7. Assistant Secretaries . — The Secretary

shall be assisted by six (6) Assistant Secretaries who shall

be appointed by the President upon recommendation by

the Secretary. The Secretary shall delineate the respective

areas of responsibility of each Assistant Secretary.

SECTION 8. Home Offices . — (1) Geographical Offices .

— The following offices shall be responsible for providing

staff support and policy guidance in the coordination,

supervision, monitoring, integration, and reporting of the

activities

and

operations

of

Philippine

diplomatic

missions and establishments within their geographic

coverage:

(a) Office of Asian and Pacific Affairs: Japan and

Northeast Asia, China, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, South

Asia and Pacific countries;

(b) Office of Middle East and African Affairs: the Gulf

States, Middle East and North Africa, West Africa, and

East Africa;

(c) Office of American Affairs: United States of America,

Canada, Mexico, the Central American and Caribbean

countries, and South America;

(d) Office of European Affairs: Union of Soviet Socialist

Republics, Western Europe, Eastern Europe and Central

Europe.

(2) Office of ASEAN Affairs . — The Office of ASEAN

Affairs shall be responsible for Philippine participation

and negotiation, as well as providing staff support and

policy

guidance

in

the

coordination,

supervision,

monitoring, integration, reporting and operations of the

Philippine Government in the ASEAN.

(3)

Office

of

the

United

Nations

and

Other

International Organizations . — The Office of the United

Nations and other International Organizations shall be

responsible for Philippine participation and negotiation

as well as providing staff support and policy guidance in

the coordination, supervision, monitoring, integration,

reporting and operations of the Philippine Government in

the United Nations, its specialized agencies and other

international organizations. It shall also serve as the

secretariat of all Philippine National Commissions and

Councils created pursuant to commitments in the United

Nations and its specialized agencies.

(4)

Office

of

International

Economic

Affairs

and

Development . — The Office of International Economic

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