History

4 July 1946 - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) was created with Commonwealth Act No. 732 (Note: July 4 1946 was also the date that the United States granted the Philippines independence, so it was created when the Philippines was granted independence.

The DFA was intended to be one of the initial executive departments of the Philippine Government, though Commonwealth Act No. 732 really only states its existence and purpose. There is no indication of how the department will carry out its functions. That was intended to be dealt with when the Philippines was granted its freedom)

16 September 1946 - President Manuel Roxas issued Executive Order No. 18, which gives the DFA a formal structure. (That is, formal positions with duties, pay allocations, guidelines for picking officials and other members, and guidelines for said members)

June 1952 - Following the war, the DFA became one of the founding members of the United Nations (UN) and contributed to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). Upon recognizing the significance of foreign affairs, President Elpido Quirino then pushed to publish Republic Act No. 708 (previously named The Foreign Service Act of 1952) to strengthen the DFA and its causes.

1965 to 1986 - To protect national dignity and territorial integrity, President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. redefined the policies of the agency while promoting ”Asianness”, the unity of Southeast Asian states, to emphasize the need for increased collaboration and cohabitation. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was proposed to further strengthen these relations.

9 Decenmber 1987 - Under Presidential Decree 1060, the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) was established to train upcoming DFA personnel and serve as institutional support for the agency. (To better aid its management and formulation, the FSI reviews the DFA’s policies and systems.)

19 September 1991 - President Corazon Aquino signed the new Foreign Service Act of 1991 (Republic Act No. 7157), which reforms and strengthens the established act. During the November of 1989, the Philippines had became a founding member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

July 1992 to June 1998 - Under President Fidel Ramos’ administration, foreign trade and investments was boosted. He had also defined the core priorities of agency. (national security, protection of fellow Filipinos everywhere, and economic delicacy)

7 June 1995 - Established by President Ramos, The Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995 (R.A No. 8042) highlights the importance of the need for Overseas Filipino Worker’s (OFW) protection and rights outside of the State.