The Foreign Service Institute (FSI) is part of the Department of Foreign Affairs and was formally established under Presidential Decree 1060 on 9 December 1976.
With the Promulgation of Republic Act (RA) 7157, or the Philippine Foreign Service Act of 1991, the mandate of the institute was revitalized and expanded.
“The institute, through its academic, training, research, information, publication, systems development and other programs, shall serve as the center for the development and professionalization of the career corps of the foreign service of the DFA and other government agencies which have offices and employees assigned abroad.
It shall maintain a Center of International Relations and Strategic Studies (CIRSS) and shall otherwise function as a research institution on issues and problems with foreign policy implications,
In this episode of ASEAN in Focus weekend edition, FSI’s Deputy Director-General Julio S. Amador III shed light on the FSI’s activities, as well as those related to ASEAN matters.
Mr. Amador was appointed as Deputy Director-General by President Benigno S. Aquino III on 4 June 2014 upon the nomination of the FSI board led by Secretary Albert F. Del Rosario.
Mr. Amador was a Fulbright scholar at the Maxwell school of citizenship and public affairs of Syracuse University where he earned a certificate of advanced studies in Security Studies and a Master of Arts in International Relations. He earned his BA in public administration from the University of the Philippines.
Deputy Director-General Amador received an Australian leadership award to attend an intensive training program at the University of Queensland-Asia Pacific Center for the Responsibility to Protect. He was also an Asian studies visiting fellow at the East-West center in Washington, and has given lectures and presented papers in academic and policy conferences in Australia, the United States, Canada, the UK, Europe, and Southeast Asia. He was supporting expert to the East Asian Vision Group II, and was Dame Jillian Sackler World Leadership Forum Fellow at the World Leadership Forum 2013.
Dr. Carlos Tabunda Jr., executive fellow of the Development Academy of the Philippines, and head of the ASEAN Studies center of New Era University interviews Deputy Director Amador in this episode.
ASEAN in Focus weekend edition is aired every Saturday, 2 p.m. at NET 25.