01-07-2025
Tess Lazaro takes oath as DFA Secretary
Tess Lazaro has officially taken her oath as Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at Malacañang.
Lazaro previously served as Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs, a role that placed her at the center of regional diplomacy.
She headed the Philippine delegation to the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) on the South China Sea, a pivotal venue in addressing maritime disputes with China.
During her tenure, the Philippines and China reached a 'provisional understanding' on Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal), a flashpoint in the West Philippine Sea where the grounded BRP Sierra Madre has been used as a military outpost since 1999.
The new Foreign Affairs chief also served as the Philippines' ambassador to Switzerland, France, and Monaco, and as Consul General in Sydney and Madrid.
Lazaro succeeds Enrique Manalo, who was reappointed as the Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York.
