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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Lazaro takes oath before Marcos as new DFA chief

Lazaro takes oath before Marcos as new DFA chief

Published Jul 1, 2025 10:25 am  |  Updated Jul 1, 2025 02:19 pm
Newly appointed Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro took her oath of office before President Marcos on Tuesday, July 1, at the Malacañang Palace.

DFA Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro shakes hands with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. after she was sworn in by the Chief Executive on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (Photo from Marcos' Instagram page)
DFA Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro shakes hands with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. after she was sworn in by the Chief Executive on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (Photo from Marcos' Instagram page)
Marcos posted photos of the oath-taking on his Instagram page, sharing that Lazaro was also conferred with the Order of Sikatuna, Grand Cross (Datu), Gold Distinction by the President.

“Today, we conferred the Order of Sikatuna on Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro in recognition of her service to the nation,” Marcos wrote.

“A career diplomat who has spent decades serving our country, she now steps up to lead the Department of Foreign Affairs, bringing the experience and steady hand we need to advance our interests, protect our territorial integrity and care for our people around the world,” he added.

Lazaro, who was previously the undersecretary for bilateral relations and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) affairs at the DFA, replaced incoming Philippine Representative to the United Nations in New York Enrique Manalo, who stepped down from DFA’s helm on June 30.

In a separate post on X, Lazaro thanked Marcos for his trust in her to serve as DFA secretary.

“Lubos puso kong pinasasalamatan si Pangulong @BongbongMarcos sa kanyang pagtitiwala at pagbibigay ng pagkakataong makapagsilbi bilang Kalihim ng Ugnayang Panlabas (I wholeheartedly thank President Bongbong Marcos for his trust and for giving me the opportunity to serve as Foreign Affairs secretary) @dfaphl (Philippine flag),” she wrote.

As a seasoned career diplomat, Lazaro served multiple times at the Office of Asian and Pacific Affairs, including as its assistant secretary, and held various positions in Philippine foreign posts—ambassador to Paris and permanent delegate to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), ambassador to Switzerland, consul general to Sydney, and deputy consul general to New York.

She also served at the Philippine Embassy in Madrid, the Philippine Mission to the UN in Geneva, and the Philippine Embassy in Bangkok in various capacities earlier in her career.

While Lazaro retired from the Foreign Service in 2024, she was appointed by Marcos to head the DFA’s Office of the Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs.

In this function, Lazaro became the lead negotiator for the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea and represented the Philippines in the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism with China.

She also stands as the country’s representative to the ASEAN’s senior official meetings, contributing in crafting the communiques of the regional bloc.

Confirmed by the Commission on Appointments (CA) last month, the new DFA chief is only the second female career diplomat appointed as the agency’s secretary.

She graduated from Maryknoll College with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies degree and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of the Philippines.

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