12 December 2017—The Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur played host to personnel from selected Philippine Embassies and Consulates General in the Asia Pacific region as the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) conducted the Regional Seminar on Gender and Development (GAD) Analysis, Planning and Budgeting, Coaching and Mentoring and Psychological First Aid from December 2 to 9 at the Impiana KLCC Hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

Around 40 personnel from 25 Asia Pacific embassies and consulates general attended the seminar, which aimed to equip foreign service personnel with the necessary skills and methods to conduct GAD initiatives in their workplaces, implement their office’s plans and programs through proper planning and budgeting, and provide coaching, mentoring and psychological first aid assistance to their colleagues.

In his remarks, Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Charles Jose said that the training would be useful in facing current and future challenges, and hopes that the knowledge and skills would be utilized to help clients and colleagues alike.

“It is imperative that we in the foreign service are ready to help our nationals through plans and programs that are designed to alleviate their conditions while working in a foreign land.  At the same time, it is also imperative that we are equipped with the right attitude and skills to cope with helping others in the workplace,” he said.

“It is even harder for officers who are expected to assume leadership roles.  It is our duty to provide motivation, support and coaching to our staff to ensure that all of the office’s goals are achieved,” Ambassador Jose added.

The training was conducted by the DFA’s Human Resource Management Office, with resource persons from the De La Salle University, the Ateneo de Manila University and the Philippine Commission on Women.  END