Pasay City, March 20, 2025—The Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP), through its Graduate School of Public and Development Management (GSPDM), and the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) have formalized a strategic partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) at the FSI Headquarters.

In a significant step in championing governance excellence, this collaboration paves the way for the conduct of the Certificate in Public Management (CPM) program. The CPM program complements the Foreign Service Officers Cadetship Course (FSOCC) of the FSI by strengthening Foreign Service Officer (FSO) cadets’ competencies in leadership, strategic thinking, policy analysis, and governance.

Key officials present at the signing included: DAP Officer-in-Charge Magdalena L. Mendoza and FSI Director-General Atty. Francisco Noel R. Fernandez III, as principal signatories; and GSPDM Dean Lizan E. Perante-Calina and Carlos P. Romulo School of Diplomacy Director Evelyn O. Katigbak, as witness signatories. Special guests included Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Edgar B. Badajos, Office of the Secretary Special Assistant Patricia Milla, and Human Resource Management Office Acting Director Sharmaine Tiffany L. Garcia.

OIC Mendoza underscored the long-standing partnership between DAP and FSI, tracing back to the Career Foreign Service Development Program (CFSDP) in 1976, which helped establish FSI. She highlighted the CPM program’s interdisciplinary approach to leadership and governance, reinforcing its role in preparing future diplomats to navigate the complexities of international relations. Director-General Atty. Fernandez expressed FSI’s gratitude for the collaboration, affirming DAP’s recognition of FSI as the premier institution for diplomatic education and training.

This partnership reaffirms DAP and FSI’s shared commitment to advancing diplomacy and governance excellence, ensuring that the next generation of Foreign Service Officers is equipped to address evolving global challenges.