Marcos Jr. appoints Maria Theresa Lazaro as new DFA secretary

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has officially sworn in Maria Theresa "Tess" Lazaro as the new Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

Lazaro, a career diplomat with decades of experience, was also conferred the Order of Sikatuna with the Rank of Datu (Grand Cross), Gold Distinction.

She succeeds Enrique Manalo, who has been appointed Philippine Permanent Representative to the UN in New York.

As DFA undersecretary, Lazaro represented the Philippines in ASEAN senior officials' meetings and led key regional negotiations.

She also spearheaded Manila's dialogue with Beijing on maritime disputes in the West Philippine Sea and helped secure a provisional arrangement with China for the delivery of supplies to Filipino troops stationed at Ayungin Shoal.

Lazaro will also craft guidelines and issue directives on how to navigate the volatile security situation in the Middle East, where more than two million Filipinos live and work.

She is the second female career diplomat to lead the DFA, following Delia Domingo Albert in 2003.