Marcos Jr. swears in Tess Lazaro as new DFA sec

On Tuesday morning, President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. administered the oath of office to Maria Theresa 'Tess' Lazaro as the new secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Lazaro emphasized the need for patriotism and integrity among Filipino diplomats during her inaugural address at the DFA headquarters in Pasay City.

She replaced Enrique A. Manalo, who was reassigned as the Philippines' permanent representative to the United Nations in New York.

The President also conferred on Lazaro the Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Datu (Grand Cross), Gold Distinction for her leadership and contributions to Philippine foreign policy and diplomacy.

Lazaro brings extensive experience and expertise to her new position, having previously served as the DFA's undersecretary for bilateral relations and ASEAN affairs.

As the second female career diplomat to head the DFA after Delia Domingo Albert in 2003, Lazaro will craft guidelines on how to navigate the volatile security situation in the Middle East where more than two million Filipinos live and work.