Welcome to the Official Website of Lyceum of the Philippines University: College of International Relations

Lyceum of the Philippines University

COLLEGE OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

HISTORY

The School of Foreign Service, which was administratively under the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), initially offered the Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service (BSFS) degree In School Year (SY) 1954-55, as authorized by the Department of Education under Recognition No. 35 Series of 1954. A total number of 1,000 enrollees in school year 1959-60 prompted Lyceum President Dr. Sotero H. Laurel to separate the School of Foreign Service from the CAS. Dr. Laurel became the Acting Dean of the then newly separated School of Foreign Service which was later renamed College of Foreign Service (CFS).

The College had in its roster distinguished and prominent members that included the late President Diosdado Macapagal who became a Special Lecturer teaching Philippine Foreign Relations in 1969. Ten years later, former Ambassador to the Holy See Alberto Katigbak, in his capacity as Dean of the College of Foreign Service, initiated revisions to the BSFS curriculum. In SY 1981-84, Dr. Jose D. Ingles became Dean of the College. He resigned in 1985 to become Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and subsequently Undersecretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). Ambassador Benjamin B. Domingo, who was Dean of the College of Foreign Service from 1995-1998, resigned to become Undersecretary of the DFA.

In 1979, enrollment in the College reached 2,159 students, the second largest enrollment in the entire Lyceum of the Philippines. The College's highest enrollment was reached in 1988-89.

Starting SY 1992-93, Japanese Language (Nihonggo) was offered in addition to French and Spanish Languages that were the original foreign languages offered to Foreign Service students. Mandarin was later offered as another foreign language in 2003-04, although it was initially offered on an experimental basis a few years back. Similarly in the school year 1992-93, International Trade was offered as another major of the BSFS degree. Therefore, during the said school year, the College of Foreign Service begun offering two (2) major programs: BSFS major in Diplomacy and BSFS major in International Trade.

The College encouraged the establishment of College-based organizations to help promote the holistic development of its students. The Foreign Languages Association (FLA) was established in school year 1998-99 as an umbrella organization of foreign language students' associations. The FLA is composed of the Nihonggo Kaiwa Kai (NKK), an association formed in 1992 by Japanese language students; the Institution de la Langue Francaise (ILF), an association of French language students; and the Circulo Cervantino (CC), an association of Spanish language students. In addition, the Foreign Service Club (FSC), and the UNESCO Club, both organizations of Foreign Service students, were established in SY 1998 and SY 2002-03, respectively.

CFS produced graduates who passed the Foreign Service Officer (FSO) Examination given by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and subsequently joined the said Department. These are: Ambassadors Juan Ona, Rosalinda Tirona, Fortunato Oblena and Daniel Espiritu, who who took the FSO examination in 1964, 1967, 1969 and 1995, respectively. Ambassador Oblena was third highest passer in 1969 and Vice-Consul Espiritu topped the examination in 1995. Similarly, Prof. Julius Flores, a CFS faculty member, passed the examination and was consequently appointed by the DFA as Vice Consul. Other CFS alumnae who became members of the diplomatic corps were Ma. Amelia Magsajo and Emelinda Lee Pineda.

The College has forged cooperation agreements with varied organizations since SY 1998-99, most notable of which are: a Memorandum of Cooperation with the United Nations Information Center (UNIC), Manila Office; informal agreements with the DFA, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), World Trade Center Metro Manila (WTCMM), Philippine Air Lines (PAL), as well as with many other government and private establishments regarding the practicum training of BSFS students in the said establishments.

The College also established the RP-Japan Internship Program whose first participant was Mr. Manabu Tanaka, a Japanese national who taught Nihonggo classes in the College. It organized the First Foreign Languages Song Festival in SY 2003-2004 that was participated by Philippine students and foreign nationals. The College helped in designing the curriculum for the Master's Degree in Diplomacy offered in the Lyceum's Claro M. Recto Academy for Advanced Studies in SY 2000-2001. This course was later renamed Master of Arts in Foreign Service.

The College started institutionalizing the CFS Faculty Lecture Series on 17 July 1999 to "widen the avenue for intellectual and academic growth through research and sharing insights' and to "promote academic exchanges and discussion and esprit de corps and camaraderie among faculty members". The Lecture Series produced the following:

"ASEAN and the Philippines Today: Political Implication", Liezel O. Agliam, 14 August 2002
"Protection and Promotion of Overseas Filipino Workers" Welfare: A Three Pronged Approach", Ross Q. Quisao, 15 September 2001
"Japanese Lifestyle", Manabu Tanaka, 17 March 2001
"Local Government Decentralization", Victor Endriga, 19 August 2000.
"Sex and Gender in Politics", Gladys P. Nalangan, 22 January 2000
"Application of Autoregressive Models in Economics", Luis F. Dumlao, 18 September 1999.
"US-China Security Concerns: the Rimland Theory Revisited", by Geraldo S. Petilla, 17 July 1999.

Students from the College brought honor and recognition to the school with their participation in intra and inter-school competitions. Two CFS French classes qualified in the Inter-School Video Clip Production Competition during the La Journee Inter-Universitaire de la Francophone sponsored by the Alliance Francaise last 20 March 2004. There were also students who won top honors in the Gawad Pluma't Pandiwari (2003). Some were finalists in the Quiz Bee-General Information and International Affairs (2003 & 2004). One of the College' French language students won second place in the French Language Song Contest (2003) sponsored by the Alliance Francaise. Another student won in the Inter-School Debate Competition (2003); another was First runner-up in the National Rizal Quiz Contest (2001). In 2001, another FS student was Second runner-up in the Inter-College Academic Contest. In SY 1988-1999, first place was won in the Philippine Women Oratorical Contest. During the same school year, an FS student became Head Officer in the World Youth for Peace.

Nerissa Barao was recipient of the Nihonggo Center Foundation Scholarship Grant (15 September 2001); a Foreign Service (FS) student was sent as Philippine Representative to the First ASEAN-Republic of Korea Youth Exchange Program (1998-99); and another FS student was sent as Lyceum Representative to the Second National Youth Parliament (1998-99).

Members of the Faculty were representatives to various conferences and seminars held locally and abroad, most notable of which were the following:

Philippine-Iran Bilateral Conference on Dialogue Among Civilizations, Makati City, 4-6 August 2003
"Ehem! Understanding Corruption & Changing Mindsets", Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City, 7 July 2003
RP-US-China Relations: Foreign Policy Issues and Economic Implications, Makati City, 3 July 2002
Round Table Discussion on the Impact of the Post-September 11 US-led anti-Terrorism Campaign, 27 July 2002
Third Workshop on Understanding Modern China for ASEAN Countries, China, 16-29 September 2002
Official Observation Tour to China, 15-22 October 2002
Reconstructing Curriculum in Basic Education: The Critical Role of Teachers," Philippine Normal University, 10 November 2001
First Philippine Model United Nations Conference, Tagaytay City, 23-25 February
Fifth International Conference on Japanese Studies, Quezon City,

Faculty members were also consistent participants in the Japanese-Language Teacher's Seminar-Workshop sponsored by the Japan Foundation since 2001; Seminar for Teachers Teaching Spanish (since 2001) sponsored by the Instituto Cervantes; and National Conferences of the Philippine Political Science Association of the Philippines since 2001,

The College of Foreign Service sponsored the following symposia/lectures:

Philippine Foreign Relations, 26 June 2002
Philippine Foreign Relations in a Global Society, 11 February 2002
Cross-Cultural Protocol and Etiquette, 14 February 2002
A Diplomatic Career Through the Foreign Service Officer Examination, 29 September 2000

Two faculty members authored books. They are: Dr. Victor Endriga, who wrote "Manila, Makati, Pasig and Local Government Taxation, First Edition", and Prof. Juanito Donato, who wrote "Principles of Political Science" in 2000. Prof. Donato's book had been revised and used as textbook for CFS students.

Linkages with the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service (2000-2001), the Alliance Francaise, the Instituto Cervantes, and the Chinese Embassy (1999-2000) were established.

The College was a grantee of the 2001 Japanese-Language Teaching Materials Donation Program of the Japan Foundation.

The CFS celebrated its 50th anniversary during the CFS Week held from 16-20 February 2004 with the following activities: Foreign Languages Song Festival, Golden Anniversary Exhibit, Lecture-Forum on Philippine Culture, CFS-DTI-DFA Dialogue, Search for Future Diplomats, and Diplomat's Ball, during which the CFS honored Dr. Sotero H. Laurel as its Founding Dean.