OBJECTIVES

• To contribute to the enhancement of national security and the protection of the territorial integrity and national sovereignty;

• To participate in the national endeavor to sustain development and to enhance the Philippines' competitive edge in a global milieu;

• To protect the rights and promote the welfare of Filipinos overseas and to mobilize them as partners in national development;

• To project a positive image of the Philippines;

• To increase international understanding of Philippine culture for mutually-beneficial relations with other countries; and

• To increase and maximize human, financial, technological and other resources to optimize the performance of the Department.

FOREIGN POLICY

The most important provisions of the 1987 Philippine Constitution which pertain to the framing of Philippine foreign policy are as follows: