JPM-Press Release-2022-4

Amb. Servigon (topmost, left) speaks before the students of the University of San Agustin

JAKARTA, 26 February 2021 – Philippine Permanent Representative to ASEAN, Ambassador Noel Servigon, participated as guest speaker in a webinar organized by the Junior Diplomats Corps of the University of San Agustin on 26 February 2022.

Speaking on the topic, “The New Normal in ASEAN Meetings and Events,” Ambassador Servigon discussed how multilateral diplomacy, particularly the conduct of meetings and events in ASEAN, had to transform and adapt under the new normal due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ambassador Servigon delved on the good features as well as the challenges of virtual diplomacy as experienced by the Permanent Mission of the Philippines to ASEAN during the past two years.

According to Ambassador Servigon, among the advantages of virtual diplomacy as experienced by the Philippine Mission to ASEAN are safety, avoidance of travel hassles, technological innovation and environmental benefit as the carbon footprint which accompanies air and land travel is dramatically reduced.

He pointed out that among the challenges of virtual diplomacy are the loss of personal touch in negotiations and corridor diplomacy, dependence on technology and cybersecurity risks.

He concluded his talk by highlighting that in diplomatic meetings, whether face-to-face or virtual, the message should be conveyed effectively. He stressed that diplomats should be ready to adapt.

“As diplomats, we should always identify all sorts of scenarios in our international engagements and be prepared to innovate again for any contingency in the near future,” he said. (END)