The year 2024 was a challenging one for the Philippines, as a member of the community of nations, marked by diplomatic hurdles and international controversies.

Yet, for the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), it ended on a high note with the long-awaited return of Mary Jane Veloso to the Philippines.

Veloso, an overseas Filipino worker convicted of drug trafficking in Indonesia in 2010, was initially sentenced to death that same year. She was brought home just before Christmas after more than 14 years in prison in Indonesia.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo hailed her return to the country as a “significant achievement” for the diplomatic relationship between Manila and Jakarta.

But bringing Veloso, who has consistently maintained her innocence regarding the over 2.6 kilograms of heroin found in her suitcase at Adisutjipto International Airport in Yogyakarta, was not an easy task.

Her return to the country — a once impossible task — was the result of the cumulative efforts of past and present DFA leadership, which became a shining moment for Philippine diplomacy.

Then-Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario’s efforts to halt Veloso’s execution by firing squad, combined with the diplomatic finesse of succeeding DFA heads, paved the way for her eventual release.

Secretary Manalo’s persistence in bringing Veloso home was a testament to the department’s commitment to its mission: to promote and protect Philippine interests in the global community.

West Philippine Sea

In 2024, the DFA also carefully threaded the line of diplomacy with various countries, especially China, which has overlapping claims with the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Under Manalo’s leadership, the DFA managed to ease tensions in the WPS, which had strained bilateral ties between Manila and Beijing over the past years.

To recall, it was no less than Manalo who described in May the bilateral relations between the Philippines and China as “a bit choppy.”

“Well, I would say, though, they’re a bit choppy. There are many issues that have come up recently,” he said, referring to the alleged wiretapping by Chinese diplomats in Manila as well as the China Coast Guard’s continuous aggression in the WPS.

The following month, the DFA, led by Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro, held “frank and constructive discussions” on the situation in the South China Sea with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong.

In a press statement, the agency noted that “both sides recognized the need to restore trust, rebuild confidence and create conditions conducive to productive dialogue and interaction.”

The DFA said the Philippine and Chinese representatives “discussed their respective positions on Ayungin Shoal and affirmed their commitment to de-escalate tensions without prejudice to their respective positions.”

“There was substantial progress in developing measures to manage the situation at sea, but significant differences remain. Both sides agreed to continue discussions to find a mutually acceptable resolution to the issues,” it stressed.

China claims the vast South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, which is within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone.

Beijing’s historic “nine-dash line claim,” however, was rejected by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 after it ruled in favor of Manila’s sovereign rights in the area.

Head of state visits

Over the past year, Secretary Enrique Manalo continued to solidify the Philippines’ commitment to an independent foreign policy by fostering robust diplomatic ties with nations around the globe.

From June 2023 to September 2024, the country’s top diplomat held an impressive total of 151 meetings with foreign ministers, including sideline discussions during various international summits and events.

Of these, 80 were standalone bilateral meetings with counterparts from Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and North and South America.

The year also saw a wave of high-profile visits to the country by foreign dignitaries, including New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, and former Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, among others.

Additionally, the DFA facilitated numerous high-level engagements with key foreign ministers, such as Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Timor-Leste’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Bendito dos Santos Freitas, Princess Hajah Masna of Brunei Darussalam and Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski.