Along with efforts to strengthen local and international partnerships, the Department of education (DepEd) arranged for its personnel a two-day training on protocols and social graces.

Arranged by DepEd’s External Partnerships Service (EPS) in partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the training was attended by 50 members of the DepEd workforce.

“The focus is on proper procedures in dealing with high-ranking local and international guests who normally visit the country to support the government programs and projects,” explained Margarita Ballesteros, Director of DepEd’s EPS.

Ballesteros said the training was to ensure that every member of the agency adheres to a system of interacting with partners that is professional and in accordance with internationally-accepted manner and protocols.

The seminar was facilitated by Ambassador Eva Betita, who discussed the sources of protocols such as local customs, laws and regulations, scholarly treatises, and international agreements. The attendees also learned protocols to be observed when attending different functions, politeness in oral and written communications, and duties of protocol officers.

Ambassador Betita, who has 28 solid years of experience in the Foreign Service as ambassador, has also hosted many high-level meetings and international conferences. “There is no amount of agreements that can replace the value of goodwill,” she shared.

Ms. Sheila Velarde, retired Asst. Director of DFA, discussed social graces and personality development—including courtesies, niceties, politeness, table manners, and social etiquette.

Through its External Partnerships Service, the DepEd has been dealing with education partners from here and abroad to earn support for the country’s public school system. More than a billion worth of education packages have been delivered to public schools nationwide through linkages with local and international partners.

Source: http://deped.gov.ph/press-releases/deped-personnel-brush-protocol-better-partnerships