In the early months of his administration, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. made the direction of his foreign policy clear: independent, a policy that will capitalize on the gains of his predecessors in protecting the country's interests.

Republic Act 7157 or the Philippine Foreign Service Act of 1991, enacted during the Ramos administration, mandated the Department of Foreign Affairs to implement the 'three pillars' of Philippine foreign policy -- national security, economic security and the protection of the rights of overseas Filipinos.