| Secretary of Foreign Affairs | |
|---|---|
| Kalihim ng Ugnayang Panlabas | |
 Seal of theDepartment of Foreign Affairs | |
.jpg) | |
| Department of Foreign Affairs | |
| Style | Madam Secretary (informal) The Honorable (formal) Her Excellency[1] (diplomatic) |
| Member of | Cabinet National Security Council |
| Reports to | President of the Philippines |
| Seat | Pasay |
| Appointer | President of the Philippines withCommission on Appointmentsadvice and consent |
| Term length | At the president's pleasure |
| Inaugural holder | Apolinario Mabini |
| Formation | January 21, 1899 |
| Website | www |
Thesecretary of foreign affairs (Filipino:Kalihim ng Ugnayang Panlabas) is theCabinet of the Philippines member in charge of implementing foreign policy for the government of the Philippines as the head of theDepartment of Foreign Affairs.
The incumbent secretary isTess Lazaro, who has served since July 1, 2025.
Under the basis of Commonwealth Act No. 732,[2] Republic Act No. 708,[3] and Republic Act No. 7157,[4] the duties and powers of the Secretary is: "advises and assists the President in planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, integrating, and evaluating the total national effort in the field of foreign affairs relations in pursuit of its Constitutional mandate".[5]
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | President |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Apolinario Mabini (1864–1903) | January 21, 1899 | May 7, 1899 | Emilio Aguinaldo |
 | Felipe Buencamino (1848–1929) | May 7, 1899 | November 13, 1899 |
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | President |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Claro M. Recto (1890–1960) [6] | October 19, 1943 | March 12, 1945 | Jose P. Laurel |
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | President |
|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) | Elpidio Quirino[a] (1890–1956) | July 5, 1946 | January 6, 1950 | Manuel Roxas |
| Elpidio Quirino | ||||
 | Felino Neri | January 6, 1950 | May 11, 1950 | |
.jpg) | Carlos P. Romulo (1899–1985) | May 11, 1950 | January 1952 | |
 | Joaquín Miguel Elizalde (1896–1965) | April 18, 1952 | December 30, 1953 | |
 | Carlos P. Garcia[b] (1896–1971) | December 30, 1953 | August 22, 1957 | Ramon Magsaysay |
| Carlos P. Garcia | ||||
_(cropped).jpg) | Felixberto Serrano (1906–1990) | August 22, 1957 | December 30, 1961 | |
.jpg) | Emmanuel Pelaez[c] (1915–2003) | December 30, 1961 | July 1963 | Diosdado Macapagal |
| Salvador P. Lopez (1911–1993) | July 1963 | May 9, 1964 | |
| Mauro Mendez [7] | May 9, 1964 | December 30, 1965 | |
 | Narciso Ramos (1900–1986) | December 30, 1965 | November 30, 1968 | Ferdinand Marcos |
| Carlos P. Romulo (1899–1985) [8] | November 30, 1968 | June 2, 1978 |
PresidentFerdinand Marcos issued Presidential Decree No. 1397 on June 2, 1978, converting all departments into ministries headed by ministers.[9]
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | President |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlos P. Romulo (1899–1985) | June 2, 1978 | January 14, 1984 | Ferdinand Marcos |
 | Manuel Collantes (1917–2009) Acting | January 14, 1984 | June 30, 1984 | |
 | Arturo Tolentino (1910–2004) | June 30, 1984 | March 4, 1985 | |
| Pacifico Castro (1932–2001) Acting | March 4, 1985 | February 25, 1986 | |
 | Salvador Laurel[c] (1928–2004) | February 25, 1986 | February 2, 1987 | Corazon Aquino |
 | Manuel Yan (1920–2008) | February 2, 1987 | February 11, 1987 |
PresidentCorazon Aquino issued Administrative Order No. 15 on February 11, 1987, converting all ministries into departments headed by secretaries.[10]
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | President |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manuel Yan (1920–2008) | February 11, 1987 | October 15, 1987 | Corazon Aquino |
.png) | Raul Manglapus (1918–1999) | October 15, 1987 | June 30, 1992 | |
.jpg) | Roberto Romulo (1938–2022) | June 30, 1992 | April 30, 1995 | Fidel V. Ramos |
.jpg) | Domingo Siazon Jr. (1939–2016) | April 30, 1995 | January 20, 2001 | |
| Joseph Estrada | ||||
 | Teofisto Guingona Jr.[c] (born 1928) | February 9, 2001 | July 15, 2002 | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo |
.jpg) | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo[d] (born 1947) Acting | July 15, 2002 | July 16, 2002 | |
 | Blas Ople (1927–2003) | July 16, 2002 | December 14, 2003 | |
| Franklin Ebdalin Acting | December 14, 2003 | December 22, 2003 | |
 | Delia Albert (born 1942) | December 22, 2003 | August 18, 2004 | |
.jpg) | Alberto Romulo (born 1933) [11] | August 18, 2004 | February 23, 2011 | |
| Benigno Aquino III | ||||
 | Albert del Rosario (1939–2023) [11][12] | February 23, 2011 | March 7, 2016 | |
.jpg) | Rene Almendras (born 1960) Acting | March 8, 2016 | June 30, 2016 | |
_(cropped).jpg) | Perfecto Yasay Jr. (1947–2020) Interim [13][14] | June 30, 2016 | March 9, 2017 | Rodrigo Duterte |
 | Enrique Manalo (born 1952) Acting [15] | March 9, 2017 | May 17, 2017 | |
 | Alan Peter Cayetano (born 1970) [16][17][18] | May 18, 2017 | October 17, 2018 | |
.jpg) | Teodoro Locsin Jr. (born 1948) [19] | October 17, 2018 | June 30, 2022 | |
.png) | Enrique Manalo (born 1952) [20] | July 1, 2022 | July 1, 2025 | Bongbong Marcos |
| Tess Lazaro | July 1, 2025 | Incumbent |
