NEW YEAR’S MESSAGE

OF

DR. ALBERTO G. ROMULO
Secretary of Foreign Affairs

29 December 2006

      We at the Department of Foreign Affairs join the Filipino nation in welcoming the New Year with overwhelming optimism and solid faith in the future of the Philippines.

Let the past year slip away with hurts forgiven, triumphs celebrated, sacrifices and heroism honored, and lessons learned.

The year ahead of us shall not be without its share of challenges and difficulties but the Filipino spirit has always proven itself resilient and determined to forge ahead with pride and dignity.

We honor our overseas Filipino workers for their sacrifices and patriotism. And in recognition of the immeasurable contributions of our nationals abroad, we re-dedicate ourselves to the promotion of their well-being and safety in all corners of the globe.

          We thank our allies in Asia and beyond, for treasured friendships and close cooperation. Through tragedies and losses, peoples of the world have shown the ability and compassion to stand shoulder to shoulder as a caring and sharing community. The Philippines, as a recipient of generous assistance in the face of natural disasters, knows how important it is to serve as a good neighbor to others in times of adversity.

We anticipate a successful, productive, and meaningful ASEAN Summit in Cebu as an international event worthy of our people’s undivided support. 

We also look forward to working closely with the Commission on Elections and overseas Filipinos voters in the second overseas absentee voting exercise in our country’s history.

Throughout the year, the men and women of the Department of Foreign Affairs shall endeavor to live up to the expectations of our people and the demands of a highly competitive, complex and ever-changing world.

A Happy New Year to all!  END

/epa

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