Opening Remarks of the Hon. Dr. Alberto G. Romulo
Secretary of Foreign Affairs  

At the Opening of the Training for the Special Board of Canvassers 
on the Conduct of the 2007 Senatorial and Party-List Elections

(Delivered by Hon. Rafael E. Seguis
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Special Concerns and 
Chairman of the Overseas Absentee Voting Secretariat)

COMELEC Chairman Benjamin Abalos, 
OAV Chairman Florentino Tuazon, Jr., 
Colleagues, 
Friends, ladies and gentlemen:  

I am pleased to welcome you to the Training for the Special Board of Canvassers for the 2007 mid-term Philippine national elections.  

The Philippine Foreign Service is indeed a unique organization. Aside from promoting the Philippines ' good relations with other countries and performing consular functions, our Embassies and Consulates are also called to ensure that the rights and interests of our nationals abroad are upheld.  

This includes our people's right to suffrage and to participate in the country's democratic processes.  

The Department for its part constantly endeavors to provide the proper training to our Foreign Service personnel so that they can carry out their duties and functions well. After all, proper and adequate training is the foundation of efficiency and success.

I note that this two-day training is actually a continuation from last week's seminar.  

While I was out of the country on an official mission, representatives from our Embassies and Consulates were also gathered here to train as election inspectors and ballot custodians for both personal voting and voting by mail.  

The Department of Foreign Affairs thanks the Commission on Elections for providing guidance and direction to our personnel. By working hand in hand, we are partners in safeguarding the right to suffrage of every Filipino voter abroad.  

I also commend our Foreign Service personnel for their cooperation and enthusiasm in ensuring that our elections abroad will be conducted in an orderly, transparent, honest and credible fashion.  

Lastly, may I also express my appreciation to the DFA Overseas Absentee Voting Secretariat for organizing these training seminars, which I believe will certainly be beneficial for our personnel.  

With your support and cooperation, we look forward to implementing the democratic processes that will further empower our people and bring continued progress and development to the Philippines .  

Thank you and good morning to all of you!  

/jay

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