The officers and personnel of the Department of Foreign Affairs wish to convey their sincerest condolences to the family of the late Secretary Blas F. Ople, who passed away today, 14 December 2003, of natural causes in Taiwan.

Secretary Ople was a patriot and a true statesman who was appointed by the President to the position of Secretary of Foreign Affairs in July 2002, after a successful stint in the Philippine Senate, where he served as President Pro-Tempore, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and later as Senate President in the middle part of 1999.

As Secretary of Foreign Affairs, he initiated the continuing effort to establish a world-class Philippine Foreign Service as an integral part of the nation’s strong Republic. His term as Foreign Affairs Secretary was marked by the successful five-year campaign of the Philippines for membership in the UN Security Council, the election of the country to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) based in London and several successful candidatures in the UNESCO.

Secretary Ople was also instrumental in the recent election of the Philippines to the UN Committee on the Protection of the Rights of all Migrant Workers and the Members of their Families. In addition, he pursued the country’s re-election bid in the FAO Council in Rome for the term 2004-2007 to underscore the successes achieved by the government in food security and poverty alleviation through increased agricultural productivity.

In achieving these goals, the Department under the leadership of Secretary Ople simultaneously carried out its initiatives to improve its services to overseas Filipinos, enhance economic and cultural diplomacy, support the international community in the fight against terrorism and promote regional peace and security, as well as lay the groundwork for the implementation of the Overseas Absentee Voting Law.

Secretary Ople left behind a legacy of professionalism, service and dedication worthy of emulation by the officers and personnel of the Department of Foreign Affairs. His death is a great loss to the Philippine Government and to the Filipino nation.