19 July 2005 -President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said today that the government is sending 200 additional soldiers to Haiti to join the multilateral peacekeeping force in that country in response to the request of United Nations (UN) Secretary General Kofi Annan.

The President made the announcement during the celebration of the 107th Founding Anniversary of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) held this morning at Malacanang’s Rizal Hall.

The new military contingent will join the 146-man Filipino peacekeeping force sent to Haiti in November 2004.

Aside from the Philippines, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Burundi, Afghanistan and East Timor have peacekeeping contingents in Haiti.

In brief remarks, the President also paid tribute to the DFA under Secretary Alberto Romulo for the successes the country has achieved in the fields of diplomacy and foreign service.

"Our election to the UN Security Council, our election as chair of the APEC Counter-Terrorism Task Force, these serve as highlights of the multilateral and international organizations’ trust in the leadership capabilities of the Philippines and the Filipinos, and of course of our foreign service," she said.

She congratulated the men and women of the foreign service "for going beyond the call of duty when our few nationals are in distress, for the joy of their families and the entire nation, that is truly the epitome of foreign policy in the service of the Filipino."

"But I thank you not only for these outstanding and celebrated efforts and examples of heroism, but also for your day-to-day work in your pursuit of our nation’s interest and securing them in every global forum," the President added.

She said the country is particularly grateful to the DFA community for the heroism shown in the rescue of Angelo dela Cruz, Angelito Nayan and Roberto Tarongoy.

In an interview after the anniversary rites, Romulo said the sending of additional peacekeepers to Haiti "is in line with our peacekeeping role. As you know, the President has been in the forefront of promoting peace not only at home as she said, we are also working to implement the GRP-MNLF agreement of 1996, we are on the verge of concluding the GRP-MILF peace agreement hopefully before the end of the year."

The RP peacekeepers will remain in Haiti until a new government is installed there following the September election. END
 
 
 
 

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