03 January 2006, NEW YORK— After a highly acclaimed membership in the Security Council, the Philippines can look forward with confidence to more substantive participation in United Nations activities in 2006, including bids for membership in the Economic and Social Council and the Peace-Building Commission.

"The respect and goodwill we earned by our successful membership in the Security Council should propel us to pursue with vigor Philippine initiatives in the UN," Ambassador Lauro L. Baja, Jr., Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations said.

The Ambassador, who is the recipient of this year's The Outstanding Filipino award for diplomacy, said the Philippine Delegation will pursue the country's candidature for membership in the ECOSOC for 2007 to 2009. The ECOSOC is one of the principal organs of the UN that is responsible for coordinating economic, social, and related work of the 14 UN specialized agencies, 10 functional commissions and five regional commissions.

He said the Philippines is also vying for a seat in the newly created Peace-Building Commission which is the first UN body created to follow-through the development of countries emerging from conflict.

Ambassador Baja said membership in the Commission, one of the positive outcomes from the World Summit Outcome Document adopted in September, is considered prestigious since this is the first significant UN body created with broad consensus on its rationale and function.

"During the past year, the Philippine Mission also laid solid foundations for our ongoing initiatives, such as debt for equity in Millennium Development Goal projects and the interfaith dialogue for peace and we lead in advocating the link between international migration and sustainable development", he added.

Ambassador Baja said the Group of 77, composed of 133 member-countries, has adopted the Philippine proposal on debt for equity in Millennium Development Goal projects as the Group’s position.

"We are grateful to the President and to Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo for giving us their full support for our efforts," the Ambassador said.

The President chaired the historic summit of the Security Council last September, making her the first woman head of state and the first Asian leader to do so. Secretary Romulo launched the historic tripartite conference among governments, the UN and NGO's on interfaith dialogue last June.

"We hope to hold a major meeting in the Philippines on our interfaith initiative this year, which the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has committed to support as one of its projects", Ambassador Baja said.
 
He said the Philippines would also continue to work for the expansion of its participation in UN peacekeeping operations. The Philippines now stands as the 25th  largest troop contributing country and the largest troop contributor in ASEAN with 505 military and police personnel serving in seven peace operations worldwide. END