ASEAN Deputy Secretary General Calls on DFA Secretary Romulo to offer ASEAN
assistance to Ondoy Victims
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ASEAN Deputy Secretary General Sayakane Sisouvong met Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo today, to
offer the assistance of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in view of the devastations brought
about by typhoon Ondoy.
Deputy Secretary General Sisouvong, who arrived today informed Secretary Romulo that the ASEAN has set up
an emergency relief fund called “ASEAN Cooperation Fund for Emergency Relief” to assist the victims of Typhoon
Ondoy/Ketsana that have hit the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and Lao PDR, as well as victims of the
earthquakes in Indonesia.
Deputy Secretary General Sisouvong was dispatched to the Philippines by ASEAN Secretary General Surin
Pitsuwan to assess the extent of the damages caused by the typhoon.
The initial fund for emergency relief will be taken from the ASEAN Development Fund, and will be used to
purchase relief items based on the needs of the affected populations.
During his two-day visit, Deputy Secretary General Sisouvong will meet with Secretary of National Defense and
National Disaster Coordinating Council Chairman Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. and Secretary of Social Welfare and
Development Esperanza Cabral to discuss the situation on the ground and how ASEAN could further help the
affected communities. He plans to visit an evacuation center.
ASEAN’s response to National Disasters is guided by the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and
Emergency Response, which promotes regional cooperation and collaboration in reducing disaster loses and
intensifying joint emergency response. END
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Ambassador Gaa meets US Congresswoman Berkley and Congressman Boustany
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Philippine Ambassador to the United States Willy C. Gaa met with United States Congresswoman Shelley
Berkley (D-NV) to discuss issues related to boosting trade relationship between their two countries.
The meeting took place last September 16 at the Cannon Building of Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
Congresswoman Berkley was a member of the Committee on Veterans Affairs and supported the Filipino
Veterans Equity Bill. She is now member of the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Ways and Means.
Ambassador Gaa also met with United States Congressman Charles W. Boustany on September 29 (R-LA) to
discuss ways to further strengthen RP-US trade relations.
Congressman Boustany took the opportunity to convey his concern over the recent tragedy in the Philippines and
expressed the hope that everything will get back to normal soon.
As a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, Boustany oversees expansion of markets for U.S.
produced goods, promotes economic development, and ensures that government programs such as Medicare
and Social Security have financial stability. END
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RP announces Holding of Leaders’ Summit on Interfaith Cooperation in 2010
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Exactly five years after the Philippines first brought interfaith cooperation in the agenda of the United Nations,
leaders of countries who have thrown their support behind Manila’s initiative will again gather for a high-level
meeting in New York next year to discuss the way forward.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo announced the holding of the Leaders’ Summit in 2010 at the
conclusion of the 4th Ministerial Meeting on Interfaith Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace and Development at
the United Nations Headquarters last September 25.
The summit will be held on the sidelines of the 65th Session of the General Assembly and will be the first such
meeting since President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo brought together leaders of 14 other countries who issued a
declaration asserting the importance of interfaith cooperation in attaining peace and development.
“The idea of interfaith dialogue and cooperation is spreading worldwide, and with a common goal – the
attainment of just and durable peace,” Secretary Romulo said in his opening statement at the ministerial meeting
that saw the participation for the first time of Australia, represented by Foreign Minister Stephen Smith, as a
member and regional partner.
“Our intergovernmental mission of promoting interfaith dialogue and cooperation presents a unique,
complementary approach to preventing conflict by sowing the seeds of mutual understanding, mutual respect,
tolerance, reconciliation and cooperation,” he added.
During the ministerial meeting, members commended the Philippines for its sustained leadership on the
interfaith initiative in the United Nations. In addition to the ministerial meeting, the Philippines is also behind the
Tripartite Forum for Interfaith Cooperation that brings together governments, UN agencies and faith-based
organizations and will host the Special Non-Aligned Movement Ministerial Meeting on Interfaith Dialogue and
Cooperation for Peace in Manila in December.
The Philippines, along with Pakistan and several other members of the ministerial meeting, was also behind the
adoption of a General Assembly resolution that resulted in the designation of the Department of Social Affairs as
focal point on interfaith and intercultural matters of the United Nations Secretariat.
In addition to the Philippines and Australia, the other members of the ministerial meeting are Bangladesh,
Belarus, Egypt, Gambia, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Pakistan, Senegal, Serbia,
Slovenia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago.
Bulgaria, Greece, Holy See, Iceland, Japan, Montenegro, Nepal, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain,
Sweden, Turkey, the United States, the United Kingdom and Vietnam have observer status, while the
Organization of the Islamic Conference, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization are
guests. END
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NAM EQUIPMENT (Addendum 1)
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Supplemental/Bid Bulletin: PROJECT NAM EQUIPMENT
In View of the non-attendance of any bidder to first pre-bid conference scheduled last 23 September 2009, the
Bids and Awards Committee is scheduling a 2nd Pre-Bid Conference for NAM Equipment Project, on 05 October
2009 at 2:30 p.m.
Interested bidders/suppliers are invited to participate in this pre-bid conference. click here for more details
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