RP membership bid in economic council backed

The Asian Group in the United Nations formally endorsed yesterday the Philippine’s bid for membership in the world body’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday.

The Philippine Mission to the United Nations informed Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo that the endorsement of the Philippines’ candidacy was made during a meeting of the 54-member Asian Group in New York.

Ambassador Lauro Baja Jr., the country’s Permanent Representative to the UN, said in his report that "the endorsement is a great leap forward and ensures our getting elected during the 61st General Assembly in October where I expect the Philippines to get the required two-thirds of UN members present and voting."

Baja said the Philippine Mission began lobbying strongly for the Asian Group endorsement since last December which was the last month of the Philippines’ tenure as a non-permanent member and president of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

Manila’s candidacy in the ECOSOC follows its historic two-year membership in the Security Council, which was capped by a Philippine-initiated summit of leaders of the 15 member states presided over by President Arroyo last September.

"We were successful in our bid for the Asian Group’s endorsement because we were able to ride on the respect and goodwill we earned during our two-year term in the Security Council," Baja said.

The ECOSOC assists the General Assembly in promoting international economic and social cooperation and development. ECOSOC has 54 members, all of whom are elected by the General Assembly for a three-year term.

It is the principal organ for coordinating economic, social and related work of 14 UN specialized agencies, 10 functional commissions and five regional commissions.

The ECOSOC receives reports from 11 UN funds and programs. It also serves as the central forum for discussing international economic and social issues, and for formulating policy recommendations addressed to member states and the UN system.

"It should be a source of pride that the Philippine role in the UN system and the international community continues to be recognized," Baja said.

The last time the Philippines was elected member of ECOSOC was from 1992 to 1997.

The envoy stressed that Manila’s membership in ECOSOC will also add more weight to Philippine initiatives in the UN such as debt for equity, migration and trafficking.