Membership Full member Ambassador Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. | UNSC seat non-permanent | |
Since October 24, 1945 (1945-10-24) | ||
The Republic of the Philippines is one of the signatories of the 1945 United Nation charter. The Philippines is one of the only four Asian nations who joined the charter. The Philippines is an active supporter of the United Nation's peacekeeping and humanitarian development programs. Carlos P. Romulo became the first permanent representative of the Philippines to the United Nations.
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Philippine involvement in UN Peacekeeping missions
The Philippines has been a consistent contributor to the United Nation's peacekeeping missions. In a report released by the United Nations in January 2013, the Philippines is the 30th largest contributor of peacekeepers with 730 Filipinos rendering service to the mission. The Philippines first contributed to the world body's peacekeeping operations when its air force sent a squadron to support the United Nations Operation in the Congo in 1963. The Philippines signed an arrangement of standby forces for peacekeeping operations with the United Nations on October 2008.
Abduction of Filipino peacekeepers in the Golan Heights
25 Filipino peacekeepers under the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force were abducted in by Syrian rebels of the Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade in the Golan Heights in two separate incidents in March and May. The rebels demanded they will keep the peacekeepers hostage until President Assad and his forces withdraw from the Syrian city of Jamlah. 21 Peacekeepers were abducted in March 6 and were later released three days later. Another four peacekeepers were abducted in early May, the peacekeepers were also released after a few days. In response to the abductions Foreign secretary Albert Del Rosario suggested to President Benigno Aquino III for the Philippines to withdraw its 340 peacekeepers from the Golan Heights. The United Nations, together with the United States appealed the Philippines and warned that an adverse effect of a withdrawal of Filipino peacekeepers from the volatile region.
During a meeting with UN officials in New York, Del Rosario stated three conditions to the United Nations for a continued stay of Filipino peacekeepers in the Golan Heights:
- The United Nations Disengagement Observer Force in the Golan Heights must meet deploy its full troop strength of 1,250 by October
- Provide the equipment for the protection and defense of Filipino troops
- The Philippines must be allowed to deploy troops using a six-month rotation.
By the end of July, Del Rosario said that he has dropped his recommendation to President Aquino for the withdrawal of Filipino peacekeepers and said that the UN officials promised to fulfill the three conditions laid by the government. The foreign minister now prefers for the country's 340 peacekeepers to stay in the Golan Heights for at least six months.
Challenges to relationship
In mid-August 2016, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to pull out of the UN (and form a new UN-like organization with China and Africa) in response to UN criticism of the recent upsurge in alleged extrajudicial killings by Philippines law enforcement personnel of persons involved in the illegal drug trade.