GMA forms two task forces for Iraq’s post-war efforts

President Arroyo will create two task forces that will be sent to help rebuild post-war Iraq — one to give humanitarian assistance and the other, with private sector participation, to help in the reconstruction.

Mrs. Arroyo will sign an executive order tomorrow for the purpose at the graduation ceremony of the Philippine National Police Academy in Silang, Cavite, where she will give the commencement address.

The graduation ceremony is the appropriate occasion because the Philippine humanitarian contingent will include police officers, who will join peace-keeping missions in Iraq, she said.

Mrs. Arroyo put Ambassador to Kuwait Bayani Mangibin in charge of the Philippines’ participation in the rehabilitation of Iraq. "We will put the headquarters in Kuwait so you will run this," she told him in a telephone conference yesterday.

Mangibin said he has already discussed the Philippines’ participation with retired US general Jay Garner, who will head an interim civil administration that will take charge of the country until a new Iraqi government is in place.

US officials estimate that it might take up to six months to establish a new government there.

Because of the lack of jobs in the Philippines, the Arroyo administration hopes that international efforts to rebuild post-war Iraq will provide employment opportunities for Filipinos there.

Mangibin told Mrs. Arroyo that Filipinos are among the nationalities preferred for reconstruction jobs there because of their track record. He was unable to estimate how many new jobs may become available except that the number would be "substantial."

Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople estimated that up to 100,000 Filipino workers would be needed for construction jobs.

In his April 4 meeting with Garner at the US ambassador’s residence in Kuwait, he was told that the US military and other officials were still determining Iraq’s humanitarian and reconstruction needs and if it is safe for aid workers to do their jobs there, Mangibin told Mrs. Arroyo.

Mrs. Arroyo said Philippine officials are also discussing the Philippines’ participation with the US Central Command in Tampa, Florida. Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes is in charge of forming the 500-member contingent, which will include Army engineers, doctors and nurses.

Under the executive order that Mrs. Arroyo will sign tomorrow, the foreign affairs, defense and interior departments will work out guidelines on how the contingent’s members will be selected, Ople told her at the teleconference.

Ople said he had directed Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Delia Albert to discuss with local business groups and major contractors to consider participating in Iraq’s rehabilitation.

Albert was also instructed to talk with "manpower providers" who will provide the workers for various construction jobs.