RP to enlarge contingent to Iraq

President Arroyo promised the US-installed Iraq Governing Council yesterday that the Philippines will increase the size of its peacekeeping and humanitarian contingent in Iraq from 178 to 500 police, military and medical personnel.

A total of 178 Filipino soldiers, policemen, and social and health workers were deployed in southern Iraq following the end of major fighting in the spring conflict. They are working in a sector administered by Polish forces.

An official statement said special Ambassador Roberto Romulo reiterated at the Iraq international donors’

conference in Madrid, Spain last week Mrs. Arroyo’s commitment "to increase the size of our presence there to a total of 500."

Mrs. Arroyo made the pledge to the head of the Iraq Governing Council, Ayad Alawi, at the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) summit in Malaysia earlier this month, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye told reporters.

He gave no timetable for the additional deployments.

At the donors’ conference in Spain, the Philippines pledged to increase its humanitarian assistance to Iraq and to contribute to its reconstruction by providing technical assistance through advice and training initially in healthcare, education, information and communications technology, the palace said.

"This contribution, however modest, would contribute to promoting the ownership of the reconstruction effort by the Iraqi people and for them to play a full and leading role in the rebirth of their country," it quoted Romulo as saying.

Bunye reiterated earlier Palace statements that the Philippines will not be giving any outright financial assistance toward the postwar reconstruction in Iraq.

While the government will shoulder part of the expenses related to the salaries and benefits of the Filipino peacekeeping and humanitarian forces already deployed there, Bunye said "arrangements are being made for some parts of the expenses to be shouldered by international bodies."

On Tuesday, Mrs. Arroyo said the wave of deadly attacks that killed 42 people and wounded more than 200 in Baghdad on Monday "will not discourage us from sending medical and peacekeeping troops to a nation that is indeed in dire need of help."

Bunye said Romulo and a contingent of Filipino diplomats returned from the pledging session in Madrid and reiterated the country’s commitment to help restore democracy in war-ravaged Iraq.

With Romulo in Madrid were Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Delia Albert, Philippine Ambassador to Spain Delani Bernardo, special envoy to Iraq Jose Ibazeta, DFA Assistant Secretary Norberto Basilio, task force special adviser Antonio Basilio and Philippine embassy in Baghdad charge d’ affaires Grace Princesa. — With AFP