RP acting head of UN assembly

The Philippines has assumed the presidency of the United Nations’ 61st session of the General Assembly in an acting capacity.

Manila was designated acting president by General Assembly President Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa, who requested Ambassador Lauro Baja Jr., the country’s permanent representative to the United Nations, to temporarily assume her functions while she is out of town.

The Philippine Mission to the United Nations said Baja’s designation makes the Philippines the first vice president of the 61st General Assembly to be asked to serve as acting president.

"The Philippines is honored to be given this rare opportunity to serve as acting president of the 61st General Assembly," Baja said.

He is expected to preside over the resumption of the election of the non-permanent seat for Latin and South America in the 15-member Security Council that is being contested by Guatemala and Venezuela.

The Philippine Mission said the election was on a deadlock since Monday as neither country could muster the required one-thirds required majority vote after 22 ballotings unlike South Africa, Indonesia, Italy and Belgium, which were successfully elected to two-year terms in the Council.

It is the second time that the Philippines would preside over the UN General Assembly but it is the first time that Manila has been formally designated as acting president.

The first was last Sept. 13 when Baja was asked to chair the High Level Dialogue of the 61st General Assembly on Migration and Development.

The Philippines was given another opportunity when Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo was requested to chair the general debate of the 61st General Assembly also in the country’s capacity as vice president. — Pia Lee-Brago