Filipino UN peacekeepers come home from Haiti mission

MANILA, Philippines–After serving six months in the Carribean country, the 155-strong Filipino peacekeeping forces commissioned by the United Nations (UN) were welcomed and honored Wednesday morning at the General Headquarters, Camp Aguinaldo.

The 14th Filipino contingent to Haiti, which arrived March 18, was welcomed and awarded by Major General Gregorio Macapagal, the Armed Forces Deputy Chief.

“We have successfully sent and received back contingents for 14 years, and your participation is definitely a part of the undisputable tradition of excellence and humanitarian passion that characterizes the AFP, both within and outside the country,” military chief Lieutenant General Jessie Dellosa said in his speech delivered by Macapagal.

The AFP is the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

“The entire AFP organization gladly welcomes you and we are thankful for your safe homecoming. We congratulate you for characterizing the AFP even in a foreign country.”

The all-Navy contingent, led by Colonel George Fernandez, was responsible in maintaining perimeter security of the force headquarters of United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti; providing administrative and logistics clerical services in the force headquarters; and operating and maintaining vehicles of the UN. They also provided security and protection to VIPs of the UN mission. He was accompanied by 12 officers and 143 enlisted personnel, six of which were women.

Meanwhile, the 15th Filipino contingent was deployed to Haiti on March 16 to replace the previous contingent. It was composed of 155 soldiers led by Marine Colonel Arthur Biyo.

The 14th and 15th contingents are the only two all-Navy contingents deployed by the AFP for the UN peacekeeping missions.

The AFP has been sending its men in Haiti as part of its commitment to international peace and security and the UN peacekeeping missions. It is also sending contingents to Liberia and Golan Heights.

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Frances Mangosing | INQUIRER.net | April 4, 2012 | Article Link

Pinoy peacekeepers off to Haiti

THE Philippine Navy will send off today a team composed of 12 officers and 143 enlisted personnel as the country’s contingent to the United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping Force to Haiti.

The Navy team will replace the 14th Navy contingent in Haiti following a handover procedure at the Haiti Airport on Saturday.

The 14th contingent will arrive in the Philippines on the following day.

The group is expected to provide perimeter security to the Force Headquarters of the UN Mission to Haiti, provide administrative and logistics and clerical services to the Force Headquarters, operate their military vehicles and provide VIP security to specified personalities by the Force Headquarters.

“They are expected to serve their tour in Haiti for six to nine months and will be replaced by another all Navy contingent from the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] Peacekeeping Force to the UN,” the agency said.

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 Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz | The Manila Times | March 16, 2012 | Article Link