MANILA: The Philippine government has promised to take on the role of a 'partner, pathfinder, and peacemaker' should it succeed in its bid for a non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council. Philippine Ambassador and Permanent Representative Evangelina Lourdes Bernas made this pitch before a select group of countries during a reception in Vienna last week, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday. Bernas, in her remarks, said the country would further build partnerships for peace and sustainable development and would work to find "enduring solutions for overcoming common challenges through dialogue, consensus-building, and collaborative problem-solving.' Bernas also made a special mention of the country's long history in actively participating in UN peacekeeping and special political missions, having deployed over 14,000 men and women in the last 60 years. The elections for the UN's premier decision-making body 2027-2028 term will take place in June 2026 in New York. READ: Timor- Leste backs PH bid for UN Security Council seat The Philippines was previously elected as a non-permanent member of the UNSC in 1957, 1963, 1980-1981, and 2004-2005. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced the Philippines' candidacy at the 77th United Nations General Assembly in September 2022. During the country's hosting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF), Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said at least 17 countries made a commitment to back Manila's bid. Source: Philippines News Agency
