07 December 2016. The Philippines joins the 21st Conference of States Parties (CSP-21) to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) held on 28 November – 02 December 2016 in The Hague, the Netherlands. The Philippine delegation is composed of Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the OPCW Jaime Victor B. Ledda, DFA Office of UN and other International Organization (UNIO) Executive Director Raquel R. Solano, Head of Legal and International Affairs Office of Anti-Terrorism Council-Program Management Center (ATC-PMC) Atty. Florentino P. Manalastas, UNIO Principal Assistant Charles Lawrence L. Ching, Consul Shirley E. Banquicio, Consul Ma. Theresa M. Alders, and Attaché Jenny J. Pelasol.
In the National Statement read by Ambassador Ledda, the Philippines expressed its commitment to the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and the work of the OPCW. As the Chair for ASEAN in 2017, the Philippines also looks forward to building modalities of cooperation between the ASEAN and the OPCW in contributing to the realization of a world free from chemical weapons and promoting the peaceful use of chemicals.
The Conference of the States Parties is the principal organ of the OPCW and consists of representatives from each of the Organisation’s Member States. It meets annually for one week in The Hague to assess the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and to make key decisions regarding the future work of the Organisation. END