Welcome Remarks of UNIO Assistant Secretary Jesus R.S. Domingo

Mabini Dialogue

on

"Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict: The Importance of IHL"

Foreign Service Institute, 5th Floor, Department of Foreign Affairs

25 August 2015, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Mr. Julio Amador III, Deputy Director General of the Foreign Service Institute

(representing DG Claro Cristobal),

Atty. Evecar Cruz-Ferrer, Legal Advisor and Coordinator for Integrating and

Promotion of the Law (IPL) the International Committee of the Red Cross in the

Philippines,

Colleagues in Government, Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen: Good Morning.

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you all to today’s Mabini Dialogue on

"Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict: The Importance of IHL ". This activity

forms part of a series of events held this month of August 2015 by various agencies

across the country to celebrate International Humanitarian Law.

IHL is of critical importance to the Philippines. It is the legal shield to protect people

from the effects of war, the excesses and abuses in armed conflict. It guards

Filipinos both in the context of our domestic peace and order situation, and our OFW

diaspora, many of whom who are vulnerable to the conflicts which rage in the Middle

East and elsewhere.

The Protection of Civilians, both our people at home and abroad, is a core national

interest. The defense of the rights and welfare of our OFWs is one of our three

Foreign Policy Pillars.

Accordingly, the Department of Foreign Affairs supports the continuing education of

its officials and seeks active partnerships with key institutions such as the

International Committee on the Red Cross. We also seek to develop a Community

of Practice in the DFA for Humanitarian Security and a Philippine Red Cross 143

Group, which will be the Department’s IHL advocates.

To give us a more thorough understanding of IHL, particularly on the Protection of

Civilians, we are most privileged to have our esteemed resource person this

morning from the ICRC, one of the leading experts on IHL in the country and the

region, and my good friend, Atty Evecar, will discuss its origins, key principles, legal

basis and more importantly, its protection framework, especially, for vulnerable

groups such as women and children.

With the ever-increasing complexity of the nature of armed conflict in the 21st

century, our resource person can discuss other developments under IHL that also

serve to restrict the means and methods of warfare as they impact on civilians.

As a complement to this morning’s dialogue, I would like to invite everyone to view

the IHL Photo Collection compiled by the 2015 IHL Ad Hoc Committee in the DFA

Lobby. The exhibit can be viewed till the 28 August 2015. The exhibit, which

showcases images of the application of the principles of IHL across the country, can

reinforce what we will learn this morning with visual imagery.

Ladies and Gentlemen, when we in the DFA and FSI champion the Rule of Law, it is

not only in the context of international security, but of human security as well, with

IHL at its heart. Thank you !

Thank you.