PHL Officials, UN OCHA Head Vow to Strengthen Collaboration in Humanitarian Response

(From left) Ambassador Evan P. Garcia, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the UN and other International Organizations in Geneva, Assistant Secretary-General Ursula Mueller of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), and Assistant Secretary Kristoffer James Purisima Deputy Administrator of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).

15 February 2018 GENEVA – Philippine Government officials and Assistant Secretary-General Ursula Mueller of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) vowed to strengthen collaboration in humanitarian preparedness and response.

This was the highlight of the meeting between the Philippine delegation, who attended the Humanitarian Networks and Partnership Week (HNPW) in Geneva, Switzerland, and the second highest official of UN OCHA on 08 February 2018.

Assistant Secretary-General Mueller thanked the Philippines for its continued active engagement with OCHA. She said that OCHA continues to stand ready to support the Philippines in its humanitarian preparedness and response programs and projects.

 Assistant Secretary Kristoffer James Purisima, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Deputy Administrator and head of the Philippine delegation to the HNPW, thanked the Assistant Secretary-General for her support. He informed the Assistant Secretary-General about the INSARAG exercise that the Philippines will host in Clark, Pampanga in June.

He likewise shared the good news to the ASG about the recently approved Philippine International Humanitarian Assistance Guidelines that will operationalize the assistance of international actors to the Philippines.

The Philippine delegation was in Geneva, Switzerland to engaged with fellow governments, UN humanitarian agencies, international organizations, non-governmental organizations and stakeholders in the HNPW, an annual dialogue that provide a venue to discuss common challenges and most pressing issues facing humanitarian responders today and explore possible innovative solutions.

Other members of the Philippine Delegation include Mr. Sonny Patron, Logistics Interoperability and Force Management Division of OCD-Operations Service, Col. Frederick Cutler, Philippine Air Force (PAF), 505th Search and |Rescue Group, Third Secretary Sharon Johnnette M. Agduma and Attaché Marean Abarra. of the Philippine Permanent Mission to the United Nations and Other International Organizations. END

For more information, visit www.genevapm.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/genevapcg.

Members of the Philippine Delegation with ASG Mueller of UN OCHA. (From left) Mr. Sonny Patron of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD); Colonel Frederick Cutler of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP); Ambassador Evan P. Garcia, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the UN and other International Organizations in Geneva; ASG Mueller; Assistant Secretary Kristoffer James Purisima, OCD Deputy Administrator; Mr.Thierry Delbrevue, OCHA-Geneva; Ms. Sharon Johnnette Agduma, Third Secretary of the Philippine Mission to the UN and other IOs in Geneva; and, Ms. Marean Abarra of the Philippine Mission to the UN and other IOs in Geneva.