Manila: A Filipino senator has proposed that the country benefit from the large number of service men who join the UN peacekeeping force by asking the United Nations to contribute to its security force.
Senator Francis Escudero said the Philippines could benefit from sending contingents to the United Nations peacekeeping force by asking other countries to buy military hardware that could be used on peacekeeping missions.
"We want to actively pursue our international commitments and at the same time accrue benefits for the country and our soldiers and police.
"The UN peacekeeping could become a viable way to modernise our defence system if we are able to put in place proper funding and operational mechanisms for our participation in these missions," Escudero said.
The Philippines is one of the countries which regularly provides experienced personnel for UN peace keeping missions.
Records of the Department of Foreign Affairs show that currently it has a total of 1,025 peacekeepers, posted in at least seven UN missions overseas, and has deployed two force headquarters security units.
Way forward
A fresh batch of Filipino peacekeepers are currently preparing to depart for Golan Heights at the Syrian-Israeli border for a tour of duty that will last several months. The Philippines has been sending troops to the area since the start of the year.
Escudero, chair of the senate committee on national defence, said that a way could be found so that the use of Philippine troops for peacekeeping missions could benefit individuals and the nation.
"We want the optimal force and equipment deployment. The country will stand to earn more if it deploys equipment-heavy units instead of infantry battalions to allow it to receive more reimbursements from the UN," he said.
As a founding member of the UN, the Philippines has long contributed to maintaining international peace and security as called for in the UN Charter.
It first sent troops and humanitarian personnel in this capacity to Korea between 1950 and 1953.
Voluntary support
The UN does not have its own army and military personnel or provide for its logistical and technical requirements.
Instead member states voluntarily provide manpower and technical needs for its disposal.
By reimbursing the country or providing loans for the purchase of equipment, the United Nations, Escudero said, could benefit both itself and the Philippines. "We recognise our own constraints on the home front. We do not have sufficient equipment for our own internal forces," he said.
