4 | HUMANITY AMIDST CONFLICTS KEYNOTE ADDRESS HON. EDUARDO R. ERMITA Executive Secretary Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines In his keynote message, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita extended the warmestgreetings to everyone from Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on the occasion of the 60% Anniversary of the 1949 Geneva Conventions which, together with the Additional Protocols that were adoptedin 1977, comprise the International The Geneva Conventions and the Additional Humanitarian Law, otherwise known as IHL. Protocols were set in stone with much of the world consumedin armed conflictor cultivating He commendedthe twoorganizations behind the an uncertain peace. While celebrating the 60" conduct of this National Summit on IHL, namely: Anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, their the Commission on Human Rights which is chaired by the ever energetic and distinguished legal luminary, Attorney Leila De Lima, and which, utmost importance underthe new millennium, given the variousincidencesof conflict all over the world, can never be overstated. right now, is headed by Commissioner Norberto de la Cruz, Officer-in-Charge in the absenceof the Chairperson; andthe Civil Society Initiatives for Study on ArmedConflicts The Heidelberg Institute for International International Humanitarian Law, or CSI-IHL, Conflict Research counted 134 violent conflicts whose presence was also recognized. He happening in 2008, 94 percent of which are congratulated both agencies for the successful intra-State in nature. Quite significantly, this partnership andfor the job well done. Today, the samestudyclassified both the armed conflicts Philippines joins hands with 193 other countries with the New People’s Army and the Moro in celebrating this significant event. Islamic Liberation Front as high-intensity violent conflicts, or conflicts of severe crises. The States’ Commitment to IHL The Philippines’ commitment to IHLis steadily On the other hand, the Philippine Human anchoredontheState policy expressed in no less Development Report of 2005, which hasyet to than the 1987 Constitution which states that “the be updated,cited that even duringtherelatively Philippines renounces war as an instrument of short period of 1986 to 2004, 91 percent ofthe national policy, adopts the generally accepted provincesin the country wereaffected at some principles ofInternational Law aspartofthe law point by ideology-based armedrebellion. This of the land, and adheresto the policy ofpeace, situation underscoresthe threat andactualtoll equality,justice,freedom, cooperation, and amity of armed conflict to humansecurity, social with all nations”. ecology, and people’s capacities.