Philippines Supports Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons with Contribution to Scientific Advisory Board
(L-R) Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya and Director General Fernando Arias affirm the Philippines’ support for the OPCW at the PH contribution signing ceremony (Photo courtesy of OPCW)
THE HAGUE 03 April 2025 — The Philippines affirmed its commitment to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) through a voluntary contribution of €10,000 to the OPCW Trust Fund for the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB).
The voluntary contribution was formalized on 01 April 2025, in a signing ceremony involving Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the OPCW, and OPCW Director-General Fernando Arias, at the sidelines of the 39th Session of the Scientific Advisory Board at the OPCW headquarters in The Hague, the Netherlands.
“This voluntary contribution demonstrates the Philippines’ commitment to ensuring that the OPCW gets the best scientific and technological advice, through the Scientific Advisory Board, which is crucial for the effective implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). It underscores the importance of science and technology in safeguarding mankind from the scourge of weapons of mass destruction, notably chemical weapons, and in enabling people in harnessing the peaceful uses of chemistry,” said Ambassador Malaya, who is also the Coordinator of the Asia Group in the OPCW.
“The Philippines also takes pride in the valuable service and exemplary leadership of Professor Imee S. Martinez as Chairperson of the OPCW Scientific Advisory Board,” Malaya added.
OPCW Director General Fernando Arias and SAB Chair, Prof. Imee Su Martinez of the University of the Philippines Institute of Chemistry, conveyed deep appreciation to the Department and the Philippine government for the generous donation. DG Arias said that “OPCW often receives donations from Western countries. It means a lot when it comes from other countries as it indicates support to OPCW emanates from all regions.”
Prof. Martinez is the first Filipino to hold the position since SAB’s establishment in 1998. She has a BS Chemistry degree from the University of the Philippines, and PhD in Chemistry from the University of Houston.
The Philippine Senate and House of Representatives earlier passed the proposed Chemical Weapons Prohibition (An Act Prohibiting the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons, Providing for their Destruction, and Imposing Penalties for Violations Therefor), and submitted the bill to the President for his signature on March 19, 2025.
The Philippines, through the Anti-Terrorism Council, will co-host with the OPCW the Basic First Responders Training for Asian States Parties from June 16 to 20 in Manila. It will be attended by some 30 participants from around the region.
The SAB is an OPCW subsidiary body that enables the Director-General to render specialized advice in science and technology to the Conference of States Parties to the CWC, the Executive Council, or the States Parties. It is made up of 25 independent experts from OPCW Member States who serve in their personal capacities.
The SAB assesses and reports to the Director General on developments in scientific and technological fields that are relevant to the CWC. On request, the SAB also provides advice on technical matters related to the implementation of the CWC, including on cooperation and assistance to the Technical Secretariat. It also monitors, assesses, and provides advice on emerging technologies and advances, such as Artificial Intelligence, that can be applied to OPCW verification activities.
The CWC entered into force in 1997 and has 193 Member States. The Philippines is among the original State Parties of the CWC, having signed it in 1993.
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, which is headquartered in The Hague, implements the provisions of the Convention. END
(L-R) Prof. Imee Su Martinez, Amb. Malaya and Director General Arias at the signing ceremony (Photo courtesy of OPCW)
For more information, visit https://www.thehaguepe.dfa.gov.ph, https://twitter.com/PHinTheHague or https://www.facebook.com/PHinTheNetherlands/.