Legarda lauded Egyptians’ struggling democratic reforms in peaceful transition

By Jason de Asis

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, February 15, 2011-Senator Loren Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations yesterday lauded the Egyptians’ nonviolent struggle for democratic reforms that ushered in a peaceful transition of power, ending the 30 year regime of President Hosni Mubarak.

Legarda said that the Egyptians have expressed the sovereign will of the people as the Filipinos did in 1986 during the time of Marcos where she praised the people of Egypt for their gallant stand for the restoration of their universal rights. 

“Egypt has entered now a new era of democratic life where the appointed military caretakers, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces have to create the pathway that will allow Egypt’s people to come together and carry out changes in ways that will actualize their aspirations for a truly democratic and progressive Egypt,” she said, adding that the international community must extend its support to the immediate transition of the country into a “new Egypt” that will be governed by civilian authority. 

“This will prevent a power vacuum that could be exploited  by certain groups who have interests that would go against the people’s will and the peace efforts in the Middle East,” she said, explaining that the community of nations is hopeful that the new government of Egypt would remain committed to maintain peace and stability in the Middle East, particularly its 1979 peace accord with Israel.

Meanwhile, Legarda urged the Department of Foreign Affairs to continue its efforts towards ensuring the safety and well-being of the remaining Filipinos in Egypt, saying that the situation in Egypt deserves careful monitoring. 

“There is a need that the Philippine government particularly the DFA must look at and recommend ways by which we can give support to the on-going change process in Egypt,” she said, explaining that we have experienced it before, and it behooved us to lend our hand to Egypt in the spirit of solidarity for the protection and promotion of the universal rights of its people. (Jason de Asis)