THE Philippines has reaffirmed its strong commitment to the banning of chemical weapons during the 108th session of the executive council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) at The Hague on March 4.

"The Philippines attaches great importance to the object and purpose of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and the role of the OPCW and its member states," said Eduardo Malaya, Philippine ambassador to The Hague and permanent representative to the OPCW, during the event.

Malaya enumerated several key initiatives in line with CWC's mission, including a chemical first responders training in Manila in June, the first in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as the recent approval of the Chemical Weapons Prohibitions Bill by the Philippine Congress.

With 193 member states, the CWC, which came into force in 1997, remains a cornerstone for international chemical safety and security.

The OPCW's executive council, composed of 41 elected states, upholds the convention's ideals.