President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. expressed gratitude to Gustavo González, the outgoing United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator to the Philippines, for his contributions to strengthening relations between the Philippines and the UN.

“You did so much between the UN and the Philippines,” President Marcos told González during a farewell ceremony in Malacañang on Friday.

“I was looking at the time that you were here. There’s a very, very large increase in engagements between the United Nations and the Philippines – specifically COVID, the BARMM,” the President said.

González informed the President that it was not only his last day as Resident Coordinator for the Philippines, but also his last day as a UN representative, as he would be retiring from active service.

“Mr. President, thank you so much. I very much appreciate your time but today is also my last day as a UN active officer. So I’m going to retire. No doubt that the Philippines will be in my heart because this is a special moment for me,” he said.

González concludes nearly five years of service in the Philippines as UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator. From 2013 to 2017, he served as the United Nations Development Programme’s Sub-Regional Development Coordinator for the Syria-related Crisis, overseeing operations in Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and Turkey.

The UN is an international organization founded in 1945, comprising 193 member states. It maintains international peace and security, protects human rights, delivers humanitarian aid, promotes sustainable development, and upholds international law. | PND