07 March 2011, Golan Heights – Members of the 3rd Philippine Contingent to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) were awarded the UNDOF medal during a Medal Parade held today at Camp Ziouani in the Golan Heights.
Attending the ceremony were Philippine Ambassador to Israel Petronila Garcia, Force Commander Maj. Gen. Natalio Ecarma III, Commanding Officers of UNDOF Troop-contributing countries Austria, Canada, Croatia, India and Japan, as well as other officers and support staff of UNDOF. Members of the Filipino community also witnessed the event.
Lt. Col. Sanny Gadot, Commanding Officer of the 3rd Philippine Battalion, lauded the soldiers for their good work and exhorted them to maintain their momentum while avoiding resting on their past accomplishments. Ambassador Garcia also congratulated the peacekeepers and highlighted the importance of maintaining peace in the region. She expressed confidence that UNDOF would do its utmost to meet the challenges it faces.
Force Commander Maj. Gen. Ecarma, who was the guest of honor of the ceremony, noted that the Medal Parade was held at a very busy time for UNDOF, and commended the troops for their hard work in keeping up with the demands of their duties in the mission.
A total of 331 Filipino peacekeepers were awarded medals.
Following the ceremony, the guests were given a tour of the Philippine Battalion's Tradition Hall, a structure that housed memorabilia from the previous Philippine Battalions. The Hall contains photographs, medals, badges and trophies earned by the current and past Philippine Battalions, as well as memorabilia from the Polish Contingent from whom the Philippine Battalion assumed its duties.
Another area of attraction for visitors was a display organized by the Philippine Embassy to showcase Filipino culture. The display included Philippine literature, national costumes, accessories and promotions material on tourism sites.
Guests were also treated to lunch and a cultural presentation showcasing the skills of members of PhilBatt in kali (knife-fighting), singing, and dances from the Cordilleras, Pandango sa Ilaw and the Philippine national dance Tinikling.
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