NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PHILIPPINES PRESENTS CREDENTIALS TO DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF UNOG

Erlinda F. Basilio, the new Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the United Nations Office at Geneva, today presented her credentials to Sergei Ordzhonikidze, the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva.

Prior to her appointment to Geneva, since April 2006, Ms. Basilio had been serving as Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs for Policy; Senior Official of the Philippines to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Asia-Europe Meeting; and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Southeast Asian Nuclear Weapon Free Zone. From 2005 to 2006 she was the Assistant Secretary for Asian and Pacific Affairs, and from 2003 to 2005, she served as Director of the Foreign Service Institute at the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs.

Ms. Basilio has also held a number of foreign service posts, including as Ambassador to Sweden from 1997 to 2003, during which time she also acted as non-resident Ambassador to Denmark, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. From 1992 to 1995, Ms. Basilio was the Chargé d'affaires a.i. at the Embassy of the Philippines in Havana, where she had served as Deputy Chief of Mission from 1986 to 1992. From 1975 to 1983, Ms. Basilio was posted to the Embassy of the Philippines in Tokyo, where she served, successively, as a Third, Second and First Secretary.

Ms. Basilio started her diplomatic career at the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1970, starting as in Acting Chief of the European Affairs Division, following a brief academic career.

Ms. Basilio received a master's degree in Asian Studies from the University of the Philippines in 1990. She received a bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of the Philippines in 1965.

Born on 19 November 1944, Ms. Basilio is married with one daughter.

For use of the information media; not an official record

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