PH sends first female officer to lead UN peace-keeping mission

Captain Luzviminda Camacho Photo from Facebook

MANILA, Philippines — For the first time, a female military officer will lead the Philippine contingent to a peacekeeping mission of the United Nations.

Captain Luzviminda Camacho, commander of the 17th Philippine Contingent to Haiti, will lead the 157-strong officers and personnel to the UN mission of up to nine months. She is the first female to lead Philippine contingents for the UN. They will be sent off at Villamor Airbase in Pasay on Tuesday, October 29.

She was also the first female to be a commanding officer of a Navy ship. When she had a rank of Commander, she led the BRP Manuel Gomez (PG 388), a patrol gunboat, in the areas of Davao and General Santos from 2008 to 2009.

Camacho also skippered BRP Magat Salamat (PS-20) in the areas of Maguindanao, BRP Iloilo (PS-32) in the areas of General Santos to Polloc in Maguindanao, BRP Teotimo Figuracion (PG 389) in areas of Misamis Oriental to Surigao.

The all-Navy contingent will be tasked to provide perimeter security to the Force Headquarters of the UN Mission to Haiti, provide administrative and logistics clerical services to the Force Headquarters, operate their military vehicles, and provide VIP security to specified personalities by the Force Headquarters.

They are expected to serve from six to nine months.

The Philippines also sends its peacekeeping forces to Liberia and Golan Heights.

Navy chief Vice Admiral Jose Luis Alano will lead the send-off ceremony at Villamor Airbase, spokesperson Lieutenant Commander Gregory Fabic said in a media advisory.

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