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IFES Expresses Its Sympathies to the Philippines on Typhoon Hainan

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In the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, IFES President and CEO Bill Sweeney sent a letter to the Philippines Ambassador to United States Jose L. Cuisia Jr. extending IFES’ deepest condolences to the people of the Philippines. See the PDF version of the letter.

November 13, 2013

Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr.
Embassy of the Philippines
1600 Massachusetts Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20036

Dear Ambassador Cuisia,

On behalf ofthe International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), I would like to express our sympathies for the tragedy that your country  is facing as a result of Typhoon Hainan.  I am deeply saddened by the extent of the devastation.

IFES has a long history of collaboration with and support  to the people of the Philippines.  We have worked alongside both the Philippine  Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and civil society to promote democratic elections since 1997.

Last year, we had the honor of awarding ChristianS. Monsod, former  chairman  of the COMELEC, founder and honorary chairman  of the Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) and pioneer  of the National  Citizen's Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL), with the 2012 Joe C. Baxter Award.  Thank you for joining the IFES celebration.

On a personal note,I was one of the international election observers assigned to Tacloban in 1986. Disasters become personal when you have spent time and have memories of people and Leyte.

I will visit the Embassy this week to sign the guest book.  Our deepest condolences go out to those who have lost family and friends. They are in our thoughts and prayers.

Bill Sweeney 

President & CEO

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