IN PHOTOS: Emotional sendoff of Philippine peacekeepers

MANILA, Philippines — At the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on Monday was a group of soldiers standing in formation during a sendoff ceremony headed by Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang.

All were standing in attention and listening to words urging them to complete yet another mission in Haiti just hours after the last batch of Filipino United Nations Peacekeepers arrived home after fighting rebels in Golan Heights.

Prior to and after the ceremony, however, many of the uniformed men and women with blue berets held back their tears in bidding their families goodbye and letting out promises they would be safe and return home again.

Photos by Associated Press/Bullit Marquez unless otherwise stated.