Manila  - The Philippines Saturday postponed the December meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) it was scheduled to host, in order to recover from two devastating tropical storms.

The Special NAM Ministerial Meeting on Inter-faith Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace and Development was initially scheduled in Manila on December 1-2.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said the meeting would be moved "to an appropriate date" in 2010.

"We believe all hands must be on deck in the relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction of the lives and communities of our countrymen," the department said in a statement.

"Therefore, all must focus their efforts and resources on this major and substantial task," it added.

The department said Foreign Secretary Roberto Romulo consulted with leaders of the 118-member bloc about the postponement.

"We are confident our partners and friends, who have been helping us in our hour of distress brought about by the calamities, will understand our decision to move the hold of the meeting," it said.

The Philippines has been struggling to recover from destruction wrought by storm Ketsana and typhoon Parma, which killed 929 people and caused damage estimated at 650 million dollars. (dpa)