Aquino receives EU envoy at Palace
President Benigno S. Aquino III received the new Ambassador of the European Union (EU) who presented his letter of credentials to Malacañang.
In simple ceremonies at Malacañang’s Music Room on Monday, the Chief Executive received EU Ambassador to the Philippines Guy Ledoux and his party as he noted the strong diplomatic relations between the European Union and the Philippines for the past years.
“In behalf of the whole Filipino nation, I welcome you to the Philippines and I am looking forward to better relations between EU and the Philippines,” President Aquino said.
Ambassador Ledoux was elated with the warm welcome as he expressed high hopes in working closely with the Aquino administration.
Among the EU delegation present during the ceremonies were First Counselor Andrea Fennesz and First Secretaries Nicolas Taylor, Willem Verpoest, and Camila Hagstrom.
Also in attendance for the Philippine side were Undersecretary Erlinda Basilio, acting Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs; Chief of Presidential Protocol, Ambassador Miguel Perez-Rubio; Edgar Torres Auxilian, Executive Director – DFA-OP; and Protocol Officer, Dennis Hidalgo.
Ambassador Ledoux replaced EU envoy Alistair Bell MacDonald who ended his four-year tour of duty to the country last month.
The Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines (EU Delegation Manila) is a full-fledged diplomatic mission, with the task of officially representing the European Union in the Philippines in close cooperation with the Embassies of the EU member states.
It was established in October 1990, and the premises of the delegation were officially opened in May 1991 in the presence of then President Corazon C. Aquino, Foreign Secretary Raul Manglapus and EC Commissioner Abel Matutes.
In addition to following political and economic aspects of the EU's relations with the Philippines, and managing the EU's cooperation programs, it also serves as an information point for all inquiries relating to EU-Philippine relations or to the policies and activities of the EU generally. (PCOO)
Aquino considers creation of Credit Card Info Bureau
President Benigno S. Aquino III said the creation of a Credit Card Information Bureau may solve the numerous complaints against credit card companies exacting high interest rates on credit-card users.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, in a press briefing on Monday in Malacanang, said that during the President’s meeting with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Board of Directors he emphasized the credit responsibility and better identity of credit card holders rather than on tax reduction for credit card holders.
Lacierda said that the idea of tax reduction for credit card holders was brought out by one of the ADB Board of Directors during the meeting with the President.
“It is not something we are looking at right now but rather on the creation of a credit information bureau and emphasis on responsibility of card holders,” Lacierda said.
Lacierda added that among other things, the President and the ADB officials discussed good governance, anti-corruption efforts, anti-poverty measures, fiscal management policy, and judicial reforms.
He also said the President thanked the ADB for its continued support to the conditional cash transfer program and the public-private partnership program. (PCOO)
Aquino congratulates Binay for securing reprieve for 3 Pinoys in China
President Benigno S. Aquino III on Monday congratulated Vice President Jejomar Binay for successfully securing a reprieve for the three Filipinos facing execution in China.
In a meeting in Malacanang, the President personally conveyed his gratitude to Binay for a good job.
Binay, in a press briefing, said that while the reprieve may only be temporary, “let us hope that the Chinese government would eventually grant the appeal that their sentence be commuted to a penalty lesser than death.”
China postponed the execution of three Filipinos found guilty of drug smuggling after Binay met with Chinese leaders in Beijing. Binay traveled to Beijing to make a last-ditch plea for the three Filipinos.
Binay said the Supreme People’s Court postponed the execution “within the scope of Chinese law.”
He said that he met with Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun, top foreign policy maker Dai Bingguo and the president of the Supreme People’s Court Wang Shengjun. (PCOO)
