Aquino welcomes Great Britain's continued
support for Mindanao Peace Process
LONDON (via PLDT): The UK government on
Wednesday here reiterated its continued support and commitment to assisting the
Philippine government in the Mindanao Peace Process.
Prime Minister David Cameron of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland issued the statement during his
meeting with President Benigno S. Aquino III, who was in an official visit to
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
President Aquino and Cameron held a meeting
Wednesday and had “a broad exchange of views on bilateral, regional and
international issues of common interest, as well as on revitalizing and
sustaining the relationship towards a prosperous and secure future for both
countries.”
In their joint statement, President Aquino
informed Prime Minister Cameron of the latest developments in the peace
negotiations between the Philippine Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation
Front (MILF).
The United Kingdom is an active member of the
International Contact Group (ICG) for the peace process between the MILF and
the Philippine government.
President Aquino recognized the United Kingdom’s
continuing role as a founding and active member of the ICG.
In turn, Prime Minister Cameron reiterated the
UK’s commitment “to continue assisting in the Mindanao peace process, including
through the sharing of lessons learned in the Northern Ireland peace process.”
During the meeting, the two leaders noted the
importance of continued interaction between officials at the highest levels of
government.
President Aquino and Prime Minister Cameron
agreed to hold the third round of Philippines-United Kingdom High-Level Talks
in London later this year to review the state of the relationship and identify
practical cooperation measures towards enhancing the relationship, which will
be reflected in the Philippines-United Kingdom Joint Plan of Action to be
adopted at the meeting.
The two leaders also welcomed the entry into
force of the Philippines-United Kingdom Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT).
The MLAT facilitates information-sharing and
cooperation in law enforcement and judicial matters to address transnational
crime, including money laundering, trafficking of women and children, and
illicit drug trafficking. It was signed in London in 2009.
President Aquino and Prime Minister also
expressed the hope that the Philippines-United Kingdom Extradition Treaty would
also enter into force soon.
The two leaders also discussed regional and
international issues of mutual interest. They both affirmed the need to
collaborate in addressing climate change, combating transnational crime and
terrorism, preventing human trafficking and child exploitation, promoting
nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, and maintaining international peace
and security.
The United Kingdom, meanwhile, welcomed the
Philippines’ leading role in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).
They both agreed that ASEAN “had a crucial role to play in promoting prosperity
and development in Asia, including by working with its partners to resolve
regional disputes peacefully.” (co)
Aquino invites British investors to participate
in government's Public-Private Patnership projects
LONDON (via PLDT): President Benigno S. Aquino
III has urged British investors to participate in the Philippine government’s
Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects.
President Aquino extended the invitation during
his meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron at 10 Downing Street on Wednesday
here as part of his official visit to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland.
In the joint statement of President Aquino and
Prime Minister Cameron, the two leaders agreed to further expand economic
cooperation to pave the way for increased trade and investment flows between
the Philippines and UK.
During the meeting, the Philippine leader also
briefed Prime Minister Cameron on the Philippines’ Public-Private Partnership
program and invited the UK government and the business sector “to continue
sharing its vast expertise in this area, and encouraged British investors to
participate in the projects.”
The UK leader, in turn, assured President Aquino
that the UK government had provided and would continue to provide expertise to
the Philippines in shaping its PPP program and looked forward to British
companies participating in projects.
The Philippines and the United Kingdom have
enjoyed a robust economic partnership over the years. The United Kingdom is the
Philippines’ top European investor, and the largest Philippine tourism market
in Europe.
President Aquino also emphasized that the
Philippines offered exciting investment opportunities for British business,
especially in the sectors of energy, infrastructure, business-process
outsourcing, information technology and tourism.
After his meeting with the UK Prime Minister,
President Aquino attended the luncheon offered by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth
and presided by Minister Jeremy Browne and the Lord Mayor of London Alderman
David Wootton at the Lancaster House. (co)
President Aquino cites ‘deep and strong bond'
between Phl, UK
President Benigno S. Aquino III cited the deep
and strong bond between the peoples of the Philippines and the United Kingdom,
which he said will only grow stronger as time goes on.
He attributed this strengthening friendship to
the “decades of interaction amongst our officials and people.”
This interaction, the President said, include
the exchange of commerce and services between the two countries.
“British investors create jobs that allow many
of my countrymen to put food on their table. British clothing and vehicles are
enjoyed by Filipino consumers. British engines power Filipino aircraft,” the
President said in his speech at a luncheon given in his honor by Her Majesty on
Wednesday.
“Likewise, top Filipino banks have branches in
London. Filipino call-center agents provide solutions to clients in the UK.
Filipino nurses offer untiring and genuinely compassionate care for the sick
across Great Britain,” he added.
He said Filipinos, numbering some 250,000, who
live and work in the UK have been a positive contributor to British society and
this nation’s economy.
“These bonds are the foundation upon which our
bilateral relationship shall flourish,” the President said.
To show his appreciation for the hospitality and
warm welcome accorded to him, his delegation and the Filipino people, President
Aquino invited Prime Minister David Cameron to visit the Philippines.
“This is my first official visit to the United
Kingdom. I hope that Prime Minister Cameron will soon be the first ever Prime
Minister to visit the Philippines,” the President said. (rck)
Take advantage of what the Philippines offers,'
Aquino tells UK businessmen and residents
President Benigno S. Aquino III invited the
businessmen and people of the United Kingdom to invest and visit the
Philippines as he pushed the country anew as THE alternative investment and
tourist destination.
In his speech at a luncheon hosted by Her
Majesty here on Wednesday, the President said it was important that the people
of UK take advantage of what the Philippines has to offer.
“Being one of our top European investors and the
biggest source of tourists from Europe, we want the United Kingdom to take full
advantage of what the Philippines offers: stable, value-for-money investment
opportunities, including for public-private partnerships,” the President said.
He pointed out that under his administration,
Filipinos are optimistic that a change for the better is happening in their
lives and that he sees his people doing their best to make this change work for
all and attract more investors.
“Today there is great optimism about my country
and we intend to build on that optimism by providing an environment where
investors can make a good profit under clear and consistent rules and
regulations,” the President said. (rck)
President Aquino, Prime Minister Cameron agree
to further strengthen Phl and UK ties
President Benigno S. Aquino III and Prime
Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom have agreed to further strengthen
the “long-standing and close relationship” between their two countries in order
to further boost their already extensive economic relations.
This was revealed by President Aquino, who marks
his first official visit to the UK as President of the Philippines, in his
speech at a luncheon hosted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s government here
on Wednesday.
He said that among the areas he and Prime
Minister Cameron planned to build up included “expanding commercial ties,
promoting the peaceful settlement of disputes, good governance, maritime
cooperation, and strengthening international peace and security.”
“This visit is as much a reunion of friends as
it is a reminder of a long-standing and close relationship. The Philippines and
the United Kingdom, after all, have had a strong and productive partnership.
And it promises to be even stronger and more productive,” the President said.
“This morning, I had a wide-ranging discussion
with Prime Minister Cameron on the state of our relationship. We both agreed to
reinvigorate it in many areas, such as by expanding commercial ties, promoting
the peaceful settlement of disputes, good governance, maritime cooperation, and
strengthening international peace and security,” he added. (rck)
Aquino to visit Quantico Marine Corps Base in
Virginia
WASHINGTON D.C.: President Benigno S. Aquino III
will take time out from his busy schedule during his three-day official working
visit to the United States from June 6 to 8 to visit the Quantico Marine Corps
Base in Virginia here.
In an interview, Philippine Ambassador to the
United States of America Jose Cuisia said that the Quantico Marine Corps Base
is an FBI Training academy in the United States that provides training for it's
new agents.
"They (Quantico Marine Corps Base) also
invite candidates from other countries to participate in the international
training. In fact, we have one police officer who's participating in that
international training," he said.
Cuisia stressed that the President's visit to
the Quantico Marine Corps Base will be made because of his interest to see the
facilities of the training academy.
"I think the President is interested to see
the facilities of the training academy and we hope to be able to see how we can
also probably get more slots in terms of training for our police officers
because they provide advanced training particularly in intelligence and search
and rescue (operations) and so on," he said.
Cuisia noted that the training in the academy of
the country's police forces would be "very beneficial" to them and
the country as a whole.
"In the past, actually, we had a larger
number of slots (in the training academy) but I guess because of budgetary
constraints, the slots that we've had have actually gone down," he
explained. (rsda)
Aquino's working visit to U.S. to further
strengthen country’s bilateral relations
WASHINGTON D.C.: President Benigno S. Aquino
III's three-day official working visit to the United States from June 6 to 8
will further help strengthen the country's bilateral relations with it's
Western ally.
"Well, it will certainly strengthen the
bilateral relations of the Philippines and the United States because there's no
better way of strengthening the relationship than by a person-to-person meet
between the two leaders," Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose
Cuisia said in an interview at his office at the Philippine Embassy here.
"This is why we're very pleased that
President Aquino accepted the invitation of President (Barack) Obama to come to
Washington D.C.," Cuisia said as he expressed confidence that the
Philippines will even see a greater engagement with the United States.
Cuisia stressed that the President's important
engagement during his visit is his meeting with President Barack Obama at the
Oval office in the White House.
"You may be aware that this is the fourth
meeting of President Aquino (with President Obama) but this is the first one in
the Oval office. He met President Obama twice, I think in New York during the
first year of his administration and last year he met him also in Bali,
Indonesia for the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN regional forum," Cuisia
stressed.
Earlier, the Department of Foreign Affairs said
that this will be the fourth meeting of the two Presidents in a span of two
years following their meetings in September 2010 at the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations-United States (US-ASEAN) Leaders Meeting in New York;
in September 2011 at the launching of the Open Government Partnership (OGP)
also in New York; and on November 18, 2011 during the ASEAN Leaders' Meeting in
Bali, Indonesia.
Cuisia also said that during the two leaders
meeting at the Oval office, President Aquino and President Obama are expected
to discuss about global, regional issues, including domestic issues
particularly those that affect our bilateral relations.
"They will also be covering more
specifically military and security cooperation, economic cooperation,
humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, people-to-people exchanges or
people-to-people ties. So, those are just some of the, I guess broad topics
that they will be covering. But they will be talking, I'm sure, about the West
Philippine sea as part of the maritime security discussions that we would be
having," he said.
Cuisia described President Aquino's schedule as
very tight, saying that aside from his meeting with the U.S. President, he will
be meeting with Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, who will be hosting a lunch
in his honor, the Senate leadership, business leaders and investors as well as
his attendance at the formal launch of the U.S-Philippine Society as the guest
of honor and speaker.
The President is scheduled to arrive in
Washington D.C on Wednesday (June 6, Washington D.C time) from a successful
visit to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. (rsda)
Rising Philippines, strong Britain' theme of
Aquino's London visit
LONDON (via PLDT): President Benigno S. Aquino
III invited Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Northern Ireland to visit the Philippines when the two leaders met here on
Wednesday.
President Aquino and Prime Minister Cameron met
at 10 Downing Street at 10:55 a.m., Wednesday (UK time) on the occasion of the
Philippine leader’s three-day official visit to the UK with a theme “Rising
Philippines, Strong Britain: Forcing a New Era of Mutual Prosperity and
Partnership.”
They had “a broad exchange of views on
bilateral, regional and international issues of common interest, as well as on
revitalizing and sustaining the relationship towards a prosperous and secure
future” for both the Philippines and UK.
During the meeting of the two leaders on
Wednesday, President Aquino invited Prime Minister Cameron to be the first
incumbent British leader to visit the Philippines.
In their joint statement, President Aquino and
Prime Minister Cameron affirmed the rich and profound linkages between the
Filipino and British peoples.
“The Filipino diaspora in the UK, some 250,000
with many employed in the healthcare sector, continue to make positive
contributions to the British economy and society,” the joint statement stated.
“They also recognized the vibrant role played by
the 15,000-strong British community in the Philippines in contributing to the
country’s economic development and promoting the overall bilateral
partnership,” it added.
The two leaders also committed to intensify
further people-to-people linkages, especially among students, young
professionals, cultural troupes, local governments and community organizations.
They also encouraged increased visitor arrivals between the Philippines and UK.
Also, President Aquino extended, through the
Prime Minister, the best wishes of the Filipinos to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth
II on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee, which coincides with the Philippine
leader’s visit to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The two leaders also looked forward to the Games
of the 30th Olympiad scheduled to be held in London. The President extended
best wishes and support to Prime Minister Cameron for a successful Olympic
hosting and that the Philippines looked forward to participating actively in
the games. (co)
Potential investments on banking, research
development and power may soon come to the Philippines, Cuisia says
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Potential investments on
banking, research development, and power may come to the Philippines as
President Benigno S. Aquino III is slated to speak with some of the business
executives involved in those industries during his official working visit here.
Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose
Cuisia, Jr. , in an interview at the Philippine Embassy said that the Citigroup
in partnership with USAid will present a proposal to President Aquino on the
introduction of mobile banking in the rural areas in the country.
Cuisia said this particular project will be
beneficial for the lower-income group of people since not everybody in the
Philippines can afford to have internet access but at least practically
everyone owns a mobile phone.
“They are encouraging the use of mobile banking
in these communities which do not have access either to the internet or do have
a limited number of internet users. So Citigroup and the USAid are coming up
with a proposal that will, I think, be a pioneering effort and, of course, the
Philippines being known as a texting capital of the world is a very good place
to start this kind of project,” Cuisia explained.
Another private firm involved in power
generation which currently operates two 300-megawatt coal-fired power plants in
Mariveles, Bataan is also planning to expand their operations in the country,
Cuisia said, adding that this will be good for the Philippines since the demand
for power continues to grow.
“Coal-fired power is still one of the cheapest
sources of electricity and as we expand the number of coal-fired power plants
then, of course, we are able to bring down effectively the cost of electricity
particularly in the communities that are served by these power plants. That’s
one of the firms meeting with the President,” he said.
Cuisia also mentioned that there’s a “very good
possibility” that a research and laboratory firm which does testing on
electronic products chooses the Philippines as potential location for its
growing operations in Asia.
“They have operations around Asia in Singapore,
Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and we’re hoping that they will also come to the
Philippines. So there’s I think a very good possibility that they will come to
the Philippines,” he said. (hdc)
Filipino community in the United States are
excited to meet with President Aquino
WASHINGTON D.C.: The members of the Filipino
community in the United States particularly in Los Angeles, California are
"excited" to personally see and welcome President Benigno S. Aquino
III when he sets foot in the American soil during his three-day official
working visit here from June 6 to 8.
President Aquino is scheduled to meet with the
Filipino community at the Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, California as part of
his itinerary during his working visit to the United States on his way back to
Manila on June 8.
"I think they are very excited. Of course,
they want to, in fact, welcome President Aquino when he comes," Philippine
Ambassador to the United states of America Jose Cuisia said in an interview at
the Philippine Embassy here.
Cuisia said that while the President will be
arriving late in the evening of June 6 (Washington D.C. time) at the Andrews
Air Force Base, "there are people who want to welcome him as he lands on
U.S. Soil.
He said that President Aquino will be visiting
the Filipino community in Los Angeles in California and spend a few hours there
on his way back to the Philippines. "After all, he has been here in
Washington D.C., he has met with the Filipino community last year. He has also
been to New York and met with the Filipino community. So, now, he has provided
for a stop in Los Angeles to meet with the Filipino community there," he
said.
Cuisia also said that the Filipino community are
also very optimistic that the President will bring in greater benefits to the
Philippines because of the fact that he was invited by U.S. President Barack
Obama to visit the United States even "at a time when President Obama is
very busy campaigning for the presidency."
"I think this is a very significant message
that is being conveyed by the U.S. that they value our friendship, that they
also value our partnership. And I have seen during my time here, it was about a
year, almost a year and one month, that our relationship with the U.S. is much
more improved," Cuisia stressed.
"As we have said in the past, we have
entered a new chapter in terms of the relations between the Philippines and the
united States. So the Filipinos here are quite excited about this trip and
they're of course looking forward to reading about what were the agreements
that were signed during the visit of President Aquino and what we are about to
get from this visit. Because certainly, it will cover a number of areas where
we hope to be able to expand our relationship with the United States," he
added.
Asked on the total number of Filipinos working
or staying all over the United States, the Philippine Ambassador said that
roughly it's 3.42 million.
"the biggest concentration is in California
with about 1.4 million Filipinos. The next biggest state would be Hawaii which
is probably about 340,000 Filipino-Americans. And then of course, Illinois is
also quite big. New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, the tri-state area. And
then Washington, Maryland and Virginia. washington D.C. is probably about
3,000," he explained.
Cuisia pointed out that these Filipinos are
mostly working in the World Bank, IMF, the international or multilateral
organizations but he added that there are more Filipinos working in Maryland
Virginia including Washington which is roughly over 100,000 to 104,000 combined.
To further boost the spirits of the Filipino
community in Washington D.C., Cuisia also said that the Philippine Embassy has
a lot of activities where " we invite the Filipino-Americans to come to
the embassy."
"For example, last year, during the 150th
anniversary of Jose Rizal, we had quite a number of Rizal activities here in
the embassy as well as the consulates around the U.S. We invited the
Filipino-Americans to participate in these activities," he said.
According to Cuisia, the Philippine Embassy had
activities where they brought the young students "to visit and to come to
the embassy to learn a little bit more about what we are doing here as well as
expose them to some of the exhibits that we had as well as the consulates
around the U.S." (rsda)
Aquino caps official visit in UK with meeting
with Duke of York
LONDON (via PLDT): President Benigno S. Aquino
III capped his three-day official visit to the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Northern Ireland with a meeting with His Royal Highness, The Duke of York,
at the Buckingham Palace.
President Aquino met Wednesday here with Prince
Andrew, acting as official representative of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II who
was busy with the Diamond Jubilee ceremonies.
The Philippine leader’s visit to London
coincided with the UK’s celebrations of the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth's accession to the throne.
President Aquino and the Official Delegation
arrived at Buckingham Palace at 4 p.m. Wednesday (UK time) and was welcomed by
His Royal Highness, the Duke of York.
The Philippine president extended the best
wishes of the Filipino people to Queen Elizabeth on the occasion of her Diamond
Jubilee, marking her 60 years as England’s reigning monarch.
Accompanying the President in the meeting were
Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima,
Transportation Secretary Mar Roxas, Energy Secretary Rene Almendras, Tourism
Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, and Ambassador
Enrique Manalo.
Before his meeting with Prince Andrew, President
Aquino attended a luncheon offered by Her Majesty's Government at the Lancaster
House. The luncheon was hosted by the Lord Mayor of the City of London,
Alderman David Wootton and Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office Jeremy Browne.
After his Royal engagement at the Buckingham
Palace, President Aquino left for Washington, D.C., for a three-day working
visit there upon the invitation of US President Barack Obama. (PCOO)
Malacanang reaffirms position to speed up trial
of Maguindanao Massacre
Malacanang reaffirmed its position to speed up
the trial of the Maguindanao Massacre case which took place in the year 2009
killing over 50 people as it underscored the importance of observing due
process in efforts to render justice to the victims through the course of the
judicial process.
In answering the queries during a regular press
conference in Malacanang, Thursday, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda
said that the trial depends on the judge handling the case and all the
administration could do is to call to hasten the process and immediately serve
justice where it is due.
“Yung situation po sa Maguindanao Massacre… the
proceeding is largely dependent on how the judge conducts the trial, we have
always maintained that we would like to expedite the proceedings but we can
only go so much and request the judge to expedite the proceedings,” Lacierda
said.
Lacierda also noted that the expeditious
resolution of the case could show to the world the country’s seriousness in
serving justice to the victims such as in the Maguindanao Massacre.
“If the judiciary would be able to consider all
these things and expedite for instance a hearing before the Court of Appeals so
that all the respondents can be arraigned it would be better and it would show
to the world that the Philippine judiciary is serious about rendering justice
to the victims in the Maguindanao Massacre,” Lacierda said.
It will be recalled that on November 23, 2009,
58 people were killed in a carnage dubbed as Maguindanao Massacre, also known
as Ampatuan Massacre after the town in Mindanao where the mass graves were
discovered.
The victims were part of the convoy going to the
local office of the Commission on Elections to file a certificate of candidacy
for Esmael Mangudadatu, vice mayor of the Buluan town.
Those who were killed include journalists
covering the event, lawyers, Mangudadatu’s wife and sisters, aides and
motorists who were just passing by the area. (jcl/3:15 p.m.)
Palace expects Philippines to pass Financial
Action Task Force scrutiny
Malacanang hopes that the passage of the two
bills related to money laundering by the Senate would be a substantial
compliance to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for the country to avoid
being blacklisted by the international body.
The Senate approved on Wednesday on third and
final reading one of the bills, the Senate Bill 3127 or the Terrorism Financing
Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012, which will allow authorities to look
into and freeze bank accounts of suspected terrorist groups without a court
order.
SB 3127 amends Republic Act 9160 or the
Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001 which states that the Anti-Money Laundering
Council is authorized to freeze any account only upon confirmation of probable
cause to do so. The amendment also covers terrorist financing.
The Philippine Senate needs to pass the bill in
order for the Philippines not to be blacklisted by by the Financial Action Task
Force (FATF).
The FATF, a Paris-based inter-governmental body
which promotes policies against money laundering and terrorist financing, will
be assessing the country's fight against money laundering from June 18 to 22.
“We hope that this would be considered by the
FATF as substantial compliance. There’s a deadline set by the FATF, June 18...
and the executive director of the Anti-Money Laundering Council Vicente Aquino
will be going to Paris to explain our position,” Presidential Spokesman Edwin
Lacierda said in a press conference in Malacanang on Thursday.
Aquino will also be discussing the phase of the
passage of the two bills and explain its dependency on the recent impeachment
trial of the Supreme Court chief justice.
“And in spite of the length of time that the
trial took place, we were able to pass two out of the three bills. And
hopefully that will be appreciated by the FATF as substantial compliance. We
hope to pass the third bill sometime around…until October. So we leave it to
the AMLC to explain it to FATF,” Lacierda added.
The bill allows the government to run after
those involved in international terrorist-financing activities, according to
its proponent. It also empowers the Philippine government, “subject to the
principle of reciprocity, consider the International Convention for the
Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism as a legal basis for requesting or
granting extradition in respect of the offenses set forth under the Act.”
(as/2:40pm)
Aquino arrives in Washington D.C. meeting with
Obama, Clinton, American Senators and businessmen tops list of engagements in
U.S. official working visit
WASHINGTON D.C. -- President Benigno. S. Aquino
III arrived here on Wednesday evening (June 6, Washington D. C time) on board a
Philippine Airlines flight PR001 at the Andrews Air Force Base for a three-day
official working visit upon the invitation of United States President Barack
Obama.
The Chief Executive, accompanied by a lean
delegation team composed of Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Foreign Affairs
Secretary Albert del Rosario, Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Trade and
Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo, Transportation and Communication Secretary
Mar Roxas II, and Secretary Ramon Carandang of the Presidential Communicationn
Development and Strategic Planning Office, arrived at 8:30 pm (8:30 a.m, Manila
time) following his successful official visit to the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland.
On hand to welcome the President upon his
arrival were Ambassador Capricia Penavic Marshall, chief of Protocol of the
United States Department and Philippine Embassy officials led by Philippine
Ambassador to the United States Jose Cuisia and Defense and Armed Forces
Attaché Brigadier General Cesar Yano.
Recognizing the presence of the members of the
Filipino community, who were also at the airport to welcome him, President
Aquino accosted and shook hands with them.
After the airport ceremony, the President was
immediately whisked in a motorcade to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, where he is
billeted.
President Aquino's meetings with President
Obama, U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, including his meetings with the
top leaders of the US Senate well as his attendance at the launching of the
US-Philippine Society, and his meeting with business leaders and investors tops
the list of his official engagements during the duration of his visit.
On Thursday (June 7), the President will start
his official activities by meeting with the Sithe Global/Denham Capital/GN
Power at the Sackler Room of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. In the same hotel, he
will also meet with the officials of the Underwriter Laboratories/Research and
Development.
After his interview with the representatives of
the Wall Street Journal headed by its Washington Bureau chief Gerald Seib, the
President will visit the Quantico Marine Corps Base.
Later in the afternoon, the President will
proceed to the Capitol Hill to meet with the top leaders of the US Senate at a
reception hosted in his honor by Senate President ProTempore Daniel inouye.
Then he will likewise grace the launching of the
US-Philippine Society at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel where he is the guest of
honor and speaker. The US-Philippine Society is a private sector initiative
designed to encourage economic ties, promote trade and investment, support
common strategic and political goals, and strengthen cultural, technological,
educational, and people-to-people linkages.
On Friday (June 8), President Aquino will
receive the officials of the Citi Group and USAID on Mobile Financial Inclusion
Proposal also at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
This will be followed by an interview with the
President by the representatives of the Washington Post headed by its Editorial
Page Editor, Fred Hiatt at the Washington Post Building in Washington D.C.
After his attendance at the luncheon to be
hosted by US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton at the US Department of State,
President Aquino will meet with US President Obama at the Oval Office in the
White House where they are expected to discuss various issues of mutual
interests that would further enhance the country's strategic partnership with
the United States.
From Washington D.C., on his way back to Manila,
the President will drop by Los Angeles in California, where he will meet and
interact with the Filipino community and personally check on their condition
during a gathering at the Hilton Hotel.
Some 322,110 Filipinos are residing in Los
Angeles and they comprise 3.1 percent of the city's population.
While in Los Angeles, the President is also
expected to receive Filipino-Mexican-American American Idol (AI) runner up and
singing sensation Jessica Sanchez who will call on him before he meets with the
Filipino community. (rsda)
Senator Lugar hails President Aquino's official
working visit to U.S.
WASHINGTON D.C. -- United States Senator Richard
Lugar hailed President Benigno S. Aquino III's official working visit to the
United States as a "noteworthy benchmark" in Philippine-US relations.
President Aquino, accompanied by a lean
delegation team, arrived here on Wednesday evening (June 6) at 8:30 pm (8:30 am
Manila time) for a three-day official working visit.
In a statement issued on June 5 by Senator Lugar
on the occasion of the the 60th anniversary of the United States- Philippines
Mutual Defense Treaty, the senior member of the US senate foreign relations
committee noted that the United States-Philippine relationship represents a
shared sacrifice in the defense of freedom.
"While historically we have worked well
together on multiple fronts, it is necessary that the two countries discern new
ways to expand trade, account for their mutual defense and promote stability
throughout the region. The upcoming visit of President Benigno Aquino is a
noteworthy benchmark with our ever expanding cooperation," Lugar said.
Senator Lugar on June 5 introduced a resolution
in the US senate co-sponsored by senators Kerry, Inhofe, Webb, Ayotte, Cochran
and Inouye, commemorating the 60th anniversary of the US-Philippine mutual
defense treaty and the vitality of the overall bilateral relationship.
It can be recalled that Senator Lugar led the
Official US delegation to observe the 1986 snap Presidential elections, and it
was his team's observations which convinced then US President Ronald Reagan to
withdraw support from the Marcos dictatorship.
During his visit, President Aquino will be
meeting the U. S. Senators at a reception on Capitol Hill on Thursday (June 7,
Washington D.C time). (rsda)
