President Aquino receives non-resident
ambassadors in Malacanang
President Benigno S. Aquino III welcomed 14
Non-resident Ambassadors who will begin their tour as representatives of their
respective countries in ceremonies held in Malacanang on Thursday.
The 14 envoys who called on him at the Palace
were: His Excellency Jaime Alberto Cabal Sanclemente, Ambassador of the
Republic of Columbia; H.E. Klas Molin, Ambassador, Kingdom of Sweden; H.E.
Jerome Kloh Weya, Ambassador, Republic of Cote d 'Ivoire; H.E. Vladimir N.
Lopato-Zagorsky, Ambassador, Republic of Belarus; H..E. Tamerlan Elmar Oglu
Karayev, Ambassador, Republic of Azerbaijan;
H.E. Dr. Sayed Mohammed Amin Fatime, Ambassador,
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan; H.E. Dr. Charles Murigande, Ambassador,
Republic of Rwanda; H.E. Francois Oubida, Ambassador, Burkina Faso; H.E.
Zomahoun Dossuo Rufin Cyr, Ambassador, Republic of Benin; H.E. Fidelino Loy de
Jesus Figueiredo, Ambassador, Republic of Angola; H.E. Martha Lidia Zelayandia
Cisneros, Ambassador, Republic of El Salvador; H.E. Ruben Perez Valdes,
Ambassador, Republic of Cuba; H.E. Isikeli Uluinairai Matailoga, Ambassador,
Republic of Fiji Islands; and H.E. Banzragch Delgermaa, Ambassador, Mongolia.
In his speech, the President said the visit of
the ambassadors to the country was a testament to the mutual efforts of
Philippines and their respective countries to strengthen relations and
“positively engage each other.”
“Your visit comes at a time when the Philippines
is on the rise—a time when we Filipinos hold our heads high because of the
great strides we have made as a people. The Philippines stands as a reliable
and responsible member of the community of nations, ready to work with those
who seek to advance goodwill and hope across the globe,” the President said.
“Your presence here is a testament to our mutual
efforts to positively engage each other, on the understanding that it is in all
of our interests to continue exploring ways to strengthen our relations,” he
added.
“We know that it is only through sincere
cooperation, founded on mutual regard, that we can help uplift our own peoples
in an international environment of peace and understanding,” the President
said. PND (rck)
Philippines, Japan agree for peaceful resolution
of West Philippine Sea dispute
The Philippines and Japan shared common
interests for the peaceful resolution of the West Philippines Sea dispute and
both countries are cooperating to resolve the issue, a foreign affairs official
said on Thursday.
“I think there’s a mutual agreement that we
should pursue a peaceful resolution to these disputes and we’re trying to find
out what the right formulation is,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del
Rosario told the media in a press conference in Malacanang following Japanese
Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida courtesy call on President Benigno S. Aquino III
held at the Palace’s Ramos Room.
Del Rosario said he, the President and Kishida
talked about the challenges that the Philippines and Japan are facing in view
of China’s territorial assertions. In the bilateral meeting, Del Rosario said
they expressed the Philippines’ position and how the country consistently
carries out these strategies.
Asked by reporters how big does the China
challenge pose to the Philippines and Japan, del Rosario said both countries
recognize the magnitude of the challenge.
“I think we all understand that the assertions
being made by China in terms of their nine-dash line claim, for example, do
pose threats to the stability of the region. We also need to be able to address
the possibility that the freedom of navigation would be adversely impacted,” he
explained.
To enhance maritime cooperation, both countries
became active in conducting maritime forums, he said. These expanded forums
were very successful, and Japan and the Philippines are planning for a second
expanded maritime forum under the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN).
Aside from the West Philippine Sea issue, del
Rosario said they also discussed economic relations, trade and investment,
tourism, Japan’s official development assistance to the Philippines, as well as
infrastructure projects funded by the Japanese government. PND (as)
Philippines and Japan agree to enhance
cooperation in maritime security
The Philippines and Japan agreed to closely work
together in enhancing cooperation in maritime security, Foreign Affairs
Secretary Albert del Rosario said.
Del Rosario said during a press briefing in
Malacanang on Thursday that the Philippines and Japan will enhance ties between
their coast guards.
"We also discussed maritime security and we
discussed assistance to the (Philippine) Coast Guard in terms of its multi-role
response vessels which is being funded by the Japanese government," del
Rosario told the media following the courtesy call of visiting Japanese Foreign
Minister Fumio Kishida in Malacanang on Thursday.
President Benigno S. Aquino III received Japanese
Foreign Minister Kishida who reaffirmed his country's commitment to work with
the Philippines in fostering their relations on the basis of mutual respect and
understanding.
The official visit of the foreign minister
reaffirms the strategic partnership between the Philippines and Japan.
Del Rosario said the Japanese government has
been assisting the Philippines in strengthening the capacity of the Philippine
Coast Guard (PCG) through human resource development and augmentation of much
needed communications system equipment for maritime safety.
"We also discussed the communication system
for maritime safety which also would be for the benefit of the Coast Guard. We
discussed regional issues—the regional issues encompasse the West Philippine
Sea," Rosario said.
Del Rasario noted that there will be a regular
exchange of views and dialogue between officials of the two countries on
maritime and ocean affairs.
"We have these multi-role response vessels.
Ten of them are being funded by Japan for our Coast Guard," he said. PND
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Improved Philippine economy attracting Japanese
investments, says Del Rosario
Japan is interested in putting more investments
in the Philippines given the country’s improved economic environment, a foreign
affairs official said on Thursday.
In a media briefing in Malacanang, Foreign
Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said there were discussions on business
opportunities between Japan and the Philippines because of the country’s
improved economic environment and the positive macro-economic results posted by
the Philippines.
Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida met with
President Benigno S. Aquino III in a meeting following his courtesy call on the
President on Thursday at the Malacanang Ramos Room.
“A new Philippines is being presented and the
Japanese are very much interested in upping their investment activities in the
Philippines, and one area of possible investments iwhich we are pursuing with
an aggressive passion are the SMEs (small and medium enterprises)—the Japanese
SMEs,” Del Rosario said, who joined the President in a meeting with Kishida.
The Japanese government will also help the
Philippines in building LRT-1 South that will connect Cavite and the LRT-2 East
that goes to Antipolo, according to Del Rosario. The Japanese are also building
the Bohol airport, he said.
Japan also remains committed for further
developments in Mindanao especially after the signing of the Framework
Agreement last year, Del Rosario said.
“The Japanese are very committed. As you know,
Japan is the only country that is present in the IMT (International Monitoring
Team) and in the ICG (International Contact Group). They are committed in a big
way to the ongoing negotiations, and they also are very committed to helping in
terms of the development programs there,” he said.
Del Rosario said Kishida invited the President
to attend the 40th Commemorative ASEAN Summit in Japan this year. He said he
highly recommended to the President to attend the commemorative summit.
In return, the President took the opportunity to
hand over a personal invitation, through Kishida, to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
for a state visit in the Philippines. PND (as)
