US President Obama to visit the Philippines next
month
United States President Barack Obama will visit
the Philippines in his four-country ASEAN tour from October 6 to 12, Malacanang
said on Saturday.
“Upon the invitation of His Excellency President
Benigno S. Aquino III, President Barack Obama of the United States will be
traveling to the Philippines on October 11-12,” Presidential spokesman Edwin
Lacierda said in a statement on Saturday.
“President Obama will meet President Aquino to
discuss ways to further strengthen the enduring Philippines-U.S. alliance,
including the expansion of our security, economic, and people-to-people ties.”
Lacierda’s message confirmed a White House
statement released on Friday about Obama’s trip to Asia.
The White House said the US President will
travel to Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines from October 6 to 12
as part of his ongoing commitment to increase US political, economic and
security engagement with the Asia Pacific.
In Indonesia, Obama will attend the Asia Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders meeting. APEC is the region’s
leading forum for trade and investment integration.
He will then travel to Brunei for the US-ASEAN
Summit and the East Asia Summit (EAS) and to meet with the Sultan of Brunei.
After Brunei, the US leader will proceed to
Malaysia to meet with Prime Minister Najib. Obama will highlight the US’s
growing bilateral ties with Malaysia, and also deliver the keynote address to
the Global Entrepreneurship Summit.
The last leg of Obama’s Asian visit will be the
Philippines, the fifth Asian treaty ally he has visited during his presidency.
He will meet with President Aquino to reaffirm the strong economic,
people-to-people, and security links between the two countries, the White House
said. PND (as)
Aquino assures evacuees in Zamboanga City of
continued government assistance
President Benigno S. Aquino III visited on
Saturday morning the evacuees in Zamboanga City affected by the ongoing
standoff after members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) attacked
several villages in the city this week.
In a radio interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan on
Saturday, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said the President
assured the evacuees in Zamboanga City of sufficient food supply for everybody.
The President said all concerned agencies of the
national government will continue to ensure that affected residents in the city
will receive government assistance, Valte said.
Referring to a bulletin from the Department of
the Interior and Local Government, Valte said the President met with the local
crisis management committee and stakeholders yesterday afternoon.
The defense department also reported this
morning that no ceasefire has been implemented and fighting between the
government forces and MNLF-Misuari faction continues.
The MNLF’s actions, taking of hostages and using
them as human shields, shooting civilians, fire fighters and rescue workers,
are violations of the Second Protocol of the Geneva Convention relating to the
Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts, Valte said.
The government will make the attackers
accountable but in the meantime security forces will see to it that civilians
are kept out of harm’s way, the Palace official said.
On Friday morning, the President flew to
Zamboanga City to personally assess the situation and ensure that the people
affected in the conflict receive government assistance and care. PND (as)
