President Aquino thanks Spain Prime Minister
Rajoy for disaster aid
MADRID, Spain) President Benigno Aquino III has
expressed gratitude to Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy for consistently
providing help to the Philippines in times of crisis, especially during natural
disasters.
In their bilateral meeting at the Palacio de la
Moncloa here on Monday, President Aquino thanked the Prime Minister and the
people of Spain for the generous assistance they have extended to victims of
Typhoon Yolanda.
Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) has caused massive
damage to Central Visayas in November last year, killing over 5,000 people and
leaving thousands other homeless and unemployed.
President Aquino invited the Spanish government
to become part of the Philippine efforts to “build back better” typhoon-hit
areas, including Tacloban in Leyte.
The Chief Executive emphasized that the country
is open to development partnerships, either with the public or private sector.
The President likewise thanked Prime Minister
Rajoy for the assistance his country extended when a 7.2-magnitude earthquake
hit the provinces of Bohol and Cebu in October 2013.
He also expressed appreciation for Spain’s
substantial donation to the victims of the standoff in Zamboanga City between
government forces and the Moro National Liberation Front.
The President flew to Brussels, Belgium after
sitting down with Prime Minister Rajoy. PND (jb)
President Aquino arrives in Belgium to meet with
leaders of EC and Belgium
BRUSSELS, Belgium) President Benigno Aquino III
and his official delegation arrived here this afternoon for a series of
meetings with leaders of the European Commission and Belgium.
President Aquino will kick off his three-day
visit in Brussels with a meeting with European Commission President José Manuel
Barroso to tackle various issues, including the West Philippine Sea and
bilateral trade and relations.
The President is also scheduled to meet with His
Majesty King Philippe of Kingdom of Belgium to seek support for the
Philippines’ application for the Generalized System of Preferences Plus (GSP+)
and discuss ways to combat illegal fishing, improve the welfare of seafarers.
He will also update King Philippe on the progress of the ongoing peace process
in Mindanao.
A meeting with members of the Filipino community
from Belgium and Luxembourg to be held at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St.
Gudula is in the agenda of the President while in Brussels.
There are about 6,000 Filipinos living in
Belgium according to recent data of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
On his second day in Belgium, the President is
also expected to meet with European Council President Herman Van Rompuy at the
European Council headquarters and sit down with Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di
Rupo at the latter’s official residence in the Belgian capital.
The President is also scheduled to give a
keynote address during the Private-Public Partnership Infrastructure Conference
and hold meetings with several multinational companies.
He will also deliver a policy speech at Egmont
Institute to mark the 50th anniversary of the Philippines and European Union
relations.
President Aquino just came from Spain following
a successful visit. After Belgium, the Chief Executive will fly to Paris,
France. PND (jb)
European Union backs Aquino administration's
peace initiatives in Mindanao
BRUSSELS, Belgium) European Union Commission
President Jose Manuel Barroso lauded President Benigno S. Aquino III’s
initiatives to bring lasting peace in Mindanao.
“I congratulated President Aquino for his
efforts to bring peace, stability and development to the Philippines of which
the successful accomplishment of the Mindanao peace negotiations and signing of
the Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro is a good example,” said President
Barroso in speech following his meeting with President Aquino at the European
Commission Headquarters in Brussels.
“In particular, I have congratulated President
Aquino for the submission of the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law to the Philippines
Congress on the 10th of this month. This is a welcomed positive step forward in
the overall effort in bringing lasting peace to people in Mindanao,” President
Barroso added.
At the same time, President Barroso pledged that
the EU will continue its support and assistance for the Mindanao peace plan.
“The European Union is also supporting peace and
development in Mindanao, in complement to the Government's efforts, through
various development projects worth 106 million euros. And I assured the
President of our continued support and assistance in this effort,” President
Barroso said.
The EU’s support came after Spain also backed
the steps taken by President Aquino aimed at further forwarding the peace
initiative in southern Philippines, during a meeting between the Chief
Executive and Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy at Palacio de la Moncloa in
Madrid.
During the bilateral meeting of the Philippine
and Spanish leaders, President Aquino conveyed the country’s gratitude for
Spain’s support for the Mindanao peace plan.
“We also value the insights on the existing
Autonomous Communities in Spain gained through the study visits of our
delegates to your country. This will help our government officials and
legislators who will be involved in the creation of the Bangsamoro political
entity,” the President said.
“We hope that Spain will continue to be our
partner in the development of Mindanao,” he added.
The Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro
between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front
was signed on March 27 this year.
On September 10, President Aquino turned over
the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law to Senate President Franklin Drilon and House
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. PND (co)
Aquino thanks the European Union for assistance
after 'Typhoon Haiyan'
BRUSSELS, Belgium) President Benigno S. Aquino
III conveyed his appreciation to the European Union for its assistance in the
aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda).
In his meeting with European Commission
President José Manuel Barroso, President Aquino reiterated the “profound
appreciation of the Filipino people for the solidarity that the European Union
has demonstrated.”
“The overwhelming humanitarian assistance of the
European Union represents a great contribution to our national recovery and
reconstruction efforts,” the President said during the joint press conference
that followed his bilateral talks with President Barroso.
“Then as now, our partnership has served as a
concrete reminder of what can be achieved through cooperation and positive
engagement. This is the context in which President Barroso and I reaffirmed the
enduring and meaningful relations between the Philippines and the European
Union,” he added.
The meeting between the two leaders was held
shortly after President Aquino arrived here for the second leg of his
four-nation European trip. His visit marks the 50th anniversary of the
establishment of the Philippine Embassy in Belgium. PND (co)
European Commission praises Philippines for
remarkable economic performance
BRUSSELS, Belgium) European Commission President
José Manuel Barroso congratulated President Benigno Aquino III for the remarkable
economic performance of the Philippine economy under his leadership.
President Barroso conveyed his congratulations
to President Aquino during their meeting held at the European Union
Headquarters in the Belgian capital, and said that economic reforms must
continue to further advance the competitiveness of the Philippines.
“I also congratulated the President on the
remarkable economic performance of the Philippines. At the same time, economic
reforms need to continue to increase the competitiveness and productivity of
the country,” Barroso said.
“Europe can be a partner in this process, too.
Our PCA (Partnership and Cooperation Agreement), which was signed in 2012, has
allowed for an enhanced cooperation in several priority areas,” he added.
Barroso said the European Union and the
Philippines are becoming more important to each other in terms of trade and
investment rankings.
“Our trade exchanges in 2013 and 2014 were the
largest in a decade,” he told a joint press conference.
President Barroso said the European Union is the
Philippines’ third largest trading partner, as well as the largest foreign
investor in the country.
European Union is also looking forward to
working together with the Philippines to further strengthen trade and investment
ties, he added.
Moreover, Barroso and President Aquino also
discussed the European Union and Asia relations during their talks on Monday
afternoon (Brussels time).
Barroso said the European Union actively
supports regional integration through the ASEAN and committed to forging a
strong relationship with the whole region. PND (co)
Aquino to address U.N. climate summit, meet with
Filipino community during U.S. visit
President Benigno S. Aquino III will address a
United Nations climate summit, speak to American businessmen, and meet with the
Filipino community when he visits the United States from September 20 to 24.
“As in all of the President’s trips abroad, the
primary objectives of the visit will be to continue to project the Philippines
as an emerging economy and investment destination in Asia; to promote the
country as having an economy with sound credentials built on the back of good
governance principles; and to highlight the country’s role as an archipelagic
and maritime nation with key advocacies in maritime security, maritime safety,
promotion and growth of the blue economy and sustainable development,” Foreign
Affairs Assistant Secretary Maria Andrelita Austria said during a press
briefing in Malacañang on Tuesday.
The President will arrive in Boston,
Massachusetts on the evening of September 20 from Berlin.
Having spent many years in Boston, he will visit
old friends, Austria said, adding that he will be honored at Boston College on
September 21, and while there, he will meet with some scholars of the Benigno
and Corazon Aquino Scholarship Foundation.
He will then attend a reception with members of
the Filipino-American community in the New York-Boston area.
On September 22, the President will meet with
Representative Joseph Kennedy III (4th District, Massachusetts), who visited
the Philippines recently and invited the President for a meeting when he visits
Boston.
Later in the afternoon, the President will
receive three big American companies, and this will be followed by an interview
with the National Public Radio station, according to Austria.
He will then deliver a policy speech at the
Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and then proceed to New
York.
While in New York, the President will have a
series of media interviews with major print and television companies, Austria
said.
After that, the President will join other world
leaders for the UN Climate Change Summit at the UN Headquarters.
After this, he will have a business roundtable
with the US Chamber of Commerce, the US-ASEAN Business Council, and the
US-Philippines Society.
Later in the afternoon, the President will speak
at the World Leaders Forum of Columbia University, and have a coffee meeting
with the media.
On September 24, the President will depart New
York for San Francisco.
“This was supposedly only a technical stop but
we have had requests from big business companies to meet with the President. So
we have arranged for at least two business meetings in San Francisco,” Austria
said.
He then leaves for Manila and arrive on the
evening of Thursday, September 25.
The President is currently on a four-nation tour
of Europe, visiting Spain and Belgium. He will then proceed to France and
Germany, his last stop in Europe. PND (as)
President Aquino declares observance of 'Eidul
Adha' on October 6 as regular holiday
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared
Monday, October 6 as a regular holiday in observance of Eidul Adha or the
Islamic Feast of Sacrifice.
The President signed on September 12
Proclamation No. 875 on the observance of Eidul Adha, one of two religious
holidays celebrated by Muslims worldwide.
Eidul Adha commemorates the willingness of
Ibrahim (Abraham) to follow God’s command to sacrifice his son.
The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos has
recommended that Eidul Adha be observed on October 6, the date set by Saudi
Arabia’s highest religious body.
The dates of the observance of the Muslim
festivals of Eidul Fitr and Eidul Adha are declared separately from other
national holidays, as the government has to wait for the recommendation of the
National Commission on Muslim Filipinos. PND (ag)
President Aquino to highlight West Philippine
Sea issue during U.S. visit
President Benigno S. Aquino III will advance the
country's interest in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) when he meets
with global leaders and organizations while in the United States on September
20 to 24, a foreign affairs official said during a press briefing at the Palace
on Tuesday.
Asked if the President will talk about the West
Philippine Sea at the World Leaders Forum in Columbia University, Foreign
Affairs Assistant Secretary Maria Andrelita Austria said, "That is one of
the advocacies that he will be carrying in all his meetings, basically, to say
why it is important for the world community to support our endeavor in ensuring
that the rule of law is carried specifically in the West Philippine Sea."
The Philippines is one of several countries
laying claim to the West Philippine Sea, an area believed to be rich in mineral
and fishery resources and which serves as a major sea lane for global trade and
commerce.
The country has filed an arbitration case at the
International Arbitral Tribunal, asking China to clarify its claims on the West
Philippine Sea.
Asked about the possibility of a meeting between
President Aquino and US President Barack Obama, as well as other leaders,
Austria said no such meeting has been arranged but it is possible that they
meet at the corridors of the United Nations Headquarters.
The practice in the UN is that leaders come and
deliver their remarks, she said.
"As of now, there are no arranged meetings.
But, of course, there’s always the possibility of chance meetings when they
meet each other in the corridors of the UN," Austria said. PND (as)
President Aquino says measures in place to fight
illegal fishing
(BRUSSELS, Belgium) President Benigno S. Aquino
III assured on Monday the European Union that the Philippines is actively
taking steps to combat and stop illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
(IUUF).
President Aquino issued the assurance to
European Commission President José Manuel Barroso during their meeting at the
European Commission headquarters here in Brussels.
To show that the Philippines is serious about
curbing IUUF, President Aquino said relevant agencies have been coordinating
with the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and
Fisheries to address the matter.
The President also said that his administration
even adopted last year the National Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and
Eliminate Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing.
“Our relevant agencies, particularly the Bureau
of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, have been in close coordination with the
European Commission’s Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries to
address the matter,” he said.
“In addition to this, last year, the National
Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter, and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated
Fishing was adopted by our administration,” he added.
As to the Philippines’ compliance with the
International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and
Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), the government is working closely with the European
Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport.
“We have already laid the groundwork for an
effective and sustainable regulatory system consistent with the STCW
Convention,” the President said in a joint press conference after his meeting
with the European Commission head.
President Aquino signed Republic Act No. 10635
that established the Maritime Industry Authority as the sole maritime
administration authority to implement and enforce the Convention. PND (co)
President Aquino signs Executive Order to ease
congestion in Port of Manila
President Benigno S. Aquino III has signed an
executive order that aims to ease the congestion at the Port of Manila, a
Palace official announced on Tuesday.
The President signed on September 13 Executive
Order (EO) No. 172, declaring the Port of Batangas and Subic Bay Freeport as
extensions of the Port of Manila during port congestion and other emergency
cases, Deputy Spokesperson Abigail Valte said during the daily press briefing
in Malacañang,
“It is no secret to most of you that we have a
problem with port congestion and, as the EO discusses, it is one of the major
factors that hinder the free flow of goods and services passing through the
ports,” said Valte.
She explained that under EO 172, foreign vessels
bound for or leaving the Port of Manila may be directed to berth either at the
Port of Batangas or the Subic Bay Freeport, and this will be considered as
berthing at the Port of Manila.
All rules and regulations being enforced at the
Port of Batangas or the Subic Bay Freeport, including berthing and other port
fees, shall apply to foreign vessels directed to berth there, she added.
According to the EO, the extension of the Port
of Manila shall be lifted once the situation in the port has returned to
normal, as determined by the Secretary of the Department of Transportation and
Communications. PND (ag)
President Aquino: Let's focus on duties, not
politics
(BRUSSELS, Belgium) President Benigno Aquino III
said his administration will not be distracted by the early political
campaigning that has started for the 2016 presidential elections, saying his
mandate is to carry out his duties until his last day in office.
In his speech before some 600 Filipinos from
Belgium and Luxembourg at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula Monday,
President Aquino said he has instructed his Cabinet before he left for his
Europe trip to continue focusing on addressing the issues confronting the
country.
“You know in our country, noise about the
incoming 2016 elections has already begun... But I will assure you: we, who
have been given a mandate, will not be swayed by political issues,” he said.
Early political campaigning, he said, will not
solve a host of problems the country is facing.
“Before I left, I made sure that our allies
focus on their duties and responsibilities, and I gave a directive to address
issues such as the traffic caused by port congestion, energy shortage issue, El
Niño, and the continuing increase in demand as our country’s economy continues
to grow,” he said.
In the past, the Chief Executive called on those
engaging in early campaigning to put their duties and obligations first before
politics.
He said the administration still has
one-and-a-half years to serve the people and the government should continue to
make great strides in improving the economy and the welfare of the people.
The President has yet to choose the
administration candidate for the 2016 presidential elections. PND (jb)
President Aquino reports to his 'bosses,' cites
gains from reforms
(BRUSSELS, Belgium) President Benigno Aquino III
met with the Filipino community here on Monday and told his “bosses” of the
progress the Philippines has achieved because of the reforms that his
administration has put in place.
The President, who always refers to his
constituents as his bosses, reported to some 600 Filipinos from Belgium and
Luxembourg, at the magnificent St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral at
Treurenberg Hill, that his reform agenda is making inroads in improving the
economy and fighting corruption.
One of the key achievements of the Aquino
administration, he said, is the lifting of the European Union’s ban on
Philippine airline carriers after complying with global aviation safety
standards.
Aquino said Philippine Airlines was allowed to
fly to Europe again in July 2013, while Cebu Pacific was finally given the
go-signal to service the route last April.
“Now, it will be easier and more convenient for
our OFWs and tourists to fly to and from the Philippines,” he said.
The President also told the Filipino community
that economic reforms have started to pay off, citing the rise in global
competitiveness ranking and upgrade in investment grade rating by three major
global rating firms of the Philippines.
Since this administration came into office, the
Chief Executive said, it has been making headway in the fight against graft and
corruption like the filing of cases against people allegedly involved in the
pork barrel scam.
He also noted that the government’s agenda of
transparency and accountability has resulted in millions of pesos in savings
from various government agencies like the Department of Public Works and
Highways. These savings, the President added, provided funds to build more
classrooms and expand the healthcare plan for the Filipino people under
PhilHealth.
In the quest for lasting peace in Mindanao,
President Aquino told the Filipino community that the government has turned
over the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law to leaders of Congress last September 10
for appropriate action.
“We will not stop in pushing for comprehensive
transformation of our society. With our collective effort, we made the impossible
possible,” President Aquino said. PND (jb)
