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Workers cut a fallen tree and a concrete electric post that block a major road Wednesday, July 14, 2010 in Manila, Philippines.
July 16, 2010
MANILA (PhilAmPress) – President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III has called on Filipino immigrants from the United States, Guam, Saipan, Canada and Australia to help his administration “because there is a lot to be done for the motherland.” Aquino made the appeal during the call on him in Malacanang by some 200 overseas Filipinos led by lawyers Loida Nicolas Lewis and Rodel E. Rodis, a columnist of Philippines Today, a day after his inauguration at the Luneta.
The callers , who also attended his inauguration ceremonies at the Quirino Grandstand, accepted the challenge and vowed to play an active role in good governance in the Philippines, their native land.
The overseas Filipino leaders said they campaigned among their relatives overseas and in the Phili ppines for President Aquino and Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas during the last election, adding that their efforts would be useless if they did actively take part in good governance in the country. Accompanied by officials of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, the “balikbayans “ assembled at the Heroes Hall, of Malac ang, all showing excitement in meeting the President on his first day at the Palace and to congratulate him and express their support for his administration.
In Pilipino, President Aquino told his callers: “I want to thank you all for coming this far and at great expense to wish me well and congratulate me. But I would like to ask your support and to help us with our work for the motherland.” He then had photo opportunity with the immigrants by batches but this took longer than he wanted it. The overseas Filipinos also attended a conference on good governance at the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City. The conference aimed at how the Filipinos abroad could help bring good governance in their homeland. Others who called on Aquino and attended the conference were from United Kingdom, Australia and other parts of the world.
The inauguration of President Aquino III as the 15th Philippines President “augurs a brighter tomorrow and promises a new hope for change in the Philippines,” they said. “We campaigned hard among our fellow Filipinos in our respective adopted countries to help bring about change in our homeland. It is incumbent upon us to make sure that our new leaders, particularly our new President Aquino, get our support as they live up to their campaign promise to bring about such change,” said Wally Reyes of Los Angeles, one of the convention’s organizers who celebrated his birthday on the first day of the convention.