ShareThis RP leader eyes
more investments,
jobs from US trip
By FRED G. GABOT and CLAIRE M. TRUE
Special to Fil-Am Megascene
DAVAO CITY/CAGAYAN DE ORO (PhilAmPress) – President Benigno Aquino III said in Davao City he is all set to leave Manila on September 20 for a week-long swing in the United States that includes addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
At the sidelines of the UN event, Aquino will meet with United States President Barack Obama together with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Aquino will meet business leaders also in New York and later, September 25 to 26, in San Jose City at the heart of the Silicon Valley in California where he is expected to get “good news” on possible investments and support to the Philippines.
PRESIDENT VISITS MINDANAO. President Benigno S. Aquino III shakes hands with Lumad leader Dato Domaconog Doming Tumaytay during his visit in Sitio Talos in Brarangay San Jose, Sto. Tomas, Davao Del Norte. The President visited Cebu and Mindanao before flying to the United States to meet with businessmen and address the UN General Assembly in New York.
At press time, there is no official announcement of a possible Obama-Aquino one-on-one meeting at the White House and a Malacanang official said Aquino is not scheduled to go to the White House.
Aquino will be accompanied by a lean delegation that includes Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo, Energy Secretary Rene Almendras, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., a handful of congressmen and senators and about 30 business leaders.
There were reports that former first lady and now Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos wanted to join Mr. Aquino but she has not been allowed to as of press time.
In Cagayan de Oro City, Leslie Bassett, Deputy Ambassador to the Philippines, said the US and Philippine leaders will have “key opportunities” to discuss Philippine-US relations at the United Nations.
Bassett said it was likely that Obama and Aquino would meet and talk on the sidelines of the ASEAN-US Summit.
Aside from meeting with ASEAN leaders, “there will be private dialogues as well,” Bassett said.
The US official said the US government was delighted to see Mr. Aquino face the UN as it would be a “great opportunity for the Philippines to show leadership across the board.”
Before flying to the US, Aquino visited Cebu and Davao where he was warmly welcomed in the midst of the backlash of the botched hostage rescue at the Luneta where eight Hong Kong and Canadian tourists were killed.
President Aquino promised to bring in more jobs as a result of his trip to the United States.
“I am more focused on bringing in more jobs. I am working on the companies that have pledged to invest in the country,” said the President in Davao City
Aquino said in Davao that the government’s partnership with the private sector particularly in harnessing renewable energy sources can fully realize Mindanao’s potential as a sustainable investment haven and food basket in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Chief Executive led the formal launching of the 42.5-megawatt Sibulan Hydroelectric Power Plant located in Barangay Sibulan in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur.
A green project of the Aboitiz Power Corporation, the power plant is capable of delivering more than 200 million kilowatt-hours annually of clean and renewable energy to the Davao Light and Power Company to augment the power demand in this city and the provinces of Davao del Sur and Davao del Norte.
While the region abounds with bountiful harvest of fish and agricultural products, the President said Mindanao has not reached its full potential due to decades of political conflict, poverty and the recent energy shortage in several parts of the region.
According to the President, more efforts are now being undertaken to bring peace and progress in Mindanao as well as solutions to resolve the power supply deficiencies experienced by the region particularly during the First of Quarter of this year.
“The Sibulan power plant reflects a concrete step in that direction. With the active cooperation between government and the private entities, we are committed to end poverty and bring peace to Mindanao through vibrant growth and economic progress,” he said.
“We will ensure that Mindanao lives up to its name as a food basket, not just of the Philippines, but of the whole Asia-Pacific region,” the President added.