June 4, 2912, Malaya
PRESIDENT Aquino will leave this afternoon for a week-long official visit to the United Kingdom and the United States where he will meet with British Prime Minister David Cameron and US President Barack Obama.
Deputy presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte said Aquino is tentatively set to leave Manila at around 1:30 p.m. for the United Kingdom where he will be on an official visit from June 4 to 6. He will visit Washington and Los Angeles from June 6 to 8.
Valte said the President would also meet with the Filipino communities in the two countries and with business groups that have expressed interested to invest in the Philippines, particularly in the public-private partnership programs.
Aquino during a visit to Iloilo last Friday said he expects to discuss the West Philippine Sea issue with Obama and Cameron.
“I think it will be a general…(agenda). Pag-uusapan ‘yung kondisyon sa West Philippine Sea…,” he said referring to standoff with between the Philippines and China that started last April 10.
“I’m sure that when I visit the UK, Prime Minister David Cameron will also inquire as to the status (of the standoff). It is a body of water where quite a substantial amount of world trade has to pass through. So it’s a matter of concern for everybody,” he added.
Aquino will meet with the Duke of York, Prince Andrew, who will be standing in for Queen Elizabeth who is busy with public meetings for her Diamond Jubilee during Aquino’s visit.
Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for American Affairs Patricia Ann Paez said Aquino will be received by Obama at the White on June 8.
Paez said the meeting between the two presidents is their fourth in a span of two years, the first meeting being in September 2010 during the Asean-US Leaders’ Meeting in New York.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will host luncheon in honor of Aquino and his delegation, with some 200 guests.
Aquino will also meet with top leaders of the US Senate at a reception hosted by Senate President Pro Tempore Daniel Inouye, who is considered the “champion of Philippine interests” in the US Congress.
Aquino will attend the launching of the US-Philippine Society which aims to provide information on the Philippines to US policy makers, convey to the Philippine government the objective feedbacks on perceptions in the US regarding the country, and undertake partnership programs with NGOs and other institutions to increase public exposure of Philippine issues.
He will also be interviewed by the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post.
He will meet with the 322,110-strong Filipino-American community in Los Angeles before returning to Manila on June 10.
