President Aquino to Embark on a Three-state European Trip Next Week

President Benigno S. Aquino III will go on a three-state European trip from November 30 to December 5, visiting the cities of Paris in France, Rome in Italy, and Vatican City in the Holy See, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced on Thursday.

The Chief Executive will be in the French capital to attend the leaders’ event of the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, as well as engage in some business meetings on the side.

In a press briefing held in Malacañang, DFA Assistant Secretary of European Affairs Maria Cleofe Natividad said President Aquino will deliver keynote remarks during the Climate Vulnerable Forum, which the Philippines chairs, at COP21.

“It will be a capstone opportunity for the President to highlight its climate change accomplishments and to support the crafting of a new climate change agreement that is effective and equitable and that, most especially, will help the climate vulnerable communities,” Natividad said of the President’s attendance to the event.

The foreign affairs official added that President Aquino would also meet with various businessmen of French, Irish, and Japanese companies to pursue further trade and investment partnerships, as well as discuss cooperations on health.

He will also witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Bases Conversion Development Authority and the French organization, Vivapolis, for the development of the Green City project in Clark, Pampanga.

In Rome, President Aquino will have an official meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella at the latter’s official residence, Natividad said, adding that he might also speak with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.

The discussion between President Aquino and his Italian counterpart will revolve around strengthening Philippine-Italian bilateral relations, in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties.

Other topics of conversation will be the Italian government’s participation in the Mindanao peace process through Italy’s assistance to the Agrarian Reform Community Development Support Program as well as the Philippines-Italy Debt for Development Swap Program.

Further improvement on bilateral trade and investments between Manila and Rome is also expected, as the President will witness the signing of an air services agreement, which is seen to benefit Filipino workers and investors coming from Italy.

Natividad said the traditional ‘Meeting with the Filipino Community’ also serves as one of the highlights during President Aquino’s visit to Rome. Currently, there are 171,000 Filipino workers in Italy.

“This will provide the President an opportunity to touch base with them and also to further promote their interests, as far as the Italian government is concerned,” the DFA official told reporters.

In Vatican City, President Aquino will have a private audience with His Holiness Pope Francis. Natividad said this is a reciprocal visit following the supreme pontiff’s trip to the Philippines last January.

“The Pope’s visit, as we are all very much witness to, has greatly contributed to the Filipino spiritual renewal, and the Pope’s visit has provided great comfort and hope to the many grieving Filipinos,” she said.

“So this is an opportunity for the President to thank the Pope, as well as also to discuss with His Holiness the construction and rehabilitation efforts in Tacloban, of which the Pope has shown much keen interest,” she added.

The President will also witness the unveiling and the blessing of a mosaic sculpture of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, and will have an opportunity to meet with the Filipino priests and religious at the Vatican, Natividad said.

It will be President Aquino’s first time to visit Rome and Vatican City as head of state. His trip to Paris, however, will be his second, following his visit to the French capital in September last year during an official tour of Europe.

Joining President Aquino’s official delegation next week will be Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Agrarian Reform Secretary Virgilio de los Reyes, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje, and Health Secretary Janette Garin.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Linglingay Lacanlale will represent Secretary Albert del Rosario, who is currently at The Hague in the Netherlands, attending the arbitration case filed by the Philippines against China over the West Philippine Sea issue. PND (hdc)