Aquino returns home from APEC, ASEAN summit

MANILA – President Benigno Aquino has returned Friday to Manila from the 22nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting in Beijing and the 25th Association of Southeast Asian Nation Summit in Myanmar.

Aquino also detailed his meetings with the leaders of Vietnam, Chile, Peru, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Australia, India, and China, as well as the respective chief executive officers of Moody’s Corporation, Sanofi, and Johnson and Johnson.

“Nagkaroon ng palitan ng kaalaman tungkol sa mabuting pamamahala, pagpapayabong ng agrikultura, at pagpapabilis at pagpapadali sa ating pakikipagkalakalan. Para naman mapaunlad ang tinatawag na people-to-people cooperation, nakipagkasundo rin tayo na paigtingin ang mga inisyatiba sa edukasyon at turismo,” he said.

On his meeting with Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, the President said that according to the Papuan leader, many Papuans pursue their studies in the Philippines.

“Niyaya niya tayong magbahagi ng kaalaman sa mga sumusunod na larangan tulad ng fisheries, finance, agrikultura, pampublikong kalusugan, edukasyon, at marami pang iba. Ang balik nito sa atin ay pagyabong ng ating pakikipagkalakalan sa kanila,” he said.

He further said that according to Prime Minister O’Neill, many Papuans travel to the Philippines for medical tourism.

On his meeting with Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan O-Cha, the Chief Executive said they discussed their respective countries’ experiences regarding governance.

“Nakapagbahagi na kami sa isa’t isa ng mga hakbang na isinagawa namin upang maipatupad ang matuwid na pamamahala sa kani-kaniyang bansa,” he said.

Aquino noted that his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping was brief.

“Nagpasalamat tayo sa mainit nilang pagtanggap sa ating delegasyon, at sa pagkakataong simulan ang proseso patungo sa mas mabuting pakikipag-ugnayan. Sinabi rin po natin na ang pangunahin nating layunin ay ang pagpapaunlad sa kalagayan ng ating mga kababayan, at dito nakabatay ang ating mga desisyon,” he said.

He said he met with credit rating agency Moody’s Corporation Chief Executive Officer Raymond McDaniel. “Nagsabi (si McDaniel) na bihirang-bihira raw mangyari na may credit ratings upgrade na nga ang isang bansa, bibigyan pa ng tinatawag na positive outlook. Tandaan po natin, nangyari ito sa panahong ingat na ingat at konserbatibo ang mga credit ratings agency,” he said.

“Bukod pa po rito, ibinahagi niya rin sa atin na batay sa ating mga indicators, sa buong mundo, ang ating banking system lamang ang nabigyan ng positive outlook.”

Aquino said that the pharmaceutical company, Sanofi is already testing vaccines against dengue fever in Asia and Latin America. “Hindi po magtatagal ay makakarating na rin ito sa Pilipinas,” he said.

He added that the multinational company, Johnson & Johnson is also planning to open a service center in the Philippines, which is expected to provide jobs to some 500 people. And is eyeing the country to market a new drug for tuberculosis, which has developed resistance to many antibiotics.

On the ASEAN Summit in Myanmar, Aquino reported that leaders of the association’s member states agreed to complete the ASEAN Community Integration before the end of December 2015.

“Kapag naipatupad ito, magbubukas para sa produkto at serbisyong Pilipino ang buong merkado sa ating rehiyon, na binubuo ng 600 milyong katao. Matagal na po nating sinimulan ang paghahanda para dito, dahil gusto nating masigurong tuloy-tuloy ang pagpasok ng mga Pilipino kapag nagbukas ang mga pintuan ng oportunidad,” he said. (Mindanao Examiner)