Aquino’s 4-day trip to Indonesia to cost only P4.2M–Palace

MANILA, Philippines—President Benigno Aquino III’s four-day trip to Indonesia will cost the government only P4.2 million, according to Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, adding that efforts were exerted to make the event inexpensive.

The Chief Executive is set to leave on Friday for Jakarta to attend the annual gathering of the leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

In a statement, Ochoa said that President Aquino would lead a 54-member delegation which includes Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima and Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras.

“The President will be participating in the plenary sessions and bilateral meetings to pursue initiatives on human rights, disaster risk reduction, protection of migrant workers, peace and security, and environment, as well as the realization of the Millennium Development Goals,” Ochoa said. “And consistent with the President’s previous official foreign trips, every effort was made to keep expenses to the minimum.”

The P4.2-million allocation for the presidential trip will not include the cost of air fares and cover expenses for hotel accommodations, food, transportation, telecommunications and equipment requirement.

President Aquino is expected to return home on May 9.