Monaco prince expresses sympathy for PH suffering

President Benigno S. Aquino III and His Serene Highness Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco, share a light moment following their joint press statement at the Reception Hall of the Malacañan Palace for the Official Visit to the Republic of the Philippines on Thursday (April 07, 2016). Photo by Joseph Vidal / Malacañang Photo Bureau

Prince Albert II of Monaco Thursday said the Philippines “suffers more than anybody else from the dramatic effects of climate change” and on that account, he and President Aquino vowed to reinforce the two countries’ ties to respond to extreme weather events.

Following bilateral talks in Malacañang between Mr. Aquino and the prince, Monaco and the Philippines signed a Framework Agreement of Cooperation on the economy, scientific research, humanitarian partnership, disaster risk reduction and management partnership, and environmental protection.

Foreign Secretary Jose Rene Almendras and his Monaco counterpart, Gilles Tonelli, signed the agreement, witnessed by Mr. Aquino and Prince Albert.

At the state luncheon, Prince Albert praised the President for his “leadership” at the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) in Paris last November, where the Philippines led other climate-vulnerable countries in calling for a 1.5-degree Celsius limit to global temperatures, instead of 2 degrees Celsius.

The 1.5-degree Celsius threshold was adopted by almost 200 countries in the Paris Agreement last December.

Paris Agreement

Mr. Aquino Thursday took note that both the Philippines and Monaco were actively involved in the crafting of the Paris Agreement.

“Funding climate change is an imperative and objective for our planet. We have, of course, addressed this at the COP21 meeting in Paris and I thank you for your leadership also in this respect and in contributing to reaching the final agreement,” Prince Albert said.

“And your country suffers more than anybody else, I think, from the dramatic effects of climate change due to various episodes of extreme weather events,” the prince added.

Monaco’s kindness

For his part, the President expressed his gratitude for the generosity of Monaco, which was among the many nations that extended help to the survivors of Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan) and assisted in the rebuilding of the affected provinces.

“The people of Monaco have always come through for our people in times of need and perhaps there is no greater example than during the aftermath of Supertyphoon Haiyan,” Mr. Aquino said.

He added that “[w]hile your state may not be the largest in the world, you still committed several hundred thousand euros to help those affected; you have helped prevent epidemics and rebuild infrastructure, and I speak on behalf of the Filipino people when I say: ‘We will never forget your kindness.’”

A few hours after the state luncheon, Prince Albert flew to Palawan province where he will visit the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, which the monarch described as “wonderful.”

The prince, a known environment conservationist, also emphasized the need to preserve Tubbataha’s “exceptional marine biodiversity”

“(It) is an absolute treasure and an absolute necessity to protect it even further,” Prince Albert said.

He may well be one of the last foreign dignitaries that Mr. Aquino will host in Malacañang as the Chief Executive winds down his term.

The prince’s two-day official visit is his first as head of state of Monaco, the second smallest nation in the world after Vatican City.

He was in the Philippines in 1999 to represent his father, the late Prince Rainier III, on the invitation of then President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada.

The prince’s sister, Caroline, Princess of Hanover, visited the Philippines in 2004. Two years later, Prince Andrea also came to Manila.

“Their visits here were not ones characterized by leisure. They made it a point to make a genuine connection by truly interacting with our people—even visiting areas like Payatas to meet less fortunate children,” Mr. Aquino said.