Aquino leaves Monday for Asean summit

OFF TO CAMBODIA. President Benigno Aquino III attends the 20th Asean summit. INQUIRER file photo

MANILA, Philippines—President Benigno Aquino III will make his first foreign trip for the year on Monday when he flies to Cambodia for the 20th Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit.

The President is expected to raise during the two-day event his concerns that include maritime security, the Spratly Islands and North Korea’s controversial launch of a missile that he feared would send debris on Philippine territory.

His spokesperson, Edwin Lacierda, who will join the trip, said Sunday that Mr. Aquino would take a chartered flight to Cambodia because there is no direct commercial flight between Manila and Phnom Penh.

Also accompanying the President are Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, Transportation Secretary Mar Roxas, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman and Mindanao Development Authority chair Luwalhati Antonino.

On his arrival in Phnom Penh in what the Palace described as a “working Holy Week,” the President will attend a welcome dinner for Asean leaders to be hosted by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.

On Tuesday, Mr. Aquino will join the opening ceremony of the Asean summit and celebration of the 45th anniversary of the regional grouping. This year’s Asean theme is “Asean: One Community, One Destiny.” He will then attend meetings with the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly representatives, civil society organizations and youth representatives.

The President and other Asean leaders will later call on the king of Cambodia, Norodom Sihamoni, who will host a royal banquet.

On Wednesday, Mr. Aquino will attend the Asean retreat where other leaders will have an “exchange of views on international and regional issues and on the implementation of the declaration on the Code of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.”

After his Asean meetings, the President will attend the 8th Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asian Growth Area (BIMP-Eaga).

Before returning home on Wednesday, Mr. Aquino will meet with the 3,000-strong Filipino community in Cambodia.

Originally posted at 04:08 pm | Sunday, April 01, 2012