Burma, PH ink 6 agreements

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III, right, shakes the hands of Myanmar President Thein Sein during his visit at the Malacanang Presidential Palace in Manila on Thursday Dec. 5, 2013. Myanmar signed six memorandums with the Philippines, including an agreement granting nonvisa entry for up to 14 days to Filipinos holding ordinary passports, on the first full day of Thein Sein’s three-day state visit here. AP

MANILA, Philippines—Burma (Myanmar) signed six memorandums with the Philippines, including an agreement granting nonvisa entry for up to 14 days to Filipinos holding ordinary passports, on the first full day of President Thein Sein’s three-day state visit here.

The Burma leader also presided over the ceremonial turnover of $100,000 in financial aid, on top of seven tons of relief goods, for victims of Supertyphoon “Yolanda” in Eastern Visayas.

Burma is donating an additional $50,000 for earthquake victims in Central Visayas.

“Like your country, Burma has also suffered a great deal when a serious cyclone struck our country in 2008,” he said during his joint press briefing with President Aquino in Malacañang.

Thein Sein is scheduled to visit typhoon victims in Cebu today to “show solidarity and support to the people of the Philippines.”

Aquino said Thein Sein would “bring with him a team of doctors and two tons of relief goods.”

In his speech during the state luncheon, Thein Sein thanked Aquino and the “people of the Philippines for the continuous support on Burma’s transition toward democracy.”

Transition to democracy

“Burma government is committed to best serve the will and wishes of our people,” he said, outlining his government’s efforts to create “an environment of political stability and rule of law.”

During their bilateral meeting, Thein Sein said he asked Aquino to “assist us in areas of health, education and economy, and human resource development.”

“As you all know, we have lagged behind in terms of development compared to other Asean member-states as Burma was imposed against economic sanctions for nearly two decades,” he admitted.

In contrast, the Philippines had the fastest-growing economy during the first quarter of the year. Its gross domestic product grew by 7.8 percent then, outpacing China’s 7.7 percent. But it remains to be seen how the massive damage wrought by the monster typhoon would affect the country’s full-year performance.

Thein Sein urged Aquino to “ask Filipino investors and businessmen to come and invest in Burma.”

Said Aquino: “Since bilateral trade between the Philippines and Myanmar has increased, we explored opportunities to maximize the economic potential of our countries. In pursuing a stronger partnership in this area, we seek not only the benefit to our economies, but also the benefit to our peoples.”

Business forum

Both countries signed a memorandum of agreement establishing a “bilateral business forum that will serve as a mechanism to match Philippine businesses with the business opportunities in Myanmar, and vice versa,” President Aquino said.

Meanwhile, some 100 solidarity activists belonging to the Free Burma Coalition-Philippines picketed the Department of Foreign Affairs on Thursday to press for the release of all political prisoners and full recognition of democratic and human rights.—With a report by Jerome Aning

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