Aquino off to US, Canada for investments, meet-and-greet

President Benigno Aquino III had yet to leave for a 5-day trip to the United States and Canada but he was already eager to be back with “good news” from the Americas.

“Tunay pong nananabik na tayo para sa lahat ng magagandang balitang iuuwi natin matapos bisitahin ang Estados Unidos at Canada (I am truly excited for all the good news that I will bring home after my visit to the United States and Canada),” Aquino said in his departure speech at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia).

He is set to be back on May 10.

Before going to Canada to reciprocate the state visit of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Aquino will pass by Chicago to meet with the US Chamber of Commerce and the US-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Business Council.

“Ang US ang pangatlong major trading partner ng Pilipinas, at layon nating paigtingin pa ang pangangalakal na ito (The US is the third major trading partner of the Philippines and we intend to strengthen trade with them),” he said.

He will also visit the Filipino community in Chicago, which reportedly has the largest number of Filipino migrants in the US Midwest.

Aquino said he would tell them how the country had been improving through reforms set in place during his term.

In Canada, he will meet Harper and Governor General David Johnston and will witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding strengthening the Philippine-Canada relations.

Canada has recently designated the Philippines as a “priority emerging market” and a “country of focus.” In 2014, it doubled its official development assistance to the Philippines to $111.95 million.

Aquino pointed out that Canada helped the Philippines after the onslaught of Supertyphoon Yolanda in 2013, in addition to serving as a member of the Independent Commission on Policing upon the establishment of the Bangsamoro government in Mindanao.

Among the programs jointly pursued by the governments of Canada and the Philippines is Jobstart Philippines. Canada allocated $3.6 million for the program, which will offer seminars and workshops to Filipino graduates.

Earlier, Department of Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Maria Andrelita Austria said Aquino would meet with the representatives of the 285,000 Filipinos in Toronto and the 280,000 Filipinos in Vancouver.