MANILA, Philippines?President Aquino said on Monday he would continue to be in charge of the government during his state visit in Vietnam.

The President is expected to leave for Hanoi on Tuesday with a delegation of 52.

It will be his second trip abroad since assuming the presidency on June 30. His first one was in September, when he went to the United States and attended the United Nations General Assembly in New York and met with American investors. He came home with $2 billion in new investment commitments.

``I am not incapacitated in any way...I can do it. I am not that far away,'' President Aquino explained, when asked if he would assign a caretaker in his week-long absence from the country.

He said that after Vietnam, his next trip would be to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Yokohama, Japan, in the second week of November, his last for 2010.

``If the trip doesn't redound to immediate benefits, I will pass up on it,'' he told reporters.

The President also remained in charge of the government when he went to the US, delegating certain tasks to Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa and Vice President Jejomar Binay.