Aquino’s Brunei trip will be hectic

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN—President Benigno Aquino III will arrive on Wednesday to a royal welcome in this Muslim kingdom where the color of royalty is Aquino yellow.

Roads in the sultanate’s capital have been lined with the Philippine and Brunei flags in anticipation of Mr. Aquino’s arrival at 10:30 a.m. for a two–day visit packed with official talks, meetings with local businessmen, a visit with the Filipino community, and even a swing by a local Jollibee.

The President is expected to head straight to the Istana Nurul Iman, the royal palace, to meet with Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah. Mr. Aquino and Bolkiah will then hold trade talks and sign agreements on tourism, agriculture, sports and shipping, according to the schedule released by Malacañang.

The Brunei sultan has visited the Philippines several times and is known to be fond of boneless bangus and fresh mangoes, according to Malacañang.

Mr. Aquino will be meeting with Filipino residents of Brunei, estimated to number between 16,000 and 18,000, and consisting of engineers, teachers, IT professionals and service workers. The oil-rich former British colony is one of the smallest nations in the world, with a population of 400,000, or just two percent of the population of Manila.

Brunei-based Filipinos who spoke to the Inquirer on Tuesday said they were hoping to get a chance to raise their concerns with Mr. Aquino, citing labor problems with their Brunei employers.

“Filipinos here have a lot of problems. There are cases of Filipinos who are not paid properly or work without days off, and without being given a proper meal,” said Edel Bartholomew, president of the Filipino Association in Brunei.

Edgardo Jusay, a Filipino teacher who works at the Brunei government’s Youth Development Center, said he would like to ask Mr. Aquino if the Philippine government has any social services planned for retired OFWs who would return home after toiling for years overseas.

“I would like to know if the government has a platform for OFWs who, after working for years overseas and contributing dollars to the economy, would like to return home,” Jusay said.

Mr. Aquino is also set to inaugurate a new chancery for the Philippines and then proceed to Brunei’s main port to visit the Muara Container Terminal, a facility run by the Filipino firm, International Container Terminal Services Inc.

He will then make a quick stop at the Muara branch of the Filipino fastfood giant, Jollibee.

The Brunei royals will then host Mr. Aquino and his delegation at a state banquet in the evening.

On Thursday, Mr. Aquino will hold business meetings with Brunei companies before touring famous landmarks, including the Royal Regalia and the Jame’ Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque, Brunei’s most most recognizable monument.

The President and his delegation are expected to leave Brunei on Thursday afternoon, arriving in Manila at 5 p.m.