Aquino to attend shipyard’s opening ’

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III will be in Cebu today for the opening of the Austal Philippines Shipyard at the West Cebu Industrial Park in barangay Arpili, Balamban town.

Aquino will be given a tour and inspection of the shipyard’s assembly area by company officials led by Joselito Turano, general manager of Austal Philippines Shipyard.

The shipyard is two hours away by road from the Mactan Cebu International Airport.

The Philippine Information Agency (PIA) said it has yet to confirm whether the President will attend this Sunday’s Sinulog Grand Parade in Cebu City.

President Aquino and Vice President Jejomar Binay were invited to watch the annual parade and dance competition at the Cebu City Sports Center.

The President attended the event in 2011, a year after being elected to office.

Suspended Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said she welcomes a visit by the President during this week’s Sinulog festivities.

“We Cebuanos have a tradition of receiving even ordinary visitors to our place, how much more someone occupying a top post?” she said.

Sinulog Foundation Inc. official Ricky Ballesteros said the Presidential Management Staff asked him for the schedule of events on Sunday. Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus

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