President Benigno Aquino III. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — At least P9 million was set aside for the first state visit of President Benigno Aquino III to Malaysia on Thursday, Malacañang said in a statement.
Aquino in his state visit from February 27 to March 1 would “tackle several issues of mutual or shared interest in political, economic, and defense cooperation with Malaysian leaders,” executive secretary Paquito Ochoa said on Thursday.
“President Aquino will also witness the signing of a couple of agreements on cultural cooperation and education cooperation,” he added.
The fund for the visit covers transportation, accommodation, food, equipment and other requirements of the president and his 57-member official delegation.
Accompanying the president are Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles, Press Secretary Herminio Coloma, Presidential Management Staff Chief Julia Andrea Abad, Mindanao Development Authority Chairperson Luwalhati Antonino and Presidential Protocol Chief Celia Anna Feria.
Aquino visited Kuala Lumpur upon the invitation of King or Supreme Head of State Tuanku Abdul Halim and Prime Minister Najib Razak.
The president is also expected to consolidate in Malaysia the peace and development of Mindanao in light of the sealed peace deal between government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front with Malaysia as facilitator.
“Malaysia has been the facilitator of the Mindanao peace process since 2001. In our view, they invested in that process as we are in the Philippine government,” Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Eduardo Malaya said in a separate statement Thursday.
The president is also expected to inaugurate the first Petron gas station in Malaysia.
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