Chilean President Bachelet arrives in PH for state visit, Apec meet

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet arrived in the Philippines Sunday afternoon for her first state visit in the country and to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Economic Leaders Meeting.

She arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 at 1:24 p.m. on board a 767 military aircraft.

She was expected to arrive at 11:50 a.m., but her flight was delayed.

Bachelet is currently serving her second term as president. She is also the first president in Chile’s history to win twice in the presidential elections since 1932.

She is also the first woman president of Chile.

Bachelet was welcomed by Vice President Jejomar Binay, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Dinky Soliman, Ambassador of the Philippines to Chile Consuelo Puyat Reyes, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Chief of Protocol Ma. Aileen Bugarin, Philippine Air Force Commanding General Jeffrey Delgado and Manila International Airport Authority General Manager Jose Angel Honrado.

Chile is one of the 21 member economies of the Apec.

Chile and the Philippines are expected to formally start negotiations when the bilateral free-trade agreement between the two countries is signed during the Apec economic leaders’ meeting.