Aquino joins Robredo in Tarlac livelihood center inauguration

Vice President Leni Robredo and former President Benigno Aquino III share a light moment during the inauguration of the Anao Ylang Ylang Center in Anao, Tarlac on March 13, 2017. (INQUIRER PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE)

ANAO, Tarlac — Former President Benigno Aquino III on Monday made a rare public appearance to join Vice President Leni Robredo at the inauguration of a livelihood center.

Robredo and Aquino cut the ribbon for the inauguration of the Ylang-Ylang Livelihood Center.

Aquino has made himself scarce since stepping down from office on June 30 last year, joining only select occasions such as the 31st anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution on Feb. 25.

The former President regularly stays at Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac, his family’s hometown.

Aquino did not give a speech at the inauguration and declined to be interviewed.

With Tarlac’s local officials, Robredo and Aquino toured the small facility, the improvements of which was done with the assistance of the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the Korean Invention Promotion Association (KIPA).

The livelihood center produces various by-products of the ylang-ylang essential oil, such as soaps, perfume, and massage oil. It aims to make Anao the “top producer of export-grade ylang-ylang oil in the country,” a press statement said.

Anao, a 5th class municipality and Tarlac’s smallest town, has around 10,000 fully-grown ylang-ylang trees, making it the country’s “ylang-ylang capital.”

Anao’s ylang-ylang also supposedly has the best scent among all other ylang-ylang trees in the country.  SFM/rga