PNoy takes a walk in New York’s concrete jungle. President Benigno Aquino III walks across Park Avenue in New York on Wednesday, September 24, after his meetings with businessmen and members of the Filipino community. Aquino addressed climate change issues in a speech at the UN earlier. With Aquino is Secretary to the Cabinet Jose Rene Almendras (3rd left). Robert Viñas
President Benigno Aquino III is back in Manila after a 12-day voyage that took him to key cities of Europe and the United States and to a climate change summit at the United Nations headquarters in New York City.
Aquino summed up his foreign mission with highlights on investment pledges, which he said totaled $2.34 billion and would lead to the creation of 33,850 new jobs.
“Dalawampu’t dalawa korporasyon ang nakausap natin sa iba’t ibang mga bansang nilapagan natin. Ang sabi nga po natin sa kanila: Kung naghahanap kayo ng paglalagyan ng inyong puhunan, bakit hindi kayo sa amin pumunta, upang makasama nating pakinabangan ang bunga ng pag-unlad?” Aquino said in his arrival statement at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport late Thursday evening.
The president said his administration is wooing Volkswagen to build its “global manufacturing hub” in the Philippines.
“Ang Volkswagen din po, halimbawa, inengganyo nating dito magtayo ng kanilang global manufacturing hub; malaking bentahe ang lumalaki nating middle class, pati na rin ang maganda nating lokasyon at ang husay ng ating manggagawa, at ipagpapatuloy po natin ang pang-eengganyo sa kanila,” Aquino said.
The president also said he stayed in touch with officials in Manila who oversaw disaster response and management efforts while he was away.
“Hindi po nagkulang ang ating mga kasamahan sa gobyerno sa pagtawag sa telepono, sa pagtext, at sa pakikipag-usap sa akin habang tayo ay nasa biyahe. Tuloy-tuloy po ang pagbibigay natin ng direktiba sa kanila upang masigurong ang bawat Pilipino ay mabibigyan ng sapat na pagkalinga sa harap ng sakuna,” he said. — ELR, GMA News
