President Benigno S. Aquino III welcomes His Majesty Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden, during the courtesy call at the Music Room of the Malacañan Palace on Friday (January 24). This is the first visit of a Swedish monarch and Head of State of Sweden to the Philippines. Sweden’s reigning monarch will visit the projects of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines in Tacloban in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), and other related projects of the Swedish Government implemented through the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. (Photo by Gil Nartea / Malacañang Photo Bureau)
LOS BANOS, Laguna (Mabuhay) – Visiting Swedish monarch King Carl XVI Gustaf joined thousands of boy and girl scouts here participating in the 3rd One Regional Scout Jamborette saying scouting offers a lot of possibilities to change the world. The Southern Luzon scouting event started January 22 and will continue until January 26.
During Saturday’s event, the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) National Court of Honor conferred on King Carl XVI Gustaf the Mt. Makiling Award. The awarding ceremony was spearheaded by Vice President Jejomar Binay, the president of the BSP.
The king said he is deeply honored by the award conferred on him noting that what all scouts should do is to work together to change the world and make it better, he said.
“I think what you are doing here in your country is fantastic. But what we can do together not only here but also around the world to work together and that will be possible to many, many young boys and girls, to make a difference for them and to all the possibilities to start a new life,” the Swedish monarch said in a message during the awarding rites.
“And we can all do that together. And I will promise that I will continue to work for the scout movement international and in Sweden and elsewhere in the world. And I want to wish you all, everybody good luck for the future.”
King Carl XVI Gustaf, whose major advocacies is scouting, visited several areas in the scout camp site and met with scouts as they participated in the different activities and exercises.
After his event at the Philippine scouting center, the Laguna provincial government hosted a lunch for the visiting European monarch.
King Carl XVI Gustaf expressed his gratitude to Laguna Gov. ER Ejercito for supporting the conduct of the scouting event in Los Banos.
After his visit in Laguna, the Swedish king went to the CatholicCenter of the Our Lady of Remedios in Malate, Manila for another scouting event. Boy and girl scouts from different high schools and colleges in Manila welcomed the king in a program for him. King Carl XVI Gustaf joined them in different activities at the center.
Showing deep interest on how scouting reformed and improved the lives of the youth in Manila, the king toured the areas near the CatholicCenter to see the places where poor scouts earned their living.
On Sunday, the king will fly to TaclobanCity to take part on different scouting-related activities. He is expected to join a flag-raising ceremony and the distribution of neckerchiefs and scout uniforms to patrol leaders.
He will also visit areas where scouts participate in post-typhoon rehabilitation works. The Swedish monarch will also visit the projects of the BSP in TaclobanCity and other related projects supported by the Swedish government in cooperation with the United Nations in the Philippines.
King Carl XVI Gustaf arrived in the Philippines Friday for a three-day visit and will depart Sunday evening. (MNS)