President Benigno S. Aquino III conveyed his appreciation to the European Union for its assistance in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda).
In his meeting with European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, President Aquino reiterated the “profound appreciation of the Filipino people for the solidarity that the European Union has demonstrated.”
“The overwhelming humanitarian assistance of the European Union represents a great contribution to our national recovery and reconstruction efforts,” the President said during the joint press conference that followed his bilateral talks with President Barroso.
“Then as now, our partnership has served as a concrete reminder of what can be achieved through cooperation and positive engagement. This is the context in which President Barroso and I reaffirmed the enduring and meaningful relations between the Philippines and the European Union,” he added.
The meeting between the two leaders was held shortly after President Aquino arrived in Brussels, Belgium for the second leg of his four-nation European trip. His visit marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Philippine Embassy in Belgium.
Before his trip to Belgium, the President first visited Spain where he also expressed his gratitude to Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy for consistently providing help to the Philippines in times of crisis, especially during natural disasters.
In their bilateral meeting at the Palacio de la Moncloa in Madrid, Spain on Monday, Aquino thanked the Prime Minister and the people of Spain for the generous assistance they have extended to victims of Typhoon Yolanda.
Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) has caused massive damage to Central Visayas in November last year, killing over 5,000 people and leaving thousands other homeless and unemployed.
President Aquino also invited the Spanish government to become part of the Philippine efforts to “build back better” typhoon-hit areas, including Tacloban in Leyte.
He emphasized that the country is open to development partnerships, either with the public or private sector.
The President likewise thanked Prime Minister Rajoy for the assistance his country extended when a 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit the provinces of Bohol and Cebu in October 2013.
He also expressed appreciation for Spain’s substantial donation to the victims of the standoff in Zamboanga City between government forces and the Moro National Liberation Front.
The President flew to Brussels, Belgium after sitting down with Prime Minister Rajoy.
The President and his official delegation arrived in Brussels, Belgium Tuesday for a series of meetings with leaders of the European Commission and Belgium.
His three-day visit in Brussels started with a meeting with European Commission President Barroso wherein the two leaders tackled various issues, including the West Philippine Sea and bilateral trade and relations.
The President is also scheduled to meet with His Majesty King Philippe of Kingdom of Belgium to seek support for the Philippines’ application for the Generalized System of Preferences Plus (GSP+) and discuss ways to combat illegal fishing, improve the welfare of seafarers. He will also update King Philippe on the progress of the ongoing peace process in Mindanao.
A meeting with members of the Filipino community from Belgium and Luxembourg to be held at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula is in the agenda of the President while in Brussels.
There are about 6,000 Filipinos living in Belgium according to recent data of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
On his second day in Belgium, the President is also expected to meet with European Council President Herman Van Rompuy at the European Council headquarters and sit down with Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo at the latter’s official residence in the Belgian capital.
The President is also scheduled to give a keynote address during the Private-Public Partnership Infrastructure Conference and hold meetings with several multinational companies.
He will also deliver a policy speech at Egmont Institute to mark the 50th anniversary of the Philippines and European Union relations. (with reports from PND)
