Over 100 foreign dignitaries to attend Noynoy, Binay inaugural

Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta will lead the international delegation that will attend the June 30 inauguration of President-elect Benigno “Noynoy" Aquino III and Vice President-elect Jejomar Binay. A total of 84 countries and international organizations have confirmed attendance to the event, with 21 states sending high-level delegations, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). All in all, some 110 foreign representatives will grace the event, with 21 of them, including Ramos-Horta, already in the country for Wednesday’s ceremonies, said DFA assistant secretary for protocol Eduardo Pablo Maglaya at a press briefing on Tuesday. "We have received a lot of requests from the international community to allow them to attend the inauguration ceremonies," said Maglaya. Ramos-Horta, a close friend of the Aquino family, arrived in the country as early as June 28 with his delegation. He was also present during the interment of Aquino’s mother, the late President Corazon "Cory" Aquino, in August 5 last year. The United States, a close ally of the Philippines, will be represented by Trade Representative Ron Kirk, while the Chinese delegation will be led by National People’s Congress Vice Chairperson Madame Yan Junqi. According to Maglaya, the Chinese Embassy said Madame Yan’s visit to the Philippines will help maintain high-level exchanges between the two countries, and ensure that the strategic and cooperative relationship between the two will set off to a “good start." Attending for Japan will be State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Osamu Fujimura and Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara, also a close friend of the Aquino family. Representing the Holy See is Titular Archbishop of Pia and Apostolic Nuncio to Korea, the Most Reverend Osvaldo Padilla, who is Filipino. Archbishop Padilla was born in Sogod in Cebu and was also the Apostolic Nuncio to Costa Rica, Nigeria and Sri Lanka. Other guests of ministerial rank are the following: