Aquino eyeing only 3 foreign trips in 2010

Saying he wants to go abroad only when it's "really necessary," President Benigno Aquino III said Friday that he is eyeing only three foreign trips for the rest of the year: to the United States, to Europe, and to a Southeast Asian summit in Vietnam. Aquino told reporters that he was advised to make eight trips in the remaining five months of the year, but he prefers to go to only two or three. The President said he would definitely go to the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Hanoi, Vietnam in late October "to show solidarity" with the country's Asian neighbors. The Philippines is a member of the ASEAN. Other member-nations are Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Aquino said going to the United States is also a "primary" goal because the US is a key economic and political ally. "Yun ang klarong may ipapasalubong tayo sa taumbayan (That’s one trip where it’s clear we'll bring home something for the people)," he said. US President Barack Obama invited Aquino to visit the White House when he called up Aquino to congratulate him for winning the May 10 elections. Aquino said he also wants to strengthen ties with the European Union because he wants to work on the Philippines' trade relations with Europe and get tips on disaster risk management and peace processes. The 8th Asia-Europe Meeting will take place in Brussels, Belgium in early October. Aquino, who is known for not being very fond of traveling, said he will have to renew his passport, which had expired six years ago. (See: Expired passport and other PNoy quirks as told by longtime staff) Aquino's aversion to going abroad is in stark contrast with his predecessor's practice of flying frequently. Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo traveled 81 times from August 2001 to September 2009, making her official foreign travels more frequent than those of past US presidents. (See: Arroyo's 81 foreign trips more frequent than that of US presidents)—Jam Sisante/JV, GMANews.TV