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Aquino upbeat on job creation from US trip


CEBU CITY — President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III on Wednesday said the government might generate "tens of thousands" of new jobs within the next two years because of increased investments he will secure from his trip to the United States next week. Aquino, together with Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima and Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, flies to the US Sept. 20 to attend various business conferences. "Pagbalik ko meron pong maliwanag between a year and a year and a half, tens of thousands ang idadagdag na trabaho dito sa ating bansa, (A year to a year and a half after I come back, there will be something clear, tens of thousands of new jobs will be added here in our country)," Aquino said in a speech before the urban poor in this city Wednesday. His excitement was also apparent in his speech during the regional economic managers' briefing and in the interview with reporters that followed. Aquino said investor confidence is high in his administration. "Some of the business leaders who were turned off by the corruption and uncertainty in our economy, and politics over the last decade, have expressed a desire to invest again in the Philippines," he said. He said American investors' confidence in the Philippines was reflected in the report Domingo and Purisima gave him after the economic managers visited the US last month. "The prognosis is good, that we can offer a better business environment for the investors. Actually the prognosis is very, very good but we are humble kaya good na lang," he said in his speech. Aquino, however, said he would provide more details only once contracts have been signed. 'Lean delegation' Apart from Domingo and Purisima, Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras and Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo will also be part of Aquino's US delegation. Aquino said a business delegation composed of 30 to 35 congressmen will also join him in the trip. He said he is eyeing only one senator and one congressman to join the delegation, adding that none of his four sisters will join the trip. The president had said he wanted a "lean delegation" for his foreign trips, a stark contrast to the foreign trips of his predecessor, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, in which dozens of lawmakers were part of the entourage. It took Aquino a few seconds to respond when he asked whether Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos – chair of the House committee on the millennium development goals, will join his delegation with the United Nations summit on MDGs in New York part of the President’s itinerary. "Ano po yan, eh, function ng Kongreso, committee nila, (Well, that is a function of Congress, their committee)," said the president. While Aquino did not directly answer the question, Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning head Ricky Carandang confirmed last week that Marcos would not be a part of Aquino's delegation. Marcos is wife of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos – the political nemesis of the Aquino’s father, martyred Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. The president said he is hoping to talk to US President Barack Obama at the UN summit. "Principally we're hoping that we get to talk to President Obama, but we are sure to be able to talk to the prime minister of Malaysia; and as you know they have been helping us with our issues with the MILF [Moro Islamic Liberation Front] in Mindanao," he said. Aquino said 70 percent to 80 percent of his activities in the US would involve talks with businessmen. He would also witness the signing of the $434-million Millennium Challenge Corporation grant, and meet with at least three US-based non-governmental organizations. —VS, GMANews.TV
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