US official: PNoy likely to meet Obama in New York

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III and US President Barrack Obama may have an informal meeting at the sidelines of the United Nations assembly on Millennium Development Goals in New York next week. This was according to US Deputy Ambassador Leslie Bassett, who said Thursday that Aquino may see the UN assembly as a “vital opportunity" for the Philippines to share its leadership on a global scale. “It will be a great opportunity to share Philippine leadership across the board, and we want to be part of that leadership," Bassett told reporters at the sidelines of Mindanao Business Congress. There will be opportunities for the Philippines and the US for bilateral business since the meeting is likely to happen at the sidelines of the US-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit, said Bassett. “It will also provide an opportunity to talk about the region’s economic prospects as well as issues of mutual concerns, even private dialogs as well. But I assume that the focus is on the Philippine leadership in organizing the US-Asean summit," she said. Possible agenda for the meeting between Aquino and Obama may include Millennium Development Goals’ (MDG) targets, the signing of the $434-million assistance under the Millennium Challenge Compact, other financial aids, and the Visiting Forces Agreement. The Millennium Challenge Compact offers funds for anti-corruption and good governance measures, small community development projects, and infrastructure building. As much as $54.3 million will be channeled to the improvement of the revenue-collection program of the Finance Department while some $120 million will be allocated for the expansion of small-scale community projects. Biggest funding slice The remaining $214.4 million, which is the biggest slice of the funding will be allocated for the construction and rehabilitation of the 220-kilometer Samar Road, which passes through 15 municipalities of Samar. Basset pointed out that the US remains as one of the most loyal partners of the Philippines in solving the peace and order situation in Mindanao. “We’ve been a partner for peace and order in Mindanao for a long, long time. Our agency, US Agency for International Development, [is supporting] programs to develop the potential of Mindanao," she said. “We are very supportive of the government’s ongoing development. I am very proud of our relationship with the [Philippine] military. Whatever President Aquino will discuss, we'll be very happy to hear those," she added. Aquino earlier said he hopes to be able to talk to Obama at the sidelines of the UN assembly. "Principally we're hoping that we get to talk to President Obama," he said Wednesday. Aquino will depart for the US Monday. Aside from the UN assembly, he will attend various business conferences in the hopes of securing more foreign direct investments and will meet with at least three US-based non-governmental organizations. Aquino's week-long trip to the US is his first official trip abroad as chief executive. The president has said he is positive that the trip will result in the creation of "tens of thousands" of jobs in the Philippines owing to potential increased investments. He will be accompanied by Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Trade Secretary Greg Domingo, Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, and Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo. —With Jam Sisante/JE/VS, GMANews.TV