Aquino to visit Indonesia, Singapore next week

Following the tradition of new heads of states of Association of Southeast Nation (ASEAN) member-countries, President Benigno Aquino III is set to undertake state visits to Indonesia and Singapore next week. At a press briefing in Malacañang, acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said the state visits seek to enhance bilateral and regional ties between the Philippines and the said countries. Aquino will be in Indonesia from March 7 to 9 and in Singapore from March 9 to 11. The first ASEAN member country visited by President was Vietnam last year. Malacañang has yet to provide the number of people who will join the delegation and the amount that will be spent for the two state visits. However, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte assured that it will be a “lean delegation" similar to previous foreign trips of the President. She added the government will be prudent in its expenses during the trip. Foreign investments In an interview with reporters during his visit to Bacolod, Aquino said he is not certain if he could get investments from the trips because the primary purpose is to strengthen the ties with ASEAN countries. “In ASEAN, we have a commonality of so many problems… the purpose of this trip is to strengthen further ties with them so that we can respond to areas of common concern in the quickest, most efficient manner," he said. For Indonesia, one concern is terrorism, he said. “There seems to be migration from their place to ours and ours to them, so (there has to be a) greater cooperation between the two countries in the fight against global terrorism," Aquino said. Another issue that can be discussed with Indonesia is the Spratlys, he said. Del Rosario said in Indonesia, President Aquino will meet with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and discuss fisheries cooperation, maritime boundary delimitation, and other matters. The President will also witness the signing of three agreements, namely on basic education, sports cooperation, and on cooperation in preventing and combating transnational crimes and capacity building. These agreements aim at enhancing people-to-people linkages between the two countries. Aquino will also make a visit to Pelita Harapan University. Public-private partnership In Singapore, Aquino will be meeting: