Madrid, Spain
14 September 2014

President Benigno S. Aquino III met with former Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar of Spain at the Intercontinental Madrid Hotel.

Aznar, a lawyer and a politician, served as a Chief Minister for two terms. He was elected in 1996 and ended his second term in 2004.

During his leadership, Spain was one of the fastest-growing economies in the European Union. He likewise made astounding gains by reducing unemployment rate from 23% to 15%. On top of that was the 3.5% average economic growth per year of his term.

President Aquino was joined by some of the members of his Cabinet. Among those were Sec. Jose Rene Almendras, Foreign Affairs Sec. Albert Del Rosario, Trade and Industry Sec. Gregory Domingo, Tourism Sec. Ramon Jimenez, Agriculture Sec. Proceso Alcala, Communications Sec. Herminio Coloma and Presidential Management Staff (PMS) Sec. Julia Abad.

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