Centennial Hall, Manila Hotel
17 September 2012

 

President Benigno S. Aquino III graced for the second time the Annual Presidential Forum of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) where he revealed the government’s stance in some of the country’s most current issues raised both by the foreign and local media during the forum.

Majority of the topics tackled centered on the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro, the ongoing territorial disputes with China, and the economic and investment plans of the government.

Prior to the media forum, the President gave his updates on the country’s improved economic performance and the projects and improvements the government is undertaking to speed up the country’s development, especially in delivering the basic needs of the people.

“We remain committed to investing in our people: through education, through healthcare, through programs that will allow them to step through the doors of opportunity that are opening one by one in this new chapter of our history… This is our strategy for success. And I do believe that as public confidence increases, it will lead to a permanent change in our country’s prospects. We have already proven that revitalizing the former Sick Man of Asia is not an impossible task. All it takes is to go back to basics and recognize why government exists in the first place,” the President said.

The Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) holds an annual Presidential forum that serve as a perfect avenue for the President to discuss key policies and to answer questions from both the foreign and local media, which also promotes transparency in the government.

The media organization was founded in 1974 to safeguard press freedom during the height of President Ferdinand E. Marco’s Martial Law regime.

 

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