NAIA Terminal II, Pasay City
6 May 2015

President Benigno S. Aquino III left Manila onboard flight PR001 bound for Chicago, Illinois to begin his four-day Working and State Visits in the United States of America and Canada.

The President expressed his optimism that his short visit will yield positive results in making the Philippines a fun place for foreign investors and tourists alike. He will also take this as an opportunity to urge both the governments of U.S.A and Canada to support a more open, strong and inclusive transformation of economies in the Asia-Pacific region, especially that the Philippines will host this year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit.

For his first stop, President Aquino will meet with the US Chamber of Commerce and US-ASEAN Business Council to position the country as a lucrative market for foreign investors, inviting them to take advantage of the milestone high economic growth rate the country is enjoying. He will also meet with the Filipino community in Chicago to personally bring to them the good news brought about by the reforms he had instilled at the onset of his leadership.

With the invitation from Governor General David Johnston and Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada, President Aquino will fly to Ottawa from Chicago for his first-ever State Visit in the country where he will witness several memoranda of understanding to be signed between the Philippines and Canada. He will also personally thank the Canadian government for the medical assistance extended to the victims of super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda); the continuous assistance grants that had been doubled for the year 2014, amounting to $111.95 million; and for making the Philippines their “Country of Focus” to receive bilateral assistance from Canada. And for his third and final leg of travel, the President will meet with the Filipino communities in Toronto and Vancouver.

“Isasagad natin ang lahat ng pagkakataong gawing mas abot-kamay para sa mas maraming Pilipino ang mapipintog na bunga ng malawakang kaunlaran,” he said in closing.

The President will be back in the country on 11 May 2015.

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