Official Visit of President Benigno S. Aquino III
to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
4-6 June 2012
President Benigno S. Aquino III embarks on an Official Visit to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on 4-6 June 2012. This is his first trip to the U.K. since being elected as Chief Executive.
In a recent interview with the Malacanang Press Corps, the President said that the reason for going to the United Kingdom is “there’s a substantial investment in energy,” and several business meetings are lined up during the three-day visit.
The President is set to hold a meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron at 10 Downing Street where the Signing of the Philippine-U.K. Joint Plan of Action will also take place, as well as the Exchange of Notes on the Entry into Force of the Philippine-U.K. Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) that was recently ratified by the Philippine Senate. The MLAT provides a legal framework for mutual assistance by States in the investigation and prosecution of criminal offenses, and in legal and judicial proceedings related to criminal matters.
President Aquino might also board a double-decker bus sporting the “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” banner and lead a motorcade in the streets of London to further promote the country’s tourism campaign. On May 1st, the Philippine Embassy and Philippine Department of Tourism-London launched the campaign in the United Kingdom with the rollout of 50 black cabs and 25 double-decker buses around central London.
The Chief Executive is scheduled to meet with the Filipino community whose numbers have increased to about 250,000 over the past 20 years. A significant number of Filipinos, particularly nurses, are in the health services sector and play an essential part in the U.K. National Health Service (NHS).
Formal diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the United Kingdom were established on 4 July 1946. Over the last decade, relations between the two countries have been marked by a keener British interest in Philippine economic and political developments, with the frequency of high-level government visits to Manila such as the business mission led by the Lord Mayor of the City of London Alderman David Wootton on May 21st and the visit of Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Minister Jeremy Browne MP last December 2011 and July 2010.
The United Kingdom is currently the largest European investor in the Philippines and also ranks 1st in Europe in the number of tourist arrivals in the country.
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Activities in London, United Kingdom
 Mtg. w/ HRH The Duke of York |
 Coffee w/ Media |
 Business Mtg. w/ Nestle |
 Luncheon (Speech) |
 Luncheon |
 Mtg. w/ Prime Minister David Cameron |
 Signing of Agreements bet. Shell & DOE |
 Business Mtg. w/ Shell |
 Mtg. w/ FilCom (Speech) |
 Mtg. w/ FilCom |
 “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” Photoshoot |
 Tour of Imperial War Museum |
 Site Visit at St. Pancras International |
 Signing of Two Agreements |
 Business Mtg. w/ Asea Gas Asia Ltd. |
 Business Mtg. w/ Rolls Royce & Cebu Pacific |
 Business Mtg. w/ PASAR & Glencore |
 Arrival in United Kingdom |