President Aquino Brunei State Visit Costs P2-M

The two-day state visit of　President Benigno Aquino III and his 55-man delegation to　Brunei Darussalam cost the tax payers around P2 million, the lowest spending by the government for a presidential trip.

Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. said on Wednesday, June 1 that funds set aside for the trip covered expenses for food, supplies and telecommunication services.

According to the Finance Office, Office of the President, the total amount it prepared for the presidential trip to Brunei was the lowest budget it has earmarked for a presidential trip since the Fidel V. Ramos administration.

President Aquino and party left Villamor Air Base via a　chartered flight　to the oil-rich sultanate, accompanied by Foreign Secretary　Albert Del Rosario, Finance Secretary　Cesar Purisima, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo and　Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr.

"The President’s two-day state visit to　Brunei　seeks to reinforce our strong ties with one of our partners in the ASEAN. There are various areas of cooperation wherein the two countries can work together, and the President’s visit will formalize several agreements that our government has been working on," Ochoa said.

"The foreign visits of the President are usually short but productive and reflect the President’s commitment to make the most out of his trips abroad," the　Executive Secretary　added.

While in Brunei, on the invitation of　Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, President Aquino discussed cooperation on fighting transnational crimes and combatting human and　drug trafficking,　further strengthened ties between the two members of the Association of　Southeast Asian Nation　(ASEAN), witnessed the signing of several memoranda of understanding on tourism, agriculture, shipping and ports, and sports development.

The Chief Executive also made a sales pitch to lure investors. He tackled global warming,　rising oil prices　and Spratlys — a group of islands in the South China Sea　being claimed wholly or partly by the Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia,　China　and　Taiwan.

He personally thanked Brunei, which is a member of the International Monitoring Team in Mindanao, for its efforts in the peace negotiations between the government and the　Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and for its role, as member of the influential Organization of Islamic Conference Peace Committee on Southern Philippines, in ensuring that the peace deal with the　Moro National Liberation Front　 holds. /MP