What President of the Philippines Benigno S. Aquino III thinks of Michelle Bachelet the President of Chile?
Statement
of
His Excellency Benigno S. Aquino III
President of the Philippines
During the joint press conference with Her Excellency Michelle Bachelet, the President of Chile
[Delivered at Malacanan Palace, Manila, on November 16, 2015]
Your Excellency President Michelle Bachelet, members of the official delegation, distinguished guests, members of the press, ladies and gentlemen:
Good morning.
It is truly a pleasure to welcome President Bachelet and her delegation on her first visit to the Philippines. Separated though we may be by the vast Pacific Ocean, the Philippines and Chile have enjoyed warm relations for almost seventy years: relations founded on a shared history, and commonalities in faith, tradition, culture, and values. In particular, Chile and the Philippines have a common experience of facing the challenges of being newly-restored democracies, after our peoples reclaimed their liberties and rebuilt their institutions, towards becoming truly vibrant democracies.
Our gathering today is indicative of our shared desire to advance this partnership. Towards this end, the President and I had engaging and broad-ranging discussions on the need to strengthen our relationship, and also to explore new opportunities for cooperation.
One such area in which we have displayed our solidarity is that of disaster relief and response. In the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, our embassy in Santiago was overwhelmed by the outpouring of sympathy and assistance from Chileans across society. The Philippines likewise displayed its solidarity with Chileans in the aftermath of the recent earthquake in north-central Chile. President Bachelet and I witnessed the signing of an MOU on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, which aims to institutionalize cooperation between our Governments in preparation for and during the onset of natural disasters.
As regards the economic interaction between Chile and the Philippines, President and I witnessed the signing of a Letter of Intent on Enhancing Trade Relations. Through this, we mandate the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) of the Philippines and the General Directorate for International Economic Relations (DIRECON) of Chile to continue talks in 2016 and develop a framework for a mutually beneficial trade agreement between our countries.
In particular, we are pleased to note the partnership that has been forged between the Energy Development Corporation, a Filipino company, and Alterra Power Corporation, a Canadian-based company that has a subsidiary in Chile. Exploration in geothermal energy can only redound to the benefit of our two countries by contributing to your energy requirements and enhancing the common body of expertise we share. We are hopeful that this will only encourage more and further business activities between our countries.
The President and I likewise noted the continuing discussion between our respective authorities aimed at strengthening our cooperation against transnational crime, thereby facilitating better coordination between the Philippines’ and Chile’s law enforcement agencies.
We also acknowledged and expressed our appreciation for the mutually beneficial cooperation between the Philippines and Chile in various multilateral fora, particularly in the UN and APEC.
Indeed: There is so much potential for growth in our relations. For instance, in terms of education, the Philippines can provide technical assistance to Chile’s educational system, by sending Filipinos who can teach the English language in schools. Aquaculture is another area of cooperation we can and must explore: with this being a significant economic activity for both our countries, we can learn much from each other.
Thus, recognizing the significant momentum that has now been generated by this visit, President Bachelet and I committed to intensify engagement between our countries in multiple areas, which includes the observance of more regular official exchanges. This will allow us to bring the bilateral relations between the Philippines and Chile to a higher and more comprehensive level, and consequently, ensure that we maximize the friendship and relationship between our two countries, for the benefit of our peoples.
Thank you.
Tags: Bachelet, Chile, Michelle, Philippines, President