Noy confirms Obama invite to US forum

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino yesterday confirmed his upcoming trip to the United States, saying he was invited by President Barack Obama to attend a forum there this month, which will also be attended by other heads of state.

“We will be going to the US upon President Obama’s invitation for the Partnership for Open Governance (forum). I think I’ll be talking also before the World Bank there,” Aquino told Palace reporters in an informal interview.

Aquino said the other details of the US trip, scheduled on Sept. 19 to 22, are still being threshed out by both countries. He said the US visit – his second since he assumed office in June 2010 – will be an official visit. He will be in Washington and later in New York.

His first US trip was in September 2010, to the UN General Assembly in New York.

Obama’s invitation, according to Aquino, is “specifically for governance, that open governance aspect.”

“There are I think 12 countries that are participants and two are in Asia, one of which is Indonesia and the second is the Philippines,” he said.

The President also confirmed that he will visit Tokyo, Japan for an official visit, after his US trip, which according to reliable sources is scheduled on Sept. 26 to 28.

“In Japan, it’s an official visit. I think there will be good news, if not for both (countries), at least definitely for one that I’ll be going back home,” Aquino said.

The President had just arrived from a five-day state visit to China last Saturday.

After his US and Japan trips, the President will also be attending the ASEAN Summit in Bali, Indonesia in late October, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Hawaii in mid-November.

Aquino had so far visited nine countries since he assumed office in June 2010, among them the US last September, Vietnam for a state visit in October 2010, and Japan for the APEC summit in November 2010.

He had also been to Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Brunei on state visits.

By next year, sources said Aquino may start his visits to Europe.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the President could not just limit his foreign trips to four or five countries per year, because fellow heads of state have been sending out invitations. She said there is also a need for the President to visit neighboring countries.

“Given the very hectic schedule also of the President, we take into consideration what can be done in deciding on these trips,” Valte said.