President Benigno Aquino III will hold three official working visits in Europe, including one in Vatican City where he will meet Pope Francis, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Thursday. 

 

At a briefing in Malacañang, Assistant Secretary Maria Cleofe Natividad said President Aquino will visit Paris in France, Rome in Italy, and the Vatican City next week. 

 

 

Aquino earlier confirmed his attendance to the leaders’ event of the 21st Conference of the Parties for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which will take place on November 30. 

 

The event, Natividad said, will allow Aquino to highlight his administration’s climate change accomplishments. 

 

Aquino will also personally extend his “support [in] the crafting of a new climate change agreement that is effective and equitable and that most especially will help the climate vulnerable communities.”

 

He is also scheduled to meet with businessmen of French, Irish, and Japanese companies to pursue trade and investments cooperation. 

 

Natividad said President Aquino is “more determined” to attend the climate change forum despite the recent attacks in Paris, which killed more than a hundred people. 

 

“The President did not waver in spite of this horrific event. The President is even more determined to go to Paris to attend the COP21 as a show of solidarity and support for the French government,” she said. 

 

The safety and security of the Philippine delegation, which includes several Cabinet secretaries, is being ensured through close coordination with the French embassy. 

 

On December 1, Aquino will travel to Rome where he will have an official meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella, and possibly with Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.

 

A bilateral discussion will be held to mark the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of a Philippines-Italy diplomatic partnership.

 

“It will provide an opportunity for both sides to further improve bilateral trade and investments and the President will as well witness the signing of the air services agreement,” said Natividad. Such agreement will pave the way for direct commercial flights between Manila and Rome.

 

Also in the agenda of the bilateral talks is the Italian government’s participation in the Mindanao peace process through its assistance to the agrarian reform community development support program as well as the Philippine-Italy debt for development swap program. 

 

“The highlight of the President’s visit to Rome would of course be the meeting with the Filipino community. There are some 171,000 Filipino workers in Italy and this will provide the President an opportunity to touch base with them and also to further promote their interests as far as the Italian government is concerned,” Natividad added. — RSJ, GMA News