Palace: Aquino's NZ, Australia state visits to cost P44 million

A budget of P44 million has been allocated for President Benigno Aquino III's state visits to New Zealand and Australia this week, Malacañang said Sunday. Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. disclosed the amount, saying that the visits aim to boost and strengthen ties between the Philippines and New Zealand and Australia. "The estimated expenses for President Aquino’s New Zealand and Australia trip cover charter lease, accommodation, transportation, food and equipment, among others, of the entire presidential delegation," the Presidential Communications Operations Office said in a statement on its website. During his visit, Aquino hopes to "further boost and strengthen the political, economic and defense ties between the Philippines and New Zealand, as well as cultivate deeper cooperation between Manila and Canberra," the PCOO added. Aquino and a delegation accompanying him are scheduled to leave 9 p.m. Sunday for his first stop, New Zealand, where he will stay until Oct. 23. The delegation will then proceed to Australia for a meeting with Prime Minister Julia Gillard. Aquino will be in Australia from Oct. 24 to 26. 96 delegates According to the PCOO, 96 delegates will accompany Aquino onn his two-leg state visits. Among the Cabinet members joining him are: - Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario - Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima - Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo - Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala - Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin - Socio-Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan - Communications secretary Ramon Carandang. Philippine Ambassadors Virginia Benavidez (New Zealand) and Belen Anota (Australia) will join Aquino's official party. New Zealand Citing information from the Department of Foreign Affairs, the PCOO said Aquino will deliver a speech in Auckland during a business forum and later meet with the Filipino community. There are some 36,000 Filipinos in New Zealand, representing about one percent of the total population of the country. The next stop is Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, where Aquino will meet Key and Government-General Sir Jerry Mateparae to discuss various issues of mutual concern, including regional and international developments. Australia In Australia, Aquino is to meet with Gillard and Governor-General Quentin Bryce in Canberra to discuss developments in the two countries’ political, economic and defense cooperation. He will then proceed to Sydney to address the Philippines-Australia Business Forum, the Asia Society of Australia, and the Australia Philippine Business Council, and top business leaders. Aquino is alsos scheduled to unveil a statue of Dr. Jose Rizal in Rizal Park in Campbelltown and meet with members of the Filipino community in Sydney. Australia is home to 224,000 Filipinos. — BM, GMA News