Aquino arrives in Australia for 2-day state visit

President Benigno Aquino III arrived in Canberra, Australia, Tuesday night, following a state visit to New Zealand. A tweet posted on his Twitter account said: "President Noynoy Aquino arrived at exactly 12 midnight (Australia time) at the Defense Establishment.... In succeeding updates Aquino said, "Let us work together, building on our reforms and cultivating a new culture of integrity and accountability... with good governance, better infrastructure and improved peace and order situation...." At a media briefing before Aquino's departure last Sunday for the state visits, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the president is set to meet Australia's Governor-General Quentin Bryce and Prime Minister Julia Gillard. “They are expected to update each other on current developments in the country, especially the newly-signed framework agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front as well as political, economic, defense, and... mutual development subjects,” Valte said. Afterwards, Aquino will meet with top business executives. “Pupunta po ang Pangulo sa Sydney kung saan po siya magde-deliver ng kanyang keynote address sa Philippines-Australia Business Forum,” Valte said. Aquino earlier noted that the Philippines and Australia now have a Visiting Forces Agreement that would bolster cooperation in terms of security and defense of both countries. Also in Sydney, Aquino will meet with the Filipino community to unveil a statue of Dr. Jose Rizal. The Filipino community in Australia is the third largest Asian immigrant group in the country, making up 1.5 percent of the total population. “Ang Pilipinas naman po ay isa sa mga top 10 source countries for recent migrant arrivals in Australia kung saan naman po merong 224,000 Filipinos na naninirahan doon ngayon,” Valte also said. Aquino and his delegation will return to Manila Friday night. The President is accompanied by a 96-member delegation that includes economic department heads Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory L. Domingo, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan and Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala. Other Cabinet members accompanying the President are Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang, Defense Secretary Voltaire T. Gazmin, and Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario. The delegation also includes members of the media. — LBG, GMA News