Aquino to spend P49M for Switzerland trip

THE government has allotted P49 million for President Benigno Aquino III's participation to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, Malacañang said Wednesday.

The budget covers the President and his delegation's chartered flight to Switzerland, accommodation, transportation, food, and equipment and telecommunications requirements, among others.

Aquino will depart for Davos on Wednesday night to take part in the WEF from January 23 to 27, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said.

He will be accompanied by a 63-member delegation that includes Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Socio-Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Cabinet Secretary to the President Jose Rene Almendras and Communications Secretary Ramon Carandang.

Ochoa said the Chief Executive will not only participate in economic discussions with global business and political leaders in Davos, but will also deliver a keynote address on the fight against corruption at the WEF "Partnering Against Corruption Initiative," which will be held on January 24.

"President Aquino's participation in the WEF is an important opportunity for us to let the world know of our determination to institutionalize good governance in our country as one of the principal pillars of fiscal reform," he said.

"President Aquino will share the successes of his administration’s campaign against corruption, which served as a springboard for the significant improvement in our country’s economy," Ochoa added.

The President will have a brief stop in Zurich to meet the Filipino community on Saturday before flying back to Manila. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)