League of Cities optimistic on Roxas’ DILG post

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Leagues of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) President and this city’s Mayor Oscar Rodriguez said he is optimistic on President Benigno Aquino III’s appointment of Sec. Mar Roxas to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

“We have lost a Jesse Robredo but this does not mean that it is the end of good governance as far as the DILG is concerned,” Rodriguez said.

The LCP president added that Roxas is familiar with the Aquino administration, adding that with the latter’s relationship with the Liberal Party and adherence to the “Tuwid na Daan” program of President Aquino he will surely implement programs that have been started by the late secretary.

Roxas immediately buckled down to work after receiving his official appointment.

The Office of the Press Secretary (OPS), in a statement, said that Sec. Roxas, also President Aquino's Special Envoy, met with Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping on September 21, 2012. The meeting occurred on the occasion of the 9th China-ASEAN Expo held in Nanning, China.

The OPS said that Vice President Xi expressed appreciation for President Aquino's decision to send a special envoy. He said, "This showed the importance that President Aquino attaches to Philippines-China relations."

"We had a frank and candid exchange of views and I am satisfied that I was able to faithfully convey President Aquino's message,” Roxas said.

Vice President Xi promised to bring President Aquino's message to the attention of Chinese President Hu Jintao. Vice President Xi also responded to the matters raised in the meeting, which Roxas promised to convey to President Aquino, according to the OPS.

The meeting focused on the current outstanding issues between the two countries as well as on the other dimensions of their bilateral relationship. Both the Philippines and China expressed their desire to resolve outstanding issues while moving forward with their bilateral relations, the OPS statement added.