President Aquino is putting a sentimental touch on his official working visit here by visiting Sendai, the place worst hit by the tsunami following the powerful earthquake rocked this country last March.
Aquino arrives here today on the first day of his visit and tomorrow, he will make time to visit residents who are currently taking refuge at an evacuation center in Ishinomaki City at Miyagi Prefecture.
Aquino will also attend a gathering of the Filipino community there and have a brief meeting with Miyagi Prefecture and city officials.
Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Asian and Pacific Affairs Maria Theresa Lazaro said Aquino would be bringing a “gift” for the people of Japan.
Sendai is the capital of Miyagi Prefecture and the largest city in the Tohoku region.
In his interview with Japanese media in Manila as a prelude for this visit, Aquino said he would like to visit the Filipinos who were affected by the tragedies and “demonstrate solidarity with the Japanese people.”
“There is also another package of assistance, the exact form is still being handled by the (Philippine) embassy, it’s something we decided to give. There’s an amount that we have set aside that is quite substantial by our standards but not too substantial as far as Japan is concerned, but basically it’s a significant indication of the expression of our solidarity with the Japanese people,” Aquino said.
Continue reading at Philippine Star
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar