Category Archives: Travel

GOOD NEWS: PRESIDENT AQUINO REPORTS ON HIS SUCCESSFUL STATE VISIT TO CANADA

May 12, 2015 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

Canadian imports that arrived at the Port of Manila in 2013. — Canadian imports of ‘recycled’ materials that arrived at the Port of Manila in 2013.

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – President NoyNoy Aquino returned to Manila Monday from a five-day trip to Canada and the United States with what he enthusiastically described as “good news.”

The good news consists of pledges for more Canadian investments in the Philippines and a package of initiatives boosting trade and labor relations with this North American country.

To demonstrate his highly successful negotiations during his Canadian state visit, Aquino said that in the next 60 to 90 days, several ships will arrive at the Port of Manila, with hundreds of containers bearing recycled trash.

“This will augment the containers from Canada that arrived in Manila in 2013,” Aquino said. The importation consisted of about fifty 40-foot container vans of non-recyclable plastics, used adult diapers, broken bottles and glasses, waste paper and household/kitchen waste.

“Diplomacy works. We are proud to have brokered a very healthy trade cooperation with Canada,” Aquino told reporters.

Business, Government, International, Politics, Travel

CHICAGO VISIT: PRESIDENT AQUINO LEAVES THE U.S. EMPTY-HANDED

May 8, 2015 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

President Benigno Aquino III received signed jerseys of the Chicago Bulls and the Boston Celtics during his working visit in Chicago on Thursday. (Malacanang Photo Bureau)

CHICAGO, Illinois (The Adobo Chronicles) – In his speech before a small group of Filipino Americans in Chicago this week, President Aquino touted his administration’s programs to improve the economic standing of the Philippines, calling his country the new “Darling of Asia.”

Aquino’s trip to Chicago was meant to attract U.S. companies to invest in the Philippines.

ABS-CBN News is reporting that Aquino left Chicago empty-handed, except for a pair of signed jerseys of the Chicago Bulls amd Boston Celtics, top teams in the American National Basketball Association (NBA).

The Adobo Chronicles spoke with representatives of some of the U.S. companies Aquino was trying to woo. They were one in saying that they had already previously invested a lot of money in the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight, and lost. “We can’t risk more investments in the Philippines at this time,” they said.

Aquino is now in Canada. Maybe he’ll have better luck there. Or maybe not.

Government, International, Politics, Travel

IN STATE VISIT, PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT AQUINO WILL SEEK TO REPAIR TRASHY RELATIONS WITH CANADA

May 7, 2015 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

OTTAWA, Canada (The Adobo Chronicles) – Philippine President NoyNoy Aquino sets foot in Canada this week for a state visit – the first by a Philippine president since 1997 – upon the invitation of Governor General David Johnston and Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

“In my visit, we will witness the signing of several memorandums of understanding that will strengthen ties between the Philippines and Canada. We will also thank their government and their people for all their support,” Aquino said.

What Aquino is saying in public is, however, very different from his real mission in visiting this North American country.

Aquino’s primary goal is to raise the issue of illegal Canadian trash in the Philippines when he meets with Harper.

Fifty containers of reeking Canadian garbage, including used adult diapers, have been languishing in the port of Manila for almost two years, sparking recent protests in the Philippines by environmental activists and public health officials.

Chronic Inc., a plastics exporter based in Whitby, Ontario shipped the containers — supposedly filled with recyclable Vancouver plastics — to the Philippines in the spring and summer of 2013. But upon inspection, the country’s Bureau of Customs found the containers were filled with stinking household garbage, including used adult diapers and kitchen waste.

So, truth be told. Aquino’s state visit seeks to repair his country’s trashy relations with Canada.