AFP/Manila
Spain’s Queen Sofia arrived in the Philippines yesterday for a five-day visit to review development projects funded by the Spanish government. The queen was greeted at Manila airport by top Philippine dignitaries, before she left for a private gathering at the Spanish ambassador’s residence, official said. The queen’s visit to the former Spanish colony is “a reaffirmation of Spain’s commitment towards addressing the myriad developments and challenges the Philippines and the rest of the world are facing today”, the foreign department said. This marks the queen’s fifth trip to the Philippines since 1995, when she accompanied her husband King Juan Carlos I on an official visit. The highlight of her trip includes a meeting with President Benigno Aquino today and a tour of various schools and hospitals which have received funding from Spain, the presidential palace said. She was also expected to visit the eastern province of Albay and Zamboanga, a former Spanish port city in the southern Philippines. Spain ranks as the Philippines’ 28th largest trading partner with total bilateral trade amounting to $329.6mn in 2011, according to official statistics. Spain offered the Philippines development assistance worth 28.9mn euros ($36.58mn) in grants and loans in the same year.
| Queen Sofia (left) of Spain inspects an honour guard accompanied by vice commander of the Philippine Air Force, Major General Renato Lorenzo Sanchez, after arriving at the international airport in Manila yesterday |
July 03, 2012 | 12:00 AM