President Obama’s announcement that he will visit the Philippines as part of a four nation tour in October in conjunction with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit is generating excitement among Filipino American leaders, reports ABS CBN.
“The Filipino American community in the US continues to help the Philippines not only because of sentimental attachments, but because they want to see their mother country achieve economic progress,” Ed Navarra, chairman of the umbrella National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) said.
Filipinos in the United States sent $10.2 billion back to the Philippines in 2012 alone, according to ABS CBN.
U.S. military presence in the Philippines is expected to be a major topic when Mister Obama meets with Philippine President Benigno Aquino.
Besides the Philippines, Obama will visit Indonesia, Brunei and Malaysia.
The meeting with Aquino will coincide with Filipino American history month in the United States and a planned meet up between Filipino American leaders and key Republican lawmakers in Las Vegas.
“The meet up will provide a unique opportunity for leaders of the Filipino American community across the country to connect with members of Congress to discuss legislative and policy priories, both on the domestic and foreign policy fronts,” the invitation from GOP leaders said.
You can read reaction from Filipino American leaders to the invitation in ABS CBN.
