Burgers, pizza, ‘wang-wang’ for PNoy in U.S. visit
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By Thea Alberto, Yahoo! Southeast Asia
President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino chose burgers and pizza for his meals in the first day of his working visit to the United States.
Upon arriving in San Francisco on Tuesday, Aquino and his delegation dined at “In-N-Out,” a fastfood restaurant known for its tasty hamburgers.
“The President noted that he and his cabinet secretaries were like kids as they enjoyed eating their burgers which were really huge,” according to a Malacanang statement.
Aquino is also looking forward to eating hotdogs, pizza and chow mien in New York.
“He recalled that his family used to eat pizza and chao mien when they were in Boston while his late father, former senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. was in exile,” the statement added.
While in New York, Aquino also broke his vow that he will not use sirens. His escorts there have insisted the use of sirens during his trip from the airport to the five-star Sofitel Hotel in Manhattan.
Aquino said the use of sirens, known in the Philippines as “wang-wang”, was beyond his control because “we’re just visitors here.” He discourages the use of the sirens in government vehicles, including those he uses as president, when plying public highways and roads.
Aquino is on a week-long working visit to the United States for the 65th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), and meetings with foreign investors, among others. He is also expected to meet U.S. President Barack Obama in the UNGA.
“If I get the chance to meet with President Obama, of course, that would be most welcome. There are a lot of concerns that have to be taken up with President Obama,” Aquino said in an interview with reporters in New York.
Aquino is also scheduled to meet with former US Secretary of State Dr. Henry Kissinger and some officials of the Synergos Institute and AES Corporation. He will also meet with World Bank president Robert Zoellick.
Aquino will also face the foreign press, including meetings with the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. He will then visit the College of Mount Saint Vincent in Riverdale, New York where he will be conferred with the Elizabeth Ann Seton medal, the school’s highest honor.
Aquino left on Monday, with high hopes he will be able to draw more investments from the US and generate more jobs for Filipinos.
Aquino’s U.S. visit is his first foreign trip since he was sworn into office in June, breaking the tradition of his predecessors who visit neighbouring Asian countries first.
Reposted From Thea Alberto of Yahoo! Southeast Asia
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