Arroyo attends ASEAN summit in Hanoi, names Noli caretaker
According to Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza, president Arroyo selected Vice President Manuel "Noli" de Castro Jr. as the country’s chief caretaker during her two-day trip to Vietnam this week.
De Castro will be heading the caretaker committee, his office would also assist in managing the administrative matters while Mrs. Arroyo’s absence.
Aside from De Castro, she also appointed Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales Jr. to represent her at the Araw ng Kagitingan (Heroes’ Day) rites in Bataan on Friday.
Mrs. Arroyo is slated to leave for Vietnam on Thursday Morning to attend the 16th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Meetings to be held in the capital city Hanoi from April 8 to 9.
For the duration of the 16th ASEAN Summit, which will be Mrs. Arroyo’s first foreign trip for 2010, she will be expected to pursue the issue of preserving the environment and natural wealth of each country, Executive Secretary Mendoza said.
Together with the president, joining her on the trip are Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Finance Secretary Margarito Teves, Trade and Industry Secretary Jesli Lapus and Press Secretary Crispulo Icban Jr.
After the ASEAN summit, the President will go to Washington DC on April 12-13 to be present at the 40-nation Nuclear Security Summit hosted by US President Barack Obama. Then, a visit to Madrid on April 15-16 is also in her schedule. In Madrid, she will receive he Premio Internacional Don Quijote de la Mancha award for promoting Spanish language and culture in the Philippines.
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