Colombian President at the ‘White House’
Honorary Consul of Colombia to the Philippines Jorge “Nene” Araneta and Chargé d’Affaires Stella Marquez-Araneta hosted a private dinner for Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and his First Lady, María Clemencia Rodríguez Múnera, at the famed “White House” (Bahay na Puti) located within the Araneta compound in Quezon City.
The Colombian President, who was invited by President Aquino to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting as an observer, was accompanied by Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar and Minister of Commerce, Trade and Tourism Cecilia Alvarez-Correa Glen, with friends from business, government and the diplomatic circle joining the Colombian delegation in enjoying the hospitality of Nene and Stella Araneta.
It’s no secret that Colombia has been seeking membership to APEC for more than two decades now and President Santos is optimistic that this will happen soon. The Latin American country has indeed made strides in fighting poverty and in growing its economy. We’re told Colombia has great potential to be a major food producer and is actively promoting investment opportunities it can offer on various sectors that include infrastructure, gas and mining.
The government of Juan Manuel Santos has also extended the hand of peace to the leftist rebels of FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) in a bid to end the 50-year conflict that has beset the country — something that has resonated positively among observers. Photos by Ramon Joseph J. Ruiz
