By Hader Glang & Roy Ramos
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines
French President Francois Hollande vowed Thursday to help the Philippines improve its resilience to climate change during the first visit by a serving French head of state.
“We’re here together to talk about economy and also to talk about climate change because both goals cannot be dealt with separately,” Hollande told a business forum in Makati City, Metro Manila.
He stressed the need for sustainable development in the Philippines, particularly in terms of infrastructure and renewable energy, according to the state-run Philippine News Agency.
Explaining that an investment of more than $100 billion would be needed for sustainable projects, he added: “This is where France can stand by you. France can stand by you when you need to find these resources.”
Hollande later attended a welcome ceremony at the Malacanang presidential palace, where he was greeted by his counterpart, Benigno Aquino III. They witnessed the signing of memoranda of understanding on tourism cooperation, higher education and transportation and infrastructure projects
They also launched the "Manila Call to Action on Climate Change” which urges support for a climate change agreement expected to be signed in Paris later this year.
“We are hopeful that this joint call will help us gain momentum for a truly global initiative to address climate change,” Aquino said at a press conference.
Hollande had arrived in the Philippines earlier for a two-day state visit, accompanied by a delegation of 100 officials, media figures and celebrities – including Oscar-winning actors Marion Cotillard and Jeremy Irons.
He was greeted with full military honors, including a 21-gun salute, before heading to Luneta Park to lay a wreath in honor of Philippine national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, who wrote the first chapters of his "El Filibusterismo" novel in Paris.
On Friday, Hollande is scheduled to visit Guiuan, Eastern Samar province, which was one of the areas hit hardest by 2013’s Typhoon Yolanda, which left more than 7,000 people dead or missing.
As the world’s most cyclone-hit nation that sits in a typhoon belt at the edge of the Pacific Ocean, the Philippines is among the frontline nations against climate change.
