BY REGINA BENGCO

MALACAÑANG yesterday defended President Arroyo’s foreign trips, saying those trips have developed trading partners.

Anthony Golez, deputy presidential spokesman, said the President’s trips opened up opportunities with major trading partners aside from the US and Japan. He said this is one of the reasons the Philippines was not immediately affected by the global economic crisis.

Golez said the Clinton Global Initiative forum on December 2 and 3 in Hong Kong, which Arroyo and Asian leaders will attend, will focus on emerging economies and poor countries whose voice he said Arroyo will symbolize.

He said Arroyo will visit Qatar and other Middle East countries afterwards to open up opportunities for trade and employment.

President Arroyo attended the 16th Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ summit in Peru, held November 22 and 23. She was to proceed to Colombia for an official visit, which included talks with President Alvaro Uribe.

In Peru, the Philippines and other APEC member-countries pushed for the early conclusion of the Doha Round of the World Trade Organization negotiations to promote a free and more balanced trade in the region. The move was supportive of the call of the G20 for the early conclusion of the Doha talks during a meeting in Washington last week.

The leaders said they will continue to address the challenges facing the region including climate change, energy security and clean development, and the fight against poverty, hunger, disease and terrorism.

The APEC Business Advisory Council has proposed special small and medium enterprises (SME) programs that cover technological infrastructure, financing-capacity building, training and other measures to sustain and promote SME employment and stability.

Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said Peruvian President Alan Garcia claimed to have a soft heart for the Philippines because his mother told him that he was the son of the "President of the Philippine Republic."

He said the Peruvian leader later found out that his father was a namesake of Philippine President Carlos P. Garcia.

Makati Mayor and United Opposition president Jejomar Binay asked Malacañang to disclose the names of those who joined the President’s latest trip.

Considering the current financial crisis, Malacañang should have sent a lean delegation, he said.

"While we recognize the need to fulfill certain international obligations, we need to make sure that taxpayers’ money is put to good use in these difficult times," he said.

It was earlier reported that around 40 congressmen were scheduled to accompany Arroyo to Peru, but the number had been reduced to 18.

But Binay said he has received reports that the chartered Philippine Airlines flight PR-001 was filled to capacity. Such planes, he said, have a seating capacity of 300 to 400.

Binay said in previous international conferences, spouses and even nannies of children of politicians were included in the official entourage.

"It is the height of insensitivity if certain powerful and well-connected personalities are again allowed to travel at the taxpayers’ expense," he said.