MANILA -- President Benigno Aquino III will leave tomorrow for state visits to New Zealand and Australia to strengthen bilateral relations with the two countries, a Malacañang official said yesterday.

The Chief Executive will be in New Zealand on Oct. 22 to 23 and in Australia on Oct. 24 to 26, upon the invitation of New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, respectively.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said Aquino will first proceed to Auckland in New Zealand where he will meet with the Filipino community.

"He will also deliver a speech in a business forum to be attended by the Philippines-New Zealand Business Council as well as the New Zealand-Philippines Business Council.

From Auckland, Valte said, the President will proceed to Wellington, the country’s capital, to meet with Prime Minister Key and Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae.

The president will then  go to Canberra in Australia, and proceed to Sydney where he is scheduled to deliver his keynote address at the Philippines-Australia Business Forum.

The President will also meet with top CEOs in a roundtable setting and have one-on-one meetings with several Australian companies. He will again deliver another address to the Asia Society of Australia and the Australia- Philippine Business Council.

President Aquino will unveil a statue of Dr. Jose Rizal in Campbelltown in Sydney. He will also meet and interact with the members of the Filipino Community in Australia.*PNA

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