President Benigno Aquino III of the Philippines stopped by Silicon Valley on his way home from the United Nations Summit in New York. It was his first visit to the U.S. as his country’s president. While here, he addressed a gathering of Filipino Americans with the Philippine Development Forum at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose. The event was sponsored by the Ayala Foundation.

Aquino also met with local business leaders and toured HP headquarters in Palo Alto. While there he signed a letter of intent with the company. The letter focuses on HP’s plans to increase its presence in the Philippines. Over the course of his trip to the U.S., Aquino pledged to bring “thousands of jobs” back home to the Philippines. Over 10 percent of the island nation’s population now lives overseas because of limited employment opportunities there.

Aquino is expected to return to Manila on Tuesday.
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