Her Majesty, Queen Sofia of the Kingdom of Spain, is scheduled to visit Manila and some provinces next month as an official guest of the Philippine government.
The Queen is due to arrive in Manila on July 2 to personally inspect various development cooperation projects being implemented with funding assistance and grants from the Spanish government through its development cooperation agency, Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarollo (AECID). “The upcoming visit of Queen Sofia is a reaffirmation of Spain’s commitment toward addressing the myriad developments and challenges the Philippines and the rest of the world are facing today,” the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said. “It is a positive reflection of the Philippines’ long-standing and special partnership with Spain, most especially in the area of development cooperation,” it added.
In 2011, the Spanish government’s official development assistance to the Philippines amounted to a total of 28.9 million euros in grants and loans.
Queen Sofia will visit AECID-assisted projects in Manila and in the provinces, as well as meet with officials of implementing agencies and beneficiary sectors.
Aside from these activities, her official program includes a visit to the National Library, the National Museum and the University of Santo Tomas (UST).
The Queen is scheduled to have a private audience in Malacañang with President  Aquino, which will be followed by a banquet hosted by the President in honor of Queen Sofia and her delegation. The Spanish community in the country, said to number some 3,500 residents, will also have an opportunity to see and met their queen at a reception to be hosted by the Spanish Ambassador, Spanish officials, and staff.
Philippine-Spanish relations have steadily grown through the years marked by sustained cooperation in the fields of education, culture, sports, agriculture and fisheries, tourism, energy, health, labor, social security, defense and mutual legal assistance, among others.
In 2011, Spain ranked as the Philippines’ 28th largest trading partner with total bilateral trade amounting to US $ 329.6 million.
Queen Sofia will be accompanied during her visit by Spain’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Jesus Gracia Aldaz, Chief of Secretariat of the Royal Household of Her Majesty General Jose Cabrera Garcia, and other high-ranking officials from the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Meanwhile, Sen. Loren Legarda yesterday said that she is looking forward to sharing uniquely Philippine culture with Her Majesty Queen Sofia of Spain.
Legarda, chairman of the Senate Committees on Foreign Relations and Cultural Communities, said Queen Sofia and the Spanish Government, through the Spanish Agency AECID, have been responsible for many ventures in education and development in the country.