Director of the Chief Executive's Office Edward Yau and Secretary for Security TK Lai met visiting Philippine Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras to discuss the follow-up to the Manila hostage-taking tragedy today.

The two sides issued a joint statement which reported in-depth and constructive exchanges were made at the meeting. 

As the Philippine Government's representative, Secretary Almendras updated the SAR Government on progress in finding a satisfactory response to the victims' and their families' four demands.

Philippine President Benigno S Aquino III had also instructed Secretary Almendras to deliver a token of solidarity to cover the cost of surgeries for Yik Siu-ling, made possible by donations from Filipino business people as a humanitarian gesture, without prejudice to the ongoing discussions.

Both sides are confident that through continuous efforts, the discussions will achieve the objective Chief Executive CY Leung and President Aquino set out. They also reaffirmed the agreement to report the outcome to their people when they have achieved substantive progress.