PGMA-US state visit Obama, PGMA strengthen RP-US ties US President Obama asks PGMA to export Philippine cavendish bananas to the US

Friday, 31 July 2009
Obama, PGMA strengthen RP-US ties

MANILA -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and United States President Barack Obama have finally met at the White House, Washington, DC, Thursday (early morning Friday) as the two world leaders praising Philippine-US partnership in a range of issues.

President Arroyo made this announcement over private radio station Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC)-DZRH this morning where she was interviewed by veteran announcer Joe Taruc in Manila and from Washington, DC, by Manila Bulletin’s Genalyn D. Kabiling and veteran announcer Rey Langit.

The Chief Executive was the first Southeast Asian leader who was received by Obama in the White House, arrived at around 3 p.m. (5 a.m. in Manila) at the executive mansion, where pro- and anti-Arroyo groups held protests outside the White House gates on 1600 Pennsylvannia Avenue.

The meeting held at the Oval Office, lasted 45 minutes. She was accompanied by Philippine Ambassador to the US Willy Gaa, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, House Speaker Prospero Nograles, presidential adviser on climate change Heherson Alvarez and Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita.

Speaking to members of the media, US President Obama hailed the relationship of the two allies, and mentioned the contributions of Filipinos to America.

"We are proud to have 4 million persons of Filipino ancestry contributing to our country each and every day in all walks of life,” US President Obama said.

The fact that we have Filipino veterans who have walked side by side with American soldiers on behalf of freedom, all those things that have strengthened the relations of our two countries," he said in a report reaching Malacañang.

Obama said they primarily discussed the fight against terrorism during their meeting.

"I am very pleased that President Arroyo has made such good progress on dealing with counterterrorism issues. She has initiated a peace process in Mindanao that we think has the potential to bring peace and stability to a part of the Philippines that has been wracked by unrest for too long," US President Obama said in a report by ABS-CBN’s All News Channel (ANC).

He also said they are "grateful" for the Philippines' "strong voice" in issues concerning the region, particularly in Southeast Asia.

"We are very grateful of the stong voice that the Philippines has provided in dealing with issues in Asia, ranging from the human rights violations that have too long existed in Burma, to the problems that we're seeing with respect to nuclear proliferation in North Korea," he said.

He also said that the Philippines will be the "coordinating country" in the US relationship with the ASEAN."

"So we're gonna be having a busy agenda together, working to reduce the threat of nuclear weapons, improving the multilateral partnerships in Asia that can create greater security and greater prosperity for all countries," he said.

"Although the Philippines is not the largest of countries, using a phrase in boxing, it punches above its weight in the international arena,"

For her part, President Arroyo, meanwhile, thanked President Obama for inviting her to the White House, and reiterated the Philippines' support to issues America is pursuing in the region.

"The US is essential to the economic, diplomatic, and national security of our country. We are very thankful for the US as an important ally in helping to professionalize our military, in making it more effective," President Arroyo said when interviewed over radio station DZRH.

"Just as important, we are thankful to the US for being such a good ally, working on 'soft power', helping us to build bridges, roads, schools, not only in Mindanao but across the nation,” President Arroyo said.

”And this assistance by the US has gone a long way in helping us achieve what we have been able to achieve in the peace process in Mindanao in the Southern Philippines and also in our fight against terrorism," President Arroyo said.

The Chief Executive also added that she has informed Obama on the progress of the peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

She also said that the Philippines will stand behind the US in two crucial issues in the region: Burma and North Korea.

She also thanked the US's help in facing climate change, and the grant of benefits for Filipino World War II veterans.

In return, Obama also praised Arroyo on her "outstanding" work.

"President Arroyo has done outstanding work on a range of issues. She mentioned the areas where the United States and the Philippines are of one accord, and as evidenced here today, she's somebody who knows the issues, she has experience leading the Philippines through some very difficult times," US President Obama said in reports by ABS-CBN’s ANC.

"She has expressed great friendship towards the United States, and aside from her great personal charm we are very appreciative of the concrete ways that her administration has pursued strengthening ties with the United States, so I'm very grateful for that," he added.

It was President Arroyo's fourth visit to the White House since she became President. Her first visit was back in November 2001, following the terror attacks in the United States, and was received by then US President George W. Bush.

She again visited the Bush White House in May 2003 in a state visit, and also in 2008, upon Bush's invitation.

Prior to the meeting, Mrs. Arroyo met with several US lawmakers and government officials at the Willard Hotel.

Among them, according to Press Secretary Cerge Remonde, were Admiral Dennis Blair, director for National Intelligence; US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi; and US Senator Sheila Jackson Lee.

She also met with the leaders of the RP-US Friendship Caucus.

President Arroyo and her delegation arrived in Washington for the four-day working visit in the US last Wednesday (Thursday morning Manila time). The President and her party deplaned at the Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.

Aside from Washington, the President will also go to New York, Chicago, and Guam. She is also set for an interview with business news network CNBC.




Friday, 31 July 2009

US President Obama asks PGMA to export Philippine cavendish bananas to the US

MANILA –- United States President Barack Obama today asked President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to export Philippine cavendish bananas as part of renewed strong economic ties between the US and the Philippines.

”US President Obama and I have a fruitful 45-minute meeting at the Oval Office of the White House. We also discussed bilateral trade relations between the Philippines and the United States. He also asked me to export the Lakatan (cavendish) - type bananas to America,” President Arroyo said over DZRH.

The Chief Executive was interviewed over private radio station Manila Broadcasting Corporation (MBC)-DZRH at 8 a.m. today by veteran radio news anchor Joe Taruc in Manila and in Washington, DC, USA by Manila Bulletin’s Genalyn D. Kabiling and DWIZ’s Rey Langit.

Major growers of the banana industry are found in Mindanao which currently covers 43,000 hectares from its Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) members alone.

The industry is estimated to be worth between P35 billion to P40 billion, and employing 500,000 workers.

Recently, President Arroyo, on a direct stopover flight here from her Saudi Arabia meeting with the Non-Aligned Movement, signed Executive Order number 807 that lifted the restriction imposed during the term of the late President Ferdinand Marcos in his Letter of Instruction (LOI) 58.

Former President Marcos’ LOI limited the area for export banana plantations to 26,250 hectares.

PGBEA said big banana growers have been shipping 180,000 boxes thrice weekly. Each box contains 13.5 kilos of the Cavendish variety. Average-sized growers ship at least once a week.



Thursday, 30 July 2009

Source of PGMA’s energy revealed

That President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a workaholic is a given. But how she manages to recover from her tiring schedule seems a mystery to many.

A case in point is her Iloilo engagement last Tuesday which came on the heels of her State of the Nation Address last Monday and right before her departure for an eight-day working visit to the United States to be highlighted by that keenly-awaited meeting with US President Barack Obama.

Mediamen who covered President Arroyo’s Iloilo engagement must have discovered her source of rejuvenation.

The President, obviously tired from her week-long preparation for her last SONA and several other out-of-town engagements days before, sprang to life upon seeing the big crowd of Ilonggos who welcomed her at the new Iloilo Airport. They were shouting “Mabuhay” and “We Love You President Arroyo” as they pushed and shoved each other just to get a glimpse and a handshake from her.

It is this warm welcome at the airport that kept her spirits up and alive in her entire visit to the province to inspect infrastructures that had been damaged last year by storm Frank and the progress of her administrations rehabilitation efforts.

At Oton, the scene was much like an adopted daughter of the province returning home. Everyone wanted to get a glimpse of the President, lining up both sides of the just-concreted road as the Chief Executive made a windshield inspection.

Her convoy then whisked her to the next stop-- Guimbal-- a two-hour drive from Oton. There, she laid the time capsule and led the groundbreaking of the Camangdian Bridge linking Guimbal and Tubungan. The bridge was completely destroyed by storm Frank last year.

In the same event, the President handed a P50,000 check to Kagawad Daniel Taronas, whose wife, Lea, was allegedly maltreated by her Singaporean employers. The President also handed cash incentives to 150 coconut farmers who planted new hybrid coconut seedlings and complied with the planting regimen of the Philippine Coconut Authority for better productivity. The incentive was P30 for every successful coconut hybrid planted.

Even the local media waited eagerly for her arrival at Guimbal and gave prominent treatment in the local papers of all her events in the province. At the venue, Mrs.. Arroyo shook the hands of school children, barangay officials, mayors and vice mayors and other government officials who attended the groundbreaking.

An indication of how long it took her to get to the stage was her march-- "Mabuhay" was fully played three times because admiring crowds blocked her way. A lot of them even shouted "very good SONA, Madame President." In return for the warmth given her, the President obliged with long photo op sessions with local officials and others who asked for a picture with her.

Then she went to Tatoy’s, a favorite grill house for locals and tourists alike, where she attended two private meeetings. Still the local media joined the convoy just in case they could have time to interview her. At Tatoys more people waited for a glimpse of her and a handshake. Even her meeting participants asked her for photo opportunities which she gamely concurred.

From Tatoys, the Presidential convoy then proceeded to the airport but turned left going towards Amerang and Tigum bridges where the President made an unscheduled visit. Bigger crowds of school children and adults waived at the President, who, despite the consistent showers waived back at them.


Friday, 31 July 2009
Obama hails PGMA for good governance in RP


MANILA –- United States President Barack Obama on Friday hailed President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for good governance in the Philippines.

At the same time, US President Obama gave his unwavering support behind the peace process between the Philippine government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels as he met with President Arroyo at the Oval Office of the White House in 1600 Pennsylvannia Avenue, Washington, DC, USA.

President Arroyo made these announcements when interviewed over Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC)-DZRH by veteran journalist Rey Langit of DWIZ and Genalyn D. Kabiling of Manila Bulletin.

President Arroyo told US President Obama that Philippine governance is doing a great job for the Filipino people and they have been doing their best to eradicate corruption.

”President Obama also praised us for having a stable economy amid the global economic crisis by strengthening regional cooperation,” President Arroyo said,

Holding his first White House summit with a Southeast Asian leader, President Obama also hailed President Arroyo for the long-standing US alliance with the Philippines on a range of issues, including pressing Myanmar on democracy.

"President Obama told us that although the Philippines is not the largest of countries, it -- using a phrase from boxing -- punches above its weight in the international arena," President Arroyo said.

The Philippine Chief Executive also informed US President Obama that the Philippine government plans to hold talks next week with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which has been waging a bloody rebellion since 1978 on the southern island of Mindanao.

”We also told President Obama that we are doing a new paradigm of peace process in Mindanao and we are working together as a nation to achieve lasting harmony over there,” President Arroyo said.

For his part, the US President said: "I am very pleased that President Arroyo has made such good progress on dealing with counterterrorism issues."

"She has initiated a peace process in Mindanao that we think has the potential to bring peace and stability to a part of the Philippines that has been wracked by unrest for too long," President Obama said.

President Arroyo also thanked the United States for its years of assistance to help the Philippines fight Muslim militants.

The Chief Executive also hailed also US President Obama for reaching out to the Islamic world.

"We welcome President Obama's reaching out to the Muslim world. And also we are very pleased about the importance that he affords to engagement with our part of the world," she said.

US President Obama spent part of his childhood in Indonesia, another nation his administration has identified for stronger ties.

The Philippines has been among the most vocal Southeast Asian nations in pressuring the military regime of Myanmar, earlier known as Burma, where a court on Friday is set to hand a verdict to democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.

"Internationally, we stand foursquare behind the United States on the position it has taken with regard to Burma and with regard to North Korea's nuclear adventurism," President Arroyo said.

She also said that she and Obama "connected very well also on our position with regard to Burma and Aung San Suu Kyi."

President Arroyo earlier met with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and was also due to meet business leaders.

source :office/of/the/president/josephpatrol@yahoo.com/malacanang/723

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