Arroyo finally meets Obama

FACE TO FACE

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo finally made her way to the White House after US President Barack Obama reportedly invited the former to be the first Southeast Asian leader to visit the Oval Office. They met for a 30 minute meeting and almost 15 minutes joint briefing with the media. Obama in meeting with the press acknowledges the years of cooperation between the two countries, "it is a friendship that is forge not only in treaties,trade relationships, and military relationships but it is also strengthened by very personal ties that exists ", Obama said.

Obama also praised President Arroyo for her progress on counterterrorism measures, the initiation of the peace process in the beleguered region of Mindanao, the Philippines involvement in dealing with issues ranging from human rights violations in Myanmar to nuclear proliferation in North Korea. Obama looks forward in visiting Southeast Asian countries including Indonesia where he studied when he was about the age of 6 to 10. He revealed the Philippines' role as a "coordinating country in the US relationship in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)", in addition to Philippines' chairmanship of the non-nuclear treaty proliferation conference to take place next year. "Although the Philippines is not the largest of countries, it - in using a phrase from boxing - punches above its weight in the international arena", he said.

On the part of President Arroyo, She explained the essentiality of the US to the economic, diplomatic and national security of the Philippines, also she thanked the United States as an important ally in professionalizing the military to be as effective as it can be and by helping to build bridges, roads and schools across the nation. "This assistance of the US has done a long way in helping us (the Philippines) to achieve what we have been able to achieve in the peace process in Mindanao", She added.

President Arroyo continued by saying that the Philippines is on the same position taken by the US regarding Myanmar and to North Korea's nuclear adventurism, she applaud Obama's leadership on Climate Change which she says so important to the Philippines being an archipelagic country that such severe climate change could be disastrous; she likewise expressed gratitude for the inclusion of the veterans benefits in the stimulus package for Filipino veterans. "Indeed we looked forward to a stronger relationship between the US and ASEAN and bilaterally a stronger realtionship between our two countries."

SNUB ISSUE

As we can remember Arroyo made a visit in Washington already last year and just last February of this year, however instead of meeting up with the newly elected President Obama, she met with the US secretary of state Hillary Clinton despite the fact that Arroyo and Obama were already on the same venue attending the annual National Prayer Breakfast, where Barack Obama was a guest speaker. Also last year, when President Arroyo visited the US, she failed to meet with Obama, the latter just sent a letter to Arroyo rather than meeting up with her personally.

In this meeting of two leaders in the White House, Obama mentioned his intent of visiting ASEAN countries, though he did not even mention of visiting the Philippines; this just gives us a stronger proposition that the Obama-Arroyo meet up was a mere consolation for President Arroyo. (note that Arroyo was also one of the early state leaders who congratulated Obama immediately after he won as president)

Now can you even say that the Philippines is worth a plugged nickel for America?