MANILA, Philippines -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo congratulated New York Senator Hillary Clinton on her appointment as incoming secretary of state of the United States, Malacañang said Tuesday.

Arroyo conveyed the message through the senator's husband, former US president Bill Clinton, whom she met in Hong Kong for the Clinton Global Initiative meeting, the Palace said in a statement.

"I'm looking forward to working together for the US-RP relations to become stronger," Arroyo was quoted as telling the former US leader.

According to the statement, Clinton had this to say of Arroyo: "I'm especially proud of her for her extraordinary leadership. She was my college classmate but she looks 20 years younger than I am."

Arroyo and Clinton were classmates at Georgetown University in Washington DC.

Senator Clinton will serve in the cabinet of US president-elect Barrack Obama, who beat her for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination.

Obama won over Republican John Mc Cain in November, making history as the first African-American president of the US.