Arroyo settles for 30-minute phone call with busy Obama
By Juliet Labog-Javellana
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:14:00 06/28/2008
NEW YORK CITY (VIA PLDT)--He couldn't meet with her in person but a 30-minute phone call from US Sen. Barack Obama was enough to put a very busy President Macapagal-Arroyo in good spirits.
"He called up the President at 3:15 p.m. Thursday (Friday in Manila). They talked for 30 minutes," said Ambassador Marciano Paynor Jr., consul general to San Francisco and concurrent presidential adviser on foreign visits.
"The President was in very high spirits after the call," Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said in a briefing for reporters covering Ms Arroyo's 10-day US trip.
Aside from meeting with US President George W. Bush, she planned to meet with Obama, Democratic presidential candidate, and his Republican rival, Sen. John McCain.
While her meeting with Bush took place on Tuesday without a hitch, meeting the two rival candidates proved to be difficult, particularly Obama.
After several changes in date and venue, the meeting with Obama was supposed to take place on Thursday evening in Washington, DC. This would have required Ms Arroyo to fly from New York to the US capital on Thursday evening, then come back to finish her hectic schedule in New York on Friday. She will then fly again to Washington, DC on Saturday to meet with McCain.
The phone call apparently spared Ms Arroyo the inconvenience of shuttling back and forth between the two cities.
Ms Arroyo received Obama's call in her suite at the Waldorf Astoria, where Obama's wife Michelle was attending an event. The Democratic presidential candidate was reportedly in Washington, DC when he phoned Ms Arroyo.
"The call was made by Senator Obama. There were efforts for them to meet face to face but because the two had to be in different places at the same time, there was no opportunity for a personal visit," Dureza said, adding that the President was not disappointed about not meeting Obama.
Cut the trip short
In Manila, opposition senators said Friday that Obama was not keen on meeting with Ms Arroyo because "he would lose his votes from the Filipino-Americans [in November] by meeting with President Arroyo," said Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. in a text message to the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Lacson concurred with Pimentel, adding: "Instead of running after Obama, she should come home immediately to the Philippines with all the problems caused by the storm tragedy and all the problems she has caused."
For his part, Sen. Francis Escudero said: "Our people need the presence of government during these dire times. I hope she doesn't have plans to watch Pacquiao."
Pleased with Obama's call
The three felt that Ms Arroyo should have cut short her US trip after her meeting with Bush last Tuesday.
Dureza said the President was not disappointed about not meeting Obama.
"She was pleased with the phone call that came from Senator Obama. And I'm sure she's relieved by the fact that [she wouldn't have] to shuttle back and forth DC as originally planned," he said.
"Substantially, what we got was that Obama welcomed the visit of the President, recognizing the shared values that we have with the United States. He was also aware that her visit would push forward benefits for our Filipino veterans," he added.
However, Dureza could not say what Ms Arroyo told Obama. "There was no information relayed to me as to what the President had told Obama. But I'd like to assure you that after the phone calls, she was in very high spirits."
"Of course the actual exchange is something that cannot be disclosed unless by Obama or the President herself," he said later in a text message.
Obama statement
Reporters received a statement from Obama's office dated June 24, the day Ms Arroyo met with Bush at the Oval Office.
In the statement, Obama expressed his admiration for the Filipinos and his support for the veterans and other concerns.
"I welcome the visit this week of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her delegation to the United States. [Her] visit is an opportunity to strengthen our historic alliance and to discuss a host of issues of mutual interest," he said in the statement.
"I wish first to express my sympathies through President Arroyo to the victims and families of Typhoon 'Fengshen (Frank),' which has just hit the southern portion of the Philippines, leaving tremendous devastation in its wake. I urge the US government to provide emergency support to alleviate the suffering caused by this catastrophic natural disaster," the statement said.
"The bond between the United States and the Philippines is strong and enduring. The Philippines has been an important ally of the United States through World War II, the Cold War, and now the fight against terrorism and extremism... After the events of Sept. 11, 2001, the Philippines has worked closely with the United States to root out al-Qaida and its affiliates in the region," he said in the statement.
Filipino veterans
Obama also said he supported the joint RP-US "Balikatan" military exercises which he described as a model of cooperation.
"I support these continuing programs, including upgrading and enhancing the military's equipment and training," he said in the statement.
He also acknowledged how the "Filipinos displayed great courage alongside American soldiers at Bataan and Corregidor, only to be denied their just benefits by our government."
In his statement, Obama urged his colleagues in Congress to honor the heroic service of Filipino World War II veterans by finally turning the Veterans' Benefits Enhancement Act of 2007 into law.
"The most important part of our bilateral relationship is the deep and abiding people-to-people bond that our two nations share... As dedicated citizens, Filipino Americans--4 million strong--embody our nation's highest ideals," the statement said.
Wall Street visit
On Thursday (Friday in Manila), Ms Arroyo paid a visit to the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Wall Street to witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the NYSE Euronext and the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE).
NYSE Euronext CEO Duncan L. Niederauer and PSE chair Jose C. Vitug signed the MOU paving the way for cooperation in trading system architecture and technology, market participant connectivity and market data management.
"We welcome this opportunity to partner with Mr. Vitug and his colleagues at the Philippines Stocks Exchange," said Niederauer at the historic signing ceremony. "We are committed to the success of this alliance, which will benefit and create growth opportunities for both markets and their respective customers."
Mass at St. Patrick's
Ms Arroyo also witnessed the signing of an agreement between Berthaphil and Clark Economic Zone for an expansion project and met with Vikas Kapoor, president of American call center company Iqor. She also visited Bellevue Hospital to meet with Filipino healthcare professionals before speaking at a gathering of the Filipino community.
On Friday, (Saturday in Manila) Ms Arroyo and her family will hear Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral for the 62nd birthday of her husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo. The First Couple's children, Representatives Juan Miguel and Diosdado Arroyo, as well as daughter Luli are here, together with the President's daughters-in-law and grandchildren.
Ms Arroyo will fly home on Saturday night after meeting with McCain in Washington DC, and is expected to be back in the Philippines on Monday.
With a report from Gil C. Cabacungan Jr.
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