MANILA, Philippines ? Malacañang yesterday trumpeted President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo?s meeting with President Barack Obama and the country?s designation as the US regional coordinator with Southeast Asia as a ?triumph for all Filipinos.?

Critics said it made the Philippines a ?glorified (US) errand boy.?

Militant lawmaker Teodoro Casiño of the party-list group Bayan Muna said Ms Arroyo had found a new role for herself as ?Obama?s rah-rah girl.?

During Thursday?s meeting itself at the White House Oval Office, Barack was relaxed and confident as he sat cross-legged beside a visibly nervous Ms Arroyo.

Unleashing his charm, Obama touched Ms Arroyo?s arm, looked straight into her eyes whenever she talked, and was generous in his compliments.

At one point during a brief press encounter at the White House, a member of Ms Arroyo?s party asked her about her impressions of her host. Obama triggered laughter when he interjected: ?I?m sure she thinks I?m much younger looking than she expected.?

?No wonder US fell for him?

Ms Arroyo described Obama as ?very cordial, warm, and welcoming? and added they ?connected very well? on some areas of global concerns.

The members of Ms Arroyo?s party were conquered.

?He was charming and very diplomatic. He was more than what I expected. He looks younger, oozing with personality. No wonder America fell for him, he?s tall, lanky, and very confident,? Speaker Prospero Nograles said.

Mike Arroyo not around

Nograles also said in a text message: ?I really told Obama this was a dream come true for me to come to the White House and meet him face to face: the most powerful leader of the world. Truly an experience that?s something to remember.?

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said Obama had a ?very firm handshake? despite having fragile hands but he refused to compare him with his predecessor, George W. Bush, whom he described as ?also a cowboy.?

Ermita was also impressed with how precise the White House timing was, wrapping things up in one hour, including the Arroyo-Obama meeting and a joint briefing.

US Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney said: ?Obviously, they had a great conversation. I?m privileged to be there. It was friendly, relaxed, very professional.?

Ms Arroyo?s husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo, and Michelle Obama were not at the meeting.

?Something to be proud of?

At Malacañang, Presidential Political Adviser Gabriel Claudio told reporters: ?This is a proud and happy day not only for us in Malacañang, but for the entire country. The historic meeting ? was a hit.?

He added: ?The triumph is not the President?s but the triumph of the entire nation.?

Claudio said the Philippines? designation as coordinator in US relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ?is something to be proud of.?

?It?s not difficult to imagine how this would benefit our country not only in terms of being able to have greater prominence, greater attention on the world stage, but should lead to better opportunities of trade, diplomacy, and good relations not only with ASEAN countries, but other countries outside of ASEAN,? he said.

Different view

The leftist group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) fumed.

?The meeting and photo ops did not result in any clear benefits for the Filipino people. It was merely a reaffirmation of what we have long considered as unequal ties,? Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. said in a statement.

?The term ?coordinating country? ? makes the Philippines America?s glorified errand boy in the region ? It speaks of how the US still considers the Philippines its colonial outpost in Asia. The US expects us to parrot its position within the ASEAN,? Reyes added.

Casiño said: ?President Obama turning a blind eye on GMA?s (Ms Arroyo?s) hold on power through violence, corruption and deceit shows that his government is no different from his predecessors in prioritizing the US government?s strategic politico-military and economic interests over human rights and democracy.?

Gabriela party-list Rep. Liza Maza said Obama was ?misinformed? considering the human rights violations and repression in the Philippines.

Glad to be wrong

It may well be one of the few times Sen. Rodolfo Biazon was glad to be wrong.

?I am glad to hear that Obama did not take to task the President on the issues of human rights violations, enforced disappearances, political killings and other issues such as martial law, the no-elections scenario,? Biazon told reporters.

?I?m glad to be wrong this time. My only question is, ?Are we being told the truth??? he added. With reports from Nikko Dizon, Tarra Quismundo, Edson C. Tandoc and Agence France-Presse