US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton congratulated the Philippines on its 113th Independence Day, saying the country was a “committed partner” on many fronts.
In a statement, Clinton said the partnership between the two nations dated back to World War II, during which Filipino and American soldiers fought together to liberate the Philippines.
“We are working together on many new fronts. Whether we are working to find ways to catalyze economic growth, helping victims of natural disasters, combating extremism, or calling for greater protection of human rights, our two countries share a vision of a better world,” she said.
Clinton said the United States was backing the Philippine government’s commitment to fight corruption, promote judicial reforms, reduce poverty and generate better opportunities.
She cited the two nations’ joint efforts, such as the Partnership for Growth to boost prosperity and the Open Government Partnership initiative to improve governance and transparency.
“Together through our Millennium Challenge Corporation compact, we are working to reduce poverty through economic growth. The Philippines is a committed partner on so many issues,” she said. Julie M. Aurelio