"More than 30 years after the Vietnam War that lasted for more than 30 years, the Vietnamese managed to rebuild their country. This is solid proof of the important role discipline in Vietnam, and also in China, played," the President said.

"Let's try emulating that discipline Vietnam displayed so we could also grow further our economy and attain our goal of a strong Republic," she added.

The Vietnamese economy is considered the second fastest-growing in Asia next to China today.

The President also noted that there are a lot of opportunities the Vietnamese economy could offer to the Filipinos, referring to the establishment of Filipino-owned corporations in Vietnam. "It would make any Filipino proud to find such familiar names as San Miguel, Jollibee, Robina and Oishi in Vietnam," she said. According to her, trade relations between the Philippines and Vietnam could improve further with the establishment of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation signed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo and his Vietnamese counterpart.

The Chief Executive said one of the landmark agreements calls on the two countries to strive to raise their total two-way trade to $2 billion by 2007 from a little more than $1 billion in 2005.

The President said the Filipinos in Vietnam, numbering around 900 -- mostly professionals such as bankers, accountants, engineers -- could contribute to an enhanced trade relations with Hanoi.

"We import a big quantity of rice from Vietnam. I hope you Filipinos here could help the Philippines export its products to Vietnam," the President said.

She noted that although there are only a few Filipinos in Vietnam compared to other Asian countries like Hong Kong or Singapore, "your influence and impact on your host country far outweighs your number."

The President told her audience that she is working hard to improve further the Philippine economy and create more jobs so that in the near future, working abroad for the Filipinos would be an option and not a choice to make a living.

She also thanked the Filipinos here for their remittances that contribute to the strong peso and the increase in the country’s dollar reserves. "This is why we remain stubbornly focused on the economy, and why we want our super regions plan to work," she stressed.

"We need to spread the wealth and keep the people working at home. We are creating appealing employment opportunities by focusing on the development of priority sectors," the President said as she informed the Filipinos here that they can be updated with the news back home through the National Broadcasting Network (NBN).

Ernie Galang, an architect and president of the Samahang Pinoy sa Hanoi that contributed much to the rehabilitation of Vietnam, said the Filipinos here "watch NBN news broadcast and are up-to-date with the developments happening in the Philippines." He said President Arroyo's programs are on the right tract and the Filipinos here are impressed by the reforms she has implemented in growing the economy. The Filipino community here contributed some $5,500 for the President's classroom program.

The 21 leaders of the APEC member-economies, including United States President George Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin, started their two-hour Retreat 1 at the NCC's 2nd Floor at 2 p.m. (Hanoi time) and would end at 4 p.m.

It was expected that the leaders would discuss the resumption of talks on the Doha Round of the World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations that were stalled last July after developed and developing member economies could not agree on tariffs and duties to further enhance trade in the region.

The President arrived in Hanoi's Noi Bai Airport from Manila at about 8:30 p.m. Friday (Hanoi time).

This year's summit theme is "Towards a Dynamic Community for Sustainable Development and Prosperity."

The President, wearing a pink suit-dress, was flanked by Peruvian Vice President Luis Giampietri and the Russian President.

APEC, composed of 21 economies, has emerged as the premier forum facilitating economic growth, cooperation, trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region.

The member economies are Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, the United States, and Vietnam.

APEC is considered important because it represents 40 percent of the world's population, 47 percent of its trade and 60 percent of global gross domestic product (GDP).

The President sounded the call for heightened US participation in the Mindanao peace process and development in her meeting with President George W. Bush this morning at the National Convention Centre (NCC) here, the venue of the 14^th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders meeting.

The two leaders held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of Bush’s dialogue with heads of state of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) ahead of the opening of the two-day APEC leaders forum this afternoon.

Bush said the US will remain engaged in the Far East and Southeast Asia as he noted President Arroyo’s call on North Korea to heed the global urgings for Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear ambitions for the sake of peace and security in the region and the world.

President Arroyo said the Philippines was already "on board" on Bush’s non-proliferation initiative to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction and for quick response to credible terrorist threats.

She said that as Chair of Asean she will push forward the US initiative which she described as a "good way to keep peace and security in our part of the world."

President Arroyo also noted that in one of their meetings, Asean ambassadors to the United Nations discussed the proposed US accession to Asean, "inviting us to in fact accede to this treaty of amity and cooperation."

She stressed that the US-RP alliance against terror will benefit not only the two countries but Asia and the world as well.

The Philippine leader cited the alliance among the Asean-member countries in addressing cross-border crossings of Islamic terrorists belonging to the Indonesia-based Jimaah Islamiyah and the Abu Sayyaf Group.

President Arroyo said her administration is pursuing a broad agenda of self-determination for Mindanao through interfaith dialogues and development, efforts that she believes "will provide a second wind for US involvement in Southeast Asia for advancing freedom and prosperity."

She said that the US is already involved in fighting terrorism in Mindanao and helping Filipino soldiers bring permanent peace and prosperity to the region.

She added that the US is also engaged in livelihood and training programs in Mindanao, energy supply, construction of schools and the provision of implements that have "transformed rebels into farmers and fishermen."

All these efforts are "happening as we forge ahead with our peace talks with the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)," the President told Bush.

Favila said the US President expressed his favorable view on the proposed US-RP FTA during the meeting between President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Bush on the sidelines of the 14th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Meeting that opened this afternoon at the National Convention Center in Hanoi's My Dinh district.

Favila said President Bush expressed hopes that the talks on the FTA would continue even if he is no longer in office. His term ends next year.

"I want it. I want it not only for me but also for future Presidents," Bush was quoted as saying during the meeting.

The US remains the Philippines' top economic partner in both trade and investment. The US is also the top destination of Philippine exports and is the second source of imports.

"I have been talking with Susan Swabb (US Trade Representative) on the matter," Favila said.

He added that the Philippines has sent "several missions to Washington" to map out the possible FTA but "there were mixed reactions."

Favila said the Philippine team is preparing a "concept" that would include three phases of the possible RP-US FTA since the US policy on FTAs is "really a comprehensive one."

In consultations with the different stakeholders, Favila said that under Phase 1 of the package, the two parties must agree on common products like garments and textile and may be electronics; Phase 2 would be the granting of additional concessions on more sensitive products; and, Phase 3 would be on comprehensive coverage of products and services.

Favila said that the Philippines would benefit much from an FTA with the US because of its being the largest economy in the world.

"As in any FTA, the gross domestic product (GDP) of any economy would increase significantly as long as the favorable environment is created," he said.

The two-day talks are being held at the brand-new, $268-million National Convention Centre (NCC) complex, eight kilometers west of Hanoi.

The Doha Round of the WTO talks broke down in July over disagreements on farm subsidies among Brazil, India, the European Union and APEC member countries Japan, the United States and Australia.

Brazil, however, has since joined the move for the revival of the talks.

Although somewhat muted, security concerns -- notably the threat of terrorism and nuclear proliferation – cast a somber shadow over the gathering of the leaders of the economic grouping that accounts for more than a third of the world’s population, roughly 60 percent of the world gross domestic product (GDP), and about 70 percent of the global trade in its first 10 years of existence.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, this year’s Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), is leading the regional grouping’s call for the revival of the WTO negotiations and closer cooperation in the fight against terrorism and poverty.

She pointed out that the positive conclusion of the trade talks would reap rewards not only for Asean but the whole world. Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand are members of APEC.

Also attending the APEC Leaders’ Meeting are US President George W. Bush, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Hu Jintao, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, sultan of Brunei, and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

At the opening of the Leaders’ Meeting, Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet, the host of this year’s APEC meeting, welcomed his fellow heads of state, saying he looked forward to closer regional and global cooperation in maintaining peace, cooperation and development in the Asia-Pacific region and the world.

He also expressed support for the holding of the Six-Party Talks among China, the United States, Japan, Russia, South Korea and North Korea to find a peaceful solution to the Pyongyang nuclear issue.

Earlier this morning, the leaders of Asean-APEC countries met with Bush and exchanged views on international and regional political, security and economic issues of common interest.

Among the issues discussed were the impasse in the WTO talks, North Korea’s nuclear ambitions, energy security, non-traditional security challenges including disaster management, infectious diseases, terrorism and transnational crime.

The APEC leaders agreed that addressing these issues calls for active coordination and close cooperation among countries through concrete activities and programs.

"The leaders welcomed the announcement that the United States would provide countries in the region with practical assistance, especially in information and experience sharing, regional and national capacity building in order to effectively address those challenges," a press statement of the APEC said.