President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo left this afternoon for Cambodia to attend the eighth Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit that is expected to focus on terrorism, the same theme spotlighted by last week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting in Mexico.

The President was accorded departure honors before boarding a chartered Philippine Airlines plane bound for the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh at around 12:40 p.m. at Terminal 1 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Among the Cabinet members who accompanied the President in the trip were Trade and Industry Secretary Manuel A. Roxas II, Tourism Secretary Richard Gordon and Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye.

During the two-day summit meeting that opens tomorrow, the President, widely considered in the region as the most vocal on the security issue, is expected to raise the urgency of collectively fighting poverty which, she says, breeds terrorism.

She is also expected to solicit support for an international conference on terrorism that the Philippines plans to host.

This is the second time the President will attend the gathering of the leaders of 10-member Asean. Last year, she attended the summit meeting in Brunei Darussalam. The Asean is composed of the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar.

While in Cambodia, the President is expected to meet with the small Filipino community in Phnom Penh. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, there are some 680 Filipinos living in Cambodia.

Most of the Filipinos in Cambodia work for non-government organizations, the United Nations and other international organizations. Others work as missionaries, engineers, factory workers, and service works such as singers and entertainers, teachers and restaurant workers.

Among the highlights of the Phnom Penh summit are:

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (Via PLDT) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo arrived at the Pochentong International Airport at 2:45 p.m. (Cambodia time) on board a chartered Philippine Airlines flight from Manila for the eighth summit conference of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

The President and her official party were welcomed at the airport by ranking officials of the Cambodian government and Chief of Protocol Hul Phany.

The President’s official party included Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople, Philippine Ambassador to Cambodia Voltaire Gazmin, Trade and Industry Secretary Manuel Roxas II, Tourism Secretary Richard Gordon, Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye, Foreign Affairs Senior Undersecretary Lauro Baja, Jr. and Presidential Adviser for Regional Development Paul Dominguez.

From the airport, the President and her official delegation motored immediately to Hotel Cambodiana, where they are going to be billeted.

The first official activity of the President in Cambodia will be a meeting with the Filipino community at the Hotel Cambodiana’s Ballroom this afternoon. Based on a fact sheet released by the Department of Foreign Affairs, there are some 680 Filipinos living in Cambodia.

During her meeting with the Filipinos, the President Macapagal-Arroyo is expected to brief them on the ongoing developments of her administration for the last two years.

She is also expected to bring the good news about the passage of the absentee voting and dual citizenship bills in Congress.

As the country’s biggest investors, the President will also exhort the Filipino community’s continued support to her government particularly in helping improve the Philippine economy.

Tonight, the President will attend the working dinner for the 10 Heads of State/Government of Asean at the Intercontinental Hotel. Asean is composed of the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar.

Tomorrow, the President will join the nine other Asean leaders for their two-day summit meeting.

During the summit, the President and the other Asean leaders will sign the ASEAN Tourism Cooperation Agreement (t-ASEAN), an initiative proposed by Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen.

The tourism initiative was discussed by the President and Prime Minister Hun Sen during their bilateral talks in November last year while attending the seventh Asean summit in Brunei Darussalam.

In their talks, the President expressed the hope that the tourism agreement would contribute to a better understanding among the peoples of ASEAN and enable them to learn of each other’s economic potentials.

The President will also attend the Asean+3 wotking lunch with the leaders of the People’s Republic of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

Later, the President will later attend the ASEAN+3 summit and the ASEAN + China summit.

This will be followed by the signing of the Framework Agreement on Asean-China Economic Cooperation.

Later in the evening, the President will motor to the Royal Palace for an audience with King Preah Bat Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk and Queen Norodom Monineath Sihanouk of Cambodia.

After her audience with the Cambodian King and Queen, the President will attend the State Banquet hosted by the Royal Couple in honor of the leaders of Asean, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea and India.

PHNOM PENH,Cambodia (Via PLDT)— President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is expected to push for her initiative for a regional cooperation in the fight against terrorism as she meets with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

International terrorism is expected to dominate talks both in the summit proper as well as informal discussions among heads of state attending the eight Asean summit here.

In an interview, Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye said the President will likely take advantage of the presence of the Asean leaders in one venue, to push for stronger regional and global cooperation in the fight against terrorism.

He said the President is also expected to take advantage of her meetings with Asean leaders to reiterate her invitation for a regional conference on international terrorism to be hosted by the Philippines.

Asean leaders are under pressure to prove to the rest of the world that they can curb terrorism, especially in light of warnings from the United States that more attacks could be staged in the region.

The US State Department issued a statement expressing concern "that individuals and groups may be planning terrorist attacks against US citizens and interests as well as sites frequented by Westerners" in Southeast Asia.

Asean is scheduled to issue a joint statement on terrorism Monday, stressing its commitment to curb this international menace.