Tonight we leave for New York to deliver our Country Report to the United Nations General Assembly, to actively participate in two international fora, to meet with US business leaders with present and potential investment in the Philippines, and to meet our kababayans in New York and environs. All these meetings are in pursuit of our policy of active global engagement.

In all these fora, I will bring to our international audience and stakeholders the very important message that is threatened to be drowned by the chronic political noise.

Our economy has reached a new level of maturity and stability with some of the strongest macroeconomic fundamentals in 20 years. We have aimed high and have met the challenge: six years ago, no one thought we could get more revenues, cut down on tax cheats, strengthen the peso and move the stock market. And no one thought we could bring our budget into balance, as we did last month, prepay our debts and raise employment, but we have.

Today, the Philippines is on a path to permanent economic growth and stability. Investments are pouring in, the peso is strong, our stock market has reached historic heights and we have created 6 million jobs in six years. And the world is taking notice: I believe the Philippines offers one of the best values in Asia for domestic and foreign investors.

The surge of investments has been anchored by the billion-dollar investments in the Philippines of several major international companies, including Texas Instruments, Korea’s Hanjin and Japan’s Marubeni and Tokyo Electric and lately, America’s AES.

This is happening across the board in a number of industries. We are working to ensure this will be sustained. We are committed to consolidating the gains in new revenue by making long overdue investments in human and physical infrastructure.

This includes billions of pesos in education, healthcare and training along with billions in new bridges, roads and ports to upgrade the competitiveness of the Philippines.

We take great pride in the discipline of our administration to focus on the economy and our overall economic health. I am personally proud of the fact that external debt is being prepaid at a rapid clip, optimistic that we will balance the budget in 2008, two years ahead of schedule, and that we are making sure to use the gains to invest in vital social and economic needs.

As an economist, I believe in the power of the global trading system to alleviate poverty and modernize nations through market forces. This does not mean that we believe that countries like the Philippines are ready to compete head-to-head today in every sector, but it does mean that we cannot afford to be afraid of globalization.

We have been aggressive in seeking multilateral and bilateral trade relations.

We have taken a personal and hands-on role in trying to move the Doha Round forward because I believe it is good for the Philippines. And I believe my faith in the marketplace both at home and abroad has been a boon to the Philippine economy.

Mabuhay. God bless the Philippines.

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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo left Tuesday night for New York where she will attend the 62nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), the Clinton Global Initiative Forum, and the Third Meeting of the Women Leaders’ Working Group.

President Arroyo is set to be welcomed at the Newark International Airport by Ambassador Hilario Davide, head of the Philippine Mission to the United Nations, and by Philippine Consul General to the US Cecilia Rebong.

The President and her lean entourage will be billeted at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel where she will be welcomed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, who arrived earlier to sign two conventions at the United Nations headquarters here in behalf of the Philippine government.

The President’s first order of business in New York Wednesday is her attendance at the 10 a.m. (New York time) opening plenary of the Clinton Global Initiative Forum at the Sheraton Hotel New York.

She will then go back to the Waldorf Astoria where she will receive officials of the Millennium Challenge Corporation who will call on her at 11:25 a.m..

President Arroyo’s first day in New York will also include her gracing the lunch hosted by TeleTech led by its chairman and chief executive officer Kenneth Tuchman, at the Louis VXI Suite at the Waldorf.

The President will then proceed to the Broadhurst Theatre at West 44th St. where she will watch the matinee presentation of “Les Miserables” starring Lea Salonga and other Filipino-American members of the cast.

In the evening, the President will attend a dinner hosted by the Clinton Global Initiative at the Museum of Modern Art.

Coffee follows with leaders of the Filipino community in New York at the Jade Room of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

While her first day will see her going the rounds of six engagements, President Arroyo’s second day will see her in even more activities -- eight to be exact – including her delivering a speech before the US-ASEAN Business Council which will hold a luncheon roundtable at the Waldorf Norse Suite. The lunch will be hosted by Martin Sullivan, president and CEO of the American International Group (AIG).

Just before this roundtable, the President will have an exclusive interview by the business editor of the New York Times, Marcus Mabry, in her hotel suite.

The President’s six other engagements for Sept. 27 (Thursday) will include a marathon of four calls at the Waldorf Hotel from top organization executives, namely: Headstrong and Merill Lynch executives at the Waldorf’s Sutton Suite; James Livesay, SVP Divisional Executive of the Retail Bank Operations Washington Mutual at The Library of the Waldorf Astoria; Satendra Gupta, chairman and CEO of the UST Global Inc. at the Waldorf’s Sutton Suite; and the JP Morgan (Bank of New York) at The Library.

After dinner at the Philippine Outsourcing Summit at the hotel’s Starlight Rooftop at the 18th floor, the President will treat the Philippine media delegation to coffee at her hotel suite.

The President will start her third day in New York early with her 7:30 a.m. attendance at the Third Meeting of the Women Leaders Working Group whose theme revolves around “Progress on Women’s Empowerment.” The said meeting of power women will be held at the Waldorf Hotel’s Empire Suite.

At 10 a.m., President Arroyo will speak before the 62nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly at the UN’s Plenary Hall. The President will be the third speaker of the morning session.

Her speech will be immediately followed by her meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon at the UN Room 200 of the Plenary Hall.

While at the UN, President Arroyo will also have conversations with Filipinos working in the United Nations before passing by the book-launching ceremonies for a book on interfaith dialogue at the UNICEF Garden.

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NEW YORK (via PLDT ) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo shared the limelight with former United States President Bill Clinton, former US Vice President Al Gore and four other leading world figures at the opening Wednesday morning (NY time)of the three-day session of the 2007 meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) at the Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers.

The only woman member of the six-man panel discussion on climate change with Clinton acting as moderator, the President discussed her government’s efforts to tap the Philippines’ vast geothermal resources to ease the country’s dependence on imported, ozone-depleting fuel and preserve the environment.

Aside from President Arroyo and Gore, the other panelists on the stage overlooking the jampacked crowd at the CGI session hall were Afghanistan President Hamid Karsai, Wal-Mart President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) H. Lee Scott, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and World Bank President Robert Zoellick.

At least 16 heads of state -- past and present -- and hundreds of supporters and advocates of the movement to stem the “global weather climate crisis” made up the audience at the CGI session hall.

Several others set to speak during the different sessions of the CGI are leading cinema, media, political and business personalities from different parts of the world, among them Angelina Jolie, co-chair of the Jolie-Pitt Foundation, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, Norway Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, Netherlands Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende and Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez.

In his introduction of President Arroyo, Clinton said she was his classmate at Georgetown University in 1968 and repeatedly referred to her efforts to develop clean energy for the Philippines, win the peace in Mindanao and fight poverty.

Saying the prospects of developing her country’s geothermal resources are not only bright but profitable, the President said that in the past two weeks alone, build-operate-transfer (BOT) operators of two geothermal projects have turned over to the government their facilities following the expiration of their BOT franchise.

Asked about her government’s strategy to end the conflict in Mindanao, President Arroyo said she hoped a permanent settlement of the decades-old strife would soon be achieved.

The government’s new paradigm of “soft-hard” approach to the conflict in southern Philippines has been making a remarkable headway in improving the peace and order situation in the area.

The soft approach policy involves the development of the area as part of the government’s efforts to fight poverty, the construction of roads and bridges and other infrastructure facilities, improving healthcare services, and mass access to education, among other human resources programs, she said.

The President added that the hard approach refers to the use of the military to preserve peace and order and counter other anti-government activities.

Organized by the former US President in 2005, the CGI is a “non-partisan catalyst for action, bringing together a community of global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges.”

Its membership base is highly diverse covering a full spectrum of religious, ideological, ethnic and geographical backgrounds and includes current and former heads of state, leading scholars, representatives of non-government organizations and top business leaders.

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NEW YORK (via PLDT) -- The top executive of one of the world’s leading business processing outsourcing (BPO) firms on Wednesday cited the Philippines as the place to be for investors looking forward to cash in on business havens in Southeast Asia.

Kenneth Tuchman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of TeleTech, one of the world’s leading BPO firms, described Teletech’s Philippine operations as his company’s “biggest success story.”

Tuchman made the glowing remarks on Philippine business conditions during the luncheon he hosted in honor of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her economic team at the Louis Suite of the Waldorf Astoria Towers.

Invited to the noontime gathering were top leaders of US businesses, who had signified their interest in learning more about business prospects in the Philippines.

Also present during the luncheon-meeting were Finance Secretary MargaritoTeves, Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila and Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo.

Saying that Teletech’s Philippine investment has paid off handsomely, Tuchman urged his fellow American businessmen to explore the investment opportunities that abound in the country.

In her response, President Arroyo told the US business leaders that the Philippines offers an environment that is highly conducive to growth, citing the world-renowned reputation of the Filipinos as hardworking, easy to get along with, and versatility in the English language.
TeleTech first expanded into the Philippines in 2001. Since that time, the country has become TeleTech's fastest-growing geography, boasting unprecedented growth from several hundred employees five years ago to 13,000 employees in 10 delivery centers today.
It is now the biggest BPO company operating in the country with the number of employees expected to reach 30,000 by next year.

TeleTech's centers in the Philippines offer front-to-back-office business process support to Global 1000 clients. The company's Filipino employees handle a variety of complex business transactions including technical support, claims and loan processing, online sales, and lifecycle customer management for leading companies in the telecommunications, retail, technology, insurance and financial services industries.

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NEW YORK (via PLDT) -- The atmosphere was distinctly Filipino, the conversation was a mix of Tagalog, Taglish and English, the greetings were warm, the general mood was tinged with an unspoken sense of homesickness.

On this “special night,” as Vice Consul Elena Maninigat described it, leaders of the Fil-Am communities in New York City, New Jersey and Philadelphia, some of whom have not visited their old country for years, gathered at the Waldorf Astoria Towers for a reunion with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The get-together started promptly at 8:45 p.m. Wednesday (Sept. 26, New York time) with the arrival of the President who was immediately engulfed by an eager crowd of kababayans, some of them she personally knew from way back, through the government bureaucracy, from her native Pampanga as well as other parts of the Philippines.

After having finally made her way through the throng to the elevated platform after several minutes, the President gamely greeted everyone and thanked them for their presence even if the event “comes at an inconvenient time for you.”

She expressed eagerness to know how things were going with the Filipinos in northeast United States. As for things back home, the President said the economy has reached a new level of “maturity and stability with some of the strongest macroeconomic fundamentals in 20 years.”

Her administration, she added, has achieved what it had intended to attain, notwithstanding the widespread cynicism. “Six years ago, no one though we could get more revenues, cut down on tax cheats, strengthen the peso and move the stock market. And no one thought we could bring our budget into balance, as we did last year, pre-pay our debts and raise employment. But we did,” she said.

The President said the country is well on the way to permanent stability and economic growth as she pointed out that investments are flowing in, the stock market has reached historic highs. Six million jobs have been created over the past six years at the rate of a million a year.

“The surge of investments has been anchored by the billion-dollar investments in our country of several major international companies,” among the leading companies operating in various parts of the world, she said.

She said that with government finances vastly improved, her administration is pouring billions of pesos into education, healthcare, human and physical infrastructure.

“We take pride in our overseas Filipinos,” she said. “You are honored by the government and the people for your sacrifice and dedication to your work, your family and your nation,” the President said.

She pointed out, however, that she looks forward to the time when going abroad for a job would be just an option for Filipinos, and not their only choice to earn a living.

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NEW YORK (via PLDT) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo conferred on Wednesday evening (Sept. 26, New York time) presidential awards on members of the Filipino-American community in northeast United States who have distinguished themselves in their respective fields of endeavor.

Conferred the Order of Lakandula Award, rank of Grand Officer, was Philippine Consul General Cecilia B. Rebong of the Philippine Consulate in New York. The presidential awardee was the Chief Presidential Protocol Officer in 2002-2004 before her posting here.

The awarding ceremony was held at the Waldorf Astoria Towers during the President’s reunion with the core leaders of the Filipino communities in New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia.

Bestowed the Presidential Medal of Merit Award was noted Filipino playwright Alberto Florentino. Florentino, whose first work as a playwright won the Palanca Award in 1954, is also credited with helping six major Filipino writers join the ranks of National Artists for Literature.

The President also presented a certificate of recognition to the members of the Philippine Nurses Association of America (PNAA) task force for the National Council Licensure Examination (NLEX) for its “initiative and efforts in campaigning at the US National Council for State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) for the Philippines to be declared an international testing site for Filipino Aspirants to the nursing profession in the United States.”

The PNAA was also cited for “undauntingly carrying on the cause, in spite of the long wait and the disappointments, never giving up hope but instead soliciting partners and supporters, traveling regularly to the Philippines and back, campaigning vigorously for success.”

On the other hand, Filipino veterans of World War II living in the United States, handed the President a letter of appreciation for her “constant support for their quest for US recognition.”

The Filipino WWII veterans, who were stripped of their benefits in 1946, have finally triumphed over adversity after the veterans committee of both Houses of the US Congress passed the Veterans Equity Bill.

“The Filipino veterans are closer than they have ever been to having their rights and privileges restored,” through the support of the President who had personally brought their problem with US President George W. Bush.

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NEW YORK (via PLDT) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo regaled heads of state who gathered Wednesday morning (New York time) at the Sheraton New York Hotel for the third annual meeting of the “Clinton Global Initiative” (CGI) with her administration’s development paradigm and the country’s vision of becoming energy independent.

President Arroyo was one of the six panelists in the three-year-old CGI’s opening plenary whose theme revolved around “the need for global action.”

Aside from President Arroyo – who was introduced by former US President William Jefferson Clinton as “my college classmate, Batch 1968 of Georgetown University” – the other prominent panelists cum interviewees were Al Gore, former vice president of the USA; Hamid Karzai, president of Afghanistan; H. Lee Scott, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Wall Mart; Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa; and Robert Zuellick, president of the World Bank.

Clinton -- who founded the said non-government organization three years ago -- acted as moderator/interviewer in the elaborate stage set-up at the Metropolitan Ballroom of Sheraton New York Hotel in downtown Manhattan.

Very much like a talk show host, Clinton interviewed each of his guests about their development plans, and dealt lengthily on climate change and the participants’ contributions to arrest the depletion of the ozone layer.

When it was President Arroyo’s turn, Clinton told the jampacked ground-level ballroom that he and President Arroyo have been “friends a long, long time… but not very long ago, people were writing her off, saying she is in terrible trouble, the Philippines is in terrible trouble…”

“She took a lot of tough economic positions, and the (Philippine) economy has completely turned around – and she’s on the way up now, and she is in very good shape, and I am happy to see her here.”

The 42nd President of the United States of America then delved on conflicts that are “rooted in religious and other differences, especially in Mindanao,” and asked President Arroyo about how she is “dealing with this in trying to promote reconciliation.”

Clinton added and clarified, thus: “What is your experience about the role of economic opportunities in helping to bridge the silly conflicts within your country?”

Pretty in a brown dress suit, President Arroyo – who was seated in the very middle of the stage and who was the only female panelist -- told the world leaders gathered, thus:

“In a world where hard power has not proven its worth totally, in the Philippines there is a paradigm for peace that (consists of) soft and hard power (which) meld together confidence-building measures.”

The President said the measures include “inter-faith dialogue and cultural awareness,” where the (Christian) bishops and (Muslim) ulamas “have been very active… to promote religious understanding.”

Alternately dubbed by the moderator as “President Arroyo” and simply “Gloria,” the President explained that achieving religious understanding “is also a part of our Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP).”

“Second is the promotion of basic infrastructure and economic development, and I would like to thank the World Bank because they have a very good project – the Mindanao Trust Fund for Peace and Development (MTFPD) where the project partners are the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front)…”

Aside from the MTFPD, the President revealed that the World Bank also has a separate trust fund for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) which is “managed together by the national government and the autonomous government.”

“You know, when we have these projects, they build more than bridges and roads and schools – they build trust.”

The President also revealed to the assembly of world leaders that her administration is close to finalizing a peace agreement with the MILF which, she said, has had a taste of the benefits of working with the World Bank.

“The WB is also managing a big initiative for when the peace agreement finally comes… then it will really take off… We find that this investment in people is paying off… because peace does not come from the barrel of a gun… that’s what we found…”

“We have to give a person human dignity, food on the table, a job… We have to invest in people…”

President Arroyo – who went on to earn her doctorate in economics at the University of the Philippines – later got to talk about her latest economic project, the setting up of economic zones around geothermal areas, when moderator Clinton told the assemblage that the Philippines has the biggest geothermal power fields in all the world.

“… Would you develop more of it? Is it just an accident of geography, or you turned it into something positive for you?” Clinton asked “Gloria.”

“Well, we are endowed with geothermal power. And it fits very well with our Green Philippines program. We want to use clean energy and have energy independence; and geothermal energy gives us clean energy and energy independence,” replied President Arroyo.

The President then made a pitch for possible geo-power investors, telling them about the government’s build-operate-transfer (BOT) arrangements, and assuring them that investors are able to recover their investments and more before they turn over projects to the government.

“The private sector was able to get their money back before they turn it over to the national government…”

She further explained the benefits of going natural with the country’s geothermal fields, with the biggest wetfield in the world located in Leyte island in the Visayas:

“They not only give us power, they also give us jobs…” And the host local governments earn royalties which are plowed back to their constituents via subsidized power rates.

The mandated ecozones around geothermal areas would also attract power firms to “locate there with the usual investment incentives, and areas far from Metro Manila will now have industries and power.”

Clinton – who told the crowd that “everybody in the Philippines is scared of Gloria” – then gave each of his interviewees five minutes to say their parting shots, and the President used this opportunity to tell the world about the country’s 7.5 percent growth.

“We would like to share this paradigm with the world and thank you for giving us the opportunity to share this with the world… We believe explicitly or implicitly that we can do it right from Day One, we want to create jobs and take care of our environment…

“Our investment in people is paying off. Peace does not come from the barrel of the gun – that’s what we found. We have to believe in the person, (give him) human dignity, food on the table…”

The CGI now counts some “13 hundred members” from NGOs, academia, among others, including some 52 current and former heads of state, according to Clinton who joked during the plenary that “everybody in the Philippines is afraid of Gloria.”

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NEW YORK (via PLDT) – These are exciting times for business and investors in the Philippines, with the country firmly on track to permanent economic growth and stability.

With this as the defining theme of her three-day investment mission here, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo regaled top American leaders with the bright prospects of doing business in the Philippines.

“I believe the Philippines offers one of the best values in Asia for domestic and foreign investors,” the President told the US business executives during the Outsourcing Summit: Roadmap 2010 held at the Starlight Rooftop of Waldorf Astoria Towers Thursday evening (Sept. 27, New York time).

She pointed out that the Philippines is ranked as one of the most attractive off-shoring destinations in the world not only in terms of cost competitiveness, but more importantly the “country’s highly trainable, English-proficient management manpower.”

No less than the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its 2007 Global Sourcing Study cited the Philippines as the No. 2 “most preferred offshoring destination after India,” the President said.

The difference is that India has a billion population from which it draws its offshoring manpower compared to the Philippine population of 80 million, she added.

Now the fastest growing sector of the economy, the $3.6- billion business services industry has created 300,000 new jobs since 2000, the President said.

She pointed out that after years of sluggish if not negative growth, the Philippine economy has registered some of the strongest macroeconomic fundamentals in two decades.

“Six years ago, no one thought we could get more revenues, cut down on tax cheats, strengthen the peso and move the stock market. And no one thought we could bring our budget into balance, which we did last month, lower our debts and raise employment, but we have,” the President said.

She said that the heavy investment inflow into the Philippines has been anchored by the billion dollar plus investments by several major international corporations, among them Texas Instruments, Hanjin of South Korea, Marubeni and Tokyo Electric of Japan and AES of the US.

The upsurge of investments is taking place across a broad spectrum of the economy and her administration is working to ensure that the inflows will be sustained, she added.

“We are committed to consolidating the gains in the new revenue by making long overdue investments in human and physical infrastructure” by pouring billions of pesos into education, healthcare, skills training, new roads, bridges and ports to further raise the level of competitiveness of the Philippines, the President said.

She urged those who have invested in the Philippines to “continue to do so. And to those of you who are just getting to know the Philippines, we urge you to come and explore all that the country has to offer you and your business.”

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NEW YORK (via PLDT) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Thursday (Sept. 27, New York time) urged the government of Myanmar to release pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and scores of Buddhist monks who have been rounded up for staging protests against the country’s military rulers.

In a statement that she distributed personally to members of the Philippine media at the Waldorf Astoria Towers where she is billeted during her three-day official trip here, the President said freeing Suu Kyi from years of house arrest serves Myanmar’s own best interests and avoid further isolation of the country from the rest of the world’s democracies.

Myanmar is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) along with Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

“Recent events in Myanmar, therefore, are of concern to the Philippines and to the region as a whole,” the President said, and called on Yangon to act with “utmost restraint and to make immediate steps to preserve what advances have been made in its roadmap to democracy.”

She said it was important that all stakeholders engage in a common search for a peaceful resolution of the current unrest in the country and bring about national reconciliations..

“This means,” she added, the “release of all those who have been detained and who can contribute to the process of national renewal, including Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi.”

She also called on Rangoon’s military leaders to invite United Nations (UN) Special Envoy to Myanmar Ibrahim Gambari to visit that country as soon as possible to look into the situation there.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi was democratically elected prime minister of Myanmar in 1990 but the military refused to hand over power to her winning National League for Democracy Party. Suu Kyi has been under house address since 1989.

The President will address the UN General Assembly before noon Friday (New York time) as she winds up her official visit to the Big Apple. She is scheduled to head back to Manila Friday afternoon, (New York time).

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NEW YORK (via PLDT) – The declaration of the Philippines as an international testing site for the Filipino nurses wanting to find employment in the United States is viewed by Filipino communities in the US as a momentous achievement of the Philippine Nurses Association of America (PNAA).

The PNAA, with the full backing of the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, spearheaded the Philippines’ bid as a testing venue through its Task Force on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX).

Led by Ms. Filipinas Lowery, the other members of the Task Force were Leo Felix Jurado, Lolit Compass, Seny Lipat, Rosario May Mayor and Reynaldo Rivera.

“It was a historic win for the PNAA and the Filipino nurses who wish to land a job in their chosen careers in the US now and in the future,” enthused a young, bright-eyed Filipino nurse who arrived here recently.

Clearly, the approval of the Philippines as an NCLEX testing site was a big win for the country as well. Then, too, the PNAA achievement could be associated to the rising political clout of Fil-Americans in the US.

But for the PNAA, winning the nod of the US National Council of State Boards for Nursing (NCSBN) for the Philippines was not a walk in the park. It took years of dogged persistence and group mobilization to gain the NCSBN’s approval.

But undaunted by roadblocks to its aspirations, the PNAA Task Force plodded on.
This single-minded purpose is encapsulated in the certificate of recognition presented by President Arroyo to the association during her reunion with leaders of the Filipino communities in Northeast United States at the Waldorf Astoria Towers on Wednesday evening (Sept. 26, New York time).

The citation hailed the PNAA for “undauntingly carrying on the cause, in spite of the long wait and disappointments, never giving up hope, but instead soliciting partners and supporters, traveling regularly to the Philippines and back, campaigning vigorously for success.

“For showing the true spirit of commitment, reflecting that the measure of generosity and compassion, dedication and professionalism, thus facilitating the ways and means for better opportunities for career advancement in the healthcare industry of the United States,” the citation added.

The PNAA said there are around 90,000 Filipino nurses in the United States. Every year 12,000 to 14,000 Filipino nurses migrate to the US.

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NEW YORK (via PLDT) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will address Friday morning (Sept. 28, New York time) the 62nd session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly and call for concerted international cooperation in addressing pressing problems facing member-countries such as poverty, security, energy supply, environmental degradation and trade and economic relations.

She will be the third speaker of the morning session of the General Assembly.

The President indicated to members of the Malacañang Press Corps covering her US trip some of the issues she would highlight in her UN address, including the “importance of being globally engaged.”

Although her speech was still a work in progress, she said her country report will give her the opportunity to talk about the Philippines and “what we have been achieving in recent years and months.”

Among other things, “I will talk about sustainable development. At the APEC Summit, we kept stressing that resolutions on environmental issues should be resolved (at the UN level), so we are affirming that,” she said.

She added that she will also tell the UN “a few things about the Philippines… about sustainable development…”

“We will talk about the region, the UN, regional relations, the APEC, ASEAN, Myanmar, China, the US, aside from the ASEAN Charter, and other matters…” she said.

The President added that she will cite “global cases to alleviate poverty” and later discuss the stalled Doha Round of the World Trade Organization (WTO) trade negotiations.

She said she will tell the United Nations that the DOHA Round “should push through like what I said in my ADB speech. Don’t forget that it is good for development.”

The President said that she will also remind wealthier countries about “capacity building for countries that are not yet ready to compete head on head in all sectors… and remind the developed nations of the Monterey consensus of their commitment of allocating point 7 percent of their GNP (Gross National Product) for ODA (Overseas Development Assistance).”

“And then I will push for promoting South-South development assistance, this is something, well, like trilateral (development relations)…”

Under her proposed South-South mode of assistance, three parties will help each other out in development projects, with the Philippines contributing “technical expertise” on the one hand; plus the recipient underdeveloped country, on the other hand; and the multilateral or rich country that would fund the project.

The President said she had proposed the South-South development mode to Tonga whose prime minister visited the Philippines recently. “We have a proposal together to the ADB (Asian Development Bank) for South-South Cooperation.”

“This is really being done in the context of the UN, that’s why I will take this opportunity to push for that,” she added.

“It is very helpful. And as far as the Philippines is concerned, you know, we are not a capital-rich country so we can’t be giving ODA to other countries.”

“We are a human-resource-rich country and that’s our contribution. It already exists but I want to (push it even) more… It is called South-South cooperation or triangular cooperation…”

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UNITED NATIONS, New York (via PLDT) – “I feel that we have a good friend in the secretary general of the United Nations Ban Ki Moon.”

Thus remarked President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during a coffee tete-a-tete at the presidential suite at the 41st floor of the Waldorf Astoria Towers Thursday afternoon (Sept. 27 New York time) with members of the Philippine media delegation covering her three-day visit to New York.

The President arrived here Wednesday for a series of meetings with top US business leaders on possible investments in the Philippines and to address the 62nd session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly Friday (Sept. 28, New York time).

During a brief break in her hectic schedule, the President gave the media a glimpse of her “still-a-work-in-progress” speech before her fellow world leaders:

“Of course, I will congratulate... the secretary-general of the United Nations. You know, Ban Ki Moon… He was the foreign affairs minister of South Korea. He was very, very helpful…”

“And that is why we have these beautiful projects from South Korea – the South Rail, the Olongapo-Gapan Road – so many good projects,” she said.

With Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye to her left, the President added that she had met the UN chief during bilateral talks abroad when he was still foreign minister of South Korea.

She described him as “very active and I feel that we have a good friend in the person of the UN secretary general.”

Aside from Press Secretary Bunye, the Philippine media delegation also included Press Undersecretary for Broadcast Martin Crisostomo and Presidential News Desk editor Aurora Alambra, the President’s official close-in writer, and Rod del Agua of OPS-News Information Bureau.

The other members of the media group are Rocky Tobias of NBN-4; Christine Avendano, Philippine Daily Inquirer; Lira Fernandez, INQ7.NET; Jovy Francisco, ABC-5; Genalyn Kabiling, Manila Bulletin; Arsenio Naniong, Radyo ng Bayan; and Lolly Acosta of DZAR.

The photographers covering the President’s visit include Jerry Carual, head of the Presidential Close-In Photographers Office (PCPO); Reny Pampolina, also of PCPO; and Benjie Basug of OPS-NIB Photo.

On the other hand, the cameramen are Florencio Aguinaldo of NBN-4 and Mario Lontoc of ABC-5.

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The Philippines in the UN: 
Building Bridges in the 21st Century

Mr. President,

Congratulations on your election to the UN General Assembly. Congratulations also to our Secretary-General, H.E. Ban Ki-Moon, who was such a good friend of the Philippines when he was Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea. We embrace his vow to focus on strengthening the three pillars of the United Nations (development, security and human rights).

THE UN IS A PILLAR OF DEVELOPMENT.

It plays a major large role for the Philippines. Poverty alleviation is the most important part of our agenda and our vision to lift the Philippines into a modernized nation in twenty years. We want to be actively engaged in local, regional and global affairs because that is the future.

We believe in the power of the global trading system to alleviate poverty and modernize nations through market forces. That does not mean we believe that countries like the Philippines are ready to compete head-to-head today in every sector, but it does mean that we cannot afford to be afraid of globalization.

By being increasingly connected to the world, the Philippine economy has reached a new level of maturity and stability with some of the strongest macroeconomic fundamentals in 20 years.

Six years ago, no one thought we could get more revenues, cut down on tax cheats, strengthen the peso and move the stock market.

And no one thought we could bring our budget into balance, which we did last month, pre-pay our debts and raise employment, but we have. We must both grow our economy and sustain our natural environment at the same time. We are developing and promoting our Green Philippines agenda. It emphasizes a sustainable economic model that brings economic opportunity and a concern for our environment.

At the Secretary General’s High Level Meeting on Climate Change earlier this week, UN member nations focused on what the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol meetings in Bali this December should do.

The Clean Development Mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol has allowed developing countries like the Philippines to voluntarily reduce their greenhouse gas emissions through private sector initiatives. But there is a need to expand the carbon market and to expand international cooperation and financial support to promote strategies to adapt to climate change.

Too many nations, developed and developing, believe the environment must be sacrificed at the altar of growth.

We believe otherwise. We believe that we have a unique opportunity to get it right from day one: to introduce new industries that are clean and profitable. This includes a biofuels industry that helps our energy independence, creates jobs and keeps our nation clean for future generations.

We are further developing our geothermal power which is one of the two largest in the world.

We reiterate our commitment to the global trading system and when that fails us, to strengthening ASEAN, APEC and regional relations to bolster our economy.

The multilateral trading system, through the Doha Round, remains the best option to address poverty and improve standards of living around the world through an agreed set of international trade rules.

The Doha Development Agenda was launched with an emphasis on integrating a developmental dimension into all elements of the negotiations.

To make the Doha Round truly a Development Round, there must be greater coherence of policies among international development institutions (e.g. World Bank, IMF, UNDP and WTO) so that trade is mainstreamed in the development agenda and therefore capacity building can be focused on trade competitiveness.

As part of capacity-building, we call on the UN and our partners among developed nations to strengthen South-South cooperation wherein developing nations with specific strengths can share with other developing nations in need of their strength, funded by developed nations or multilaterals like the UNDP.

The developed nations were the prime movers behind global trade when it suited them; now some countries are slowing things down. That is not right nor good for our respective economies.

There has been a ray of hope with the developed countries declaring that they are willing to maximize flexibilities, in exchange for greater market access.

On the sidelines of the UN session, we hope the contending countries can continue consulting to find the right formula of subsidy cuts and market access that will break the Doha impasse.

But let me be clear: even as the Philippines works tirelessly to move the talks forward, we are not going to stand by and do nothing. For us, it is full speed ahead, preferably with Doha, but full speed nevertheless.

We recognize that if the multilateral trading system is fragmented into trading blocs, it will result in a more complex set of trade rules. That could be incompatible and detrimental to the interests of developing countries. In the meantime, while we are hoping for a successful conclusion to the Doha Round, we have to maximize the economic opportunities provided under bilateral and regional free trade agreements. This will complement efforts under the multilateral trading system.

At a time of uncertainty when the Doha Round is faltering, ASEAN took a bold step forward by drafting its Charter.

This is our first step to creating a permanent sense of security.

We are working towards a single market with free movement of goods, ideas and skilled talent.

In APEC, the world’s largest economy, the United States, and the world’s fastest growing economy, China, are active participants.

We have a strong alliance with the US, who remains our largest trading partner as well as our strongest strategic ally. We have stood shoulder to shoulder for many generations. We expect to continue building on our mature relationship with the US.

We have also forged a strong relationship with China. We see China’s rise as a significant opportunity for the Philippines. Our overall relations are now more confident and comprehensive.

Relations are not just about trade. They are also about people. And this includes migration, a world-side reality.

We thank the Secretary General for supporting the Philippines’ hosting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development next year, to which we invite all Member States to participate.

Overseas Filipino Workers are honored by the government and the people for their sacrifice and dedication to their work, their family and their nation. We welcome their contribution. But we are working towards the day when Filipinos no longer need to go abroad for a job, the day that overseas work is just another career option.

We believe that our ambitious economic reforms will increasingly be keeping our best and brightest right in the Philippines, closer to friends and families, helping to build our communities and provide the next generation of leadership.

THE UN IS A PILLAR OF SECURITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS.

It remains the central pillar underpinning conflict resolution.

Our country is among the largest, if not the largest, contributor of police officers to UN peacekeeping missions.

The Philippines has peacekeepers, both police and military, in Afghanistan, Cote D’Ivoire, Georgia, Haiti , Kosovo , Liberia , Sudan and Timor Leste.

We will continue our participation to safeguard communities so that they may overcome conflict and regain the peace needed to pursue development.

Closer to home, I have personally advanced the process of peace in Muslim and Christian Mindanao to a new level of engagement, focused on interfaith dialogue, economic development and mutual security. We have done so with the largest possible international involvement, including the UN. Peace there is very much an issue of human rights, just as alleviating poverty is, which is our number one issue.

The Philippines is the most democratic country in our region. We have no tolerance for human rights violations at home or abroad.

We support the effort to revitalize and refocus the work of the UN in human rights. It is for this reason that the Philippines sought and won a seat in the Human Rights Council.

The attention of the international community has been drawn, with great reason and justification, to the current situation in Myanmar.

Ladies and gentlemen:

This is the time for Myanmar to return to the path of democracy and to release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi – now – and to involve all the parties including the National League for Democracy in the democratization and the constitutional process.

IN CONCLUSION

Mr. President.

The number of globe-size issues we will face in the 21st century will require globe-size cooperation. We must build bridges of peace and prosperity. The place to start is building a stronger United Nations.

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NEW YORK CITY (via PLDT) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo underscored on Friday the need for all countries in the world“to focus on strengthening the three pillars of the United Nations – development, security and human rights.”

Speaking at the 62nd session of the United Nations General Assembly here, the Chief Executive said the “number of global-size issues we will face in the 21st century requires global-size cooperation. We must build bridges of peace and prosperity. The place to start is building a stronger United Nations.”

The President, who appeared very, very confident in her regal aquamarine dress as she delivered her speech before the UN delegates, congratulated newly-elected UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, whom she described as “such a good friend” of the Philippines particularly when he was still Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea.

“We embrace his (Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon) vow to focus on strengthening the three pillars of the United Nations – development, security and human rights,” she said.

As a pillar of development, the President pointed out that the UN plays a major role for the Philippines, particularly in its poverty alleviation program.

The President said poverty alleviation is the most important part of her administration’s agenda and vision to lift the Philippines into a modernized nation in two decades.

She expressed belief in the power of the global trading system to alleviate poverty and modernize nations through market forces. However, the President said that does not mean that countries like the Philippines “are ready to compete head-to-head today in every sector, but it does mean that we cannot afford to be afraid of globalization.”

By being increasingly connected to the world, President Arroyo said, the Philippine economy has reached a new level of maturity and stability as she cited some of the strongest macroeconomic fundamentals in 20 years.

The President recalled that six years ago, no one thought “we could bring our budget into balance, which we did last month, pre-pay our debts and raise employment, but we have.”

“We must both grow our economy and sustain our natural environment at the same time. We are developing and promoting our Green Philippines agenda,” she said, adding that it emphasizes a sustainable economic model that brings economic opportunity and a concern for the environment.

The President said that at the Secretary General’s High-Level Meeting on Climate Change earlier this week, the UN member nations focused on what the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) and Kyoto Protocol meetings in Bali, Indonesia in December should do.

She noted that the Clean Development Mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol has allowed developing countries like the Philippines to voluntarily reduce their greenhouse gas emissions through private sector initiatives.

However, the President stressed the need “to expand the carbon market and to expand international cooperation and financial support to promote strategies” to adapt to climate change.

“We believe that we have a unique opportunity to get it right from day one: to introduce new industries that are clean and profitable. This includes a biofuels industry that helps our energy independence, creates jobs and keeps our nation clean for future generations,” she said.

In her speech, the President also noted that as a pillar of security and human rights, the United Nations remains the central pillar underpinning conflict resolution.

She said that the Philippines is among the largest, if not the largest, contributors of police officers to the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions.

“The Philippines has peacekeepers, both police and military, in Afghanistan, Cote D’lvoire, Georgia, Haiti, Kosovo, Liberia, Sudan and Timor Leste,” the President said.

In connection with this, the President vowed to continue the country’s participation to safeguard communities so that they may overcome conflict and regain the peace needed to pursue development.

According to the President, she has personally advanced the process of peace in Muslim and Christian Mindanao to a new level of engagement, which, she said, is “focused on interfaith dialogue, economic development and mutual security.”

The President emphasized that the Philippine government has done this with the largest possible international involvement, including the UN.

On the peace in Mindanao, President Arroyo said that this is very much an issue of human rights, just as poverty alleviation, the country’s number one issue.

Emphasizing that the Philippines is the most democratic country in the region, the President said “we have no tolerance for human rights violations at home or abroad.”

She likewise vowed her support to the effort to revitalize and refocus the work of the UN in human rights. “It is for this reason that the Philippines sought and won a seat in the Human Rights Council,” she stressed.

The President also told the delegates attending the 62nd session of the 190-member UN body that the attention of the international community has been drawn, with great reason and justification, to the current situation in Myanmar.

“This is the time for Myanmar to return to the path of democracy and to release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi – now – and to involve all the parties including the National League for Democracy, in the democratization and the constitutional process,” she said.

In a statement she released Thursday, the President called on Myanmar to act on its own best interests to avoid its further isolation and to redeem its democracy without any further delay.

“We have patiently but persistently advised Myanmar within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASAEAN) that it must make greater and faster progress toward that goal,” she noted.

In addition, the President said, “we ask the Government of Myanmar to invite the UN special envoy for Myanmar, Ibrahim Gambari, to visit the country as soon as possible.”

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NEW YORK CITY (via PLDT) – Top American business executives have commended President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her leadership, especially her guidance of the strong Philippine economy “built upon sound and fiscal and monetary policies.”

In a press statement, the US-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Business Council, whose members include the Fortune 1000 companies, noted that the Philippines “has the fastest yearly progress in economy, smallest increase in prices, and the most number of new jobs created in the last 20 years.”

President Arroyo had a luncheon meeting with the US-ASEAN Business Council at the Norse Suite on the 18th Floor of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel Thursday (Sept. 27,New York time).

The event was attended by approximately 20 leaders of American companies such as Abbott Laboratories, AES, AIG, Altria, Cocoa-Cola Company, Ford Motor Company, InterGen, Pfizer, and Time Warner.

The US-ASEAN business leaders, led by Matthew Daley, president of the council said their members discussed their business interests and how these would jibe with the Arroyo administration’s development plans in the country’s super regions.

The Philippines has been divided into five super regions as announced by the President during her 2006 State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA). The super regions are: North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle; Luzon Urban Beltway, Central Philippines, Mindanao, and the Cyber Corridor.

Before meeting with the American business group, the President said the Philippines belongs to a “fast-growing region, and we have to stay competitive within the fast-growing region.”

She told the Philippine media delegation covering her Sept. 26-28 visit to New York that “I will share with them (the American business executives) the billions of dollars in investments coming in, which is testimony to our competitiveness.”

Based in Washington, D.C., the US-ASEAN Business Council and its affiliates “are dedicated to strengthening US-ASEAN bilateral relations, and building strong economic and commercial ties.”

“Members of the Council include Fortune 1000 companies in support of promoting trade, investment, and technology cooperation, advancing US- ASEAN relations through strong participation in public-private partnerships, and committing to development and corporate social responsibility,” the US-ASEAN Business Council said.

According to the council, its members are “represented in diverse industries, including aerospace, agribusiness, automobiles, computers and information technology, consumer goods, energy exploration and development, express delivery services, financial services, health care and pharmaceuticals, media and entertainment, mining, software, and telecommunications.”

The President flew to New York on Tuesday night to attend the 62nd session of the United Nations General Assembly, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Forum, and the Third Meeting of the Women Leaders’ Working Group.

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NEW YORK CITY (via PLDT) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo reiterated Friday (Sept.28) the Philippine government’s commitment to the global trading system, through the Doha Round of the World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations, saying “it remains the best option to address poverty and improve standards of living around the world through an agreed set of international trade rules.”

“The Doha Development Agenda was launched with an emphasis on integrating a developmental dimension into all elements of the negotiations,” the President said in her speech during the 62nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly here at 10:00 a.m. Friday (New York time, 10:00 p.m. Manila time).

The President pointed out that in order to make the Doha Round truly a Development Round, there must be greater coherence of policies among international development institutions such as the World Bank (WB), International Monetary Fund (IMF), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) “so that trade is mainstreamed in the development agenda and therefore capacity building can be focused on trade competitiveness.”

As part of the capacity building measures, the President called on the UN and partners among developed nations to strengthen South-South cooperation wherein developing nations with specific strengths can share with other developing nations in need of their strength, funded by developed nations or multilaterals like the UNDP.

“The developed nations were the prime movers behind global trade when it suited them; now some countries are slowing down. That is not right nor good for our respective economies,” the President said.

The President noted that there has been a ray of hope with the developed countries declaring that they are willing to maximize flexibilities, in exchange for greater market access.

She expressed the hope that the contending countries can continue consulting to find the right formula of subsidy cuts and market access that will break the Doha impasse.

“But let me be clear: even as the Philippines works tirelessly to move the talks forward, we are not going to stand by and do nothing. For us, it is full speed, preferably with Doha, but full speed nevertheless,” she said.

The President explained that if the multilateral trading system is fragmented into trading blocs, it will result in a more complex set of trade rules. “That could be incompatible and detrimental to the interests of developing countries,” she added.

In the meantime, the President said that while “we are hoping for a successful conclusion to the Doha Round, we have to maximize the economic opportunities provided under bilateral and regional free trade agreements.”

“This will complement efforts under the multilateral trading system,” she said.

The President also said that “at a time of uncertainty when the Doha Round is faltering,” the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) took a bold step forward by drafting its charter.

“This is our first step to creating a permanent sense of security. We are working towards a single market with free movement of goods, ideas and skilled talent,” she said.

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NEW YORK CITY (via PLDT) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo kicked off her last day in New York with an early-morning meeting Friday (Sept. 28) with the Women Leaders’ Working Group led by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Rice, known to be the most powerful woman in the world, met President Arroyo at the main entrance door of the Empire Suite of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel here where the 8 a.m. meeting was held.

Clad in an aquamarine dress, the Philippines’ Chief Executive walked into the suite at five minutes before 8 a.m. She was accompanied by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Rice’s Philippine counterpart.

President Arroyo’s meeting with some 50 women leaders preceded her 10 a.m. Country Report to the 62nd Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN).

The Women Leaders’ meeting had Rice -- who was seated across the President – calling the assembly to order thus: “I would like to recognize first the President of the Republic of the Philippines...”

With the group of some 50 other women leaders, President Arroyo shared the Philippine experience regarding women empowerment. The group’s third meeting centered on the theme, “Progress on Women Empowerment.”

President Arroyo – who felt honored to participate in the meeting convened by the most powerful woman in the world – stressed that women in the Philippines have been enjoying the right of suffrage for the past 70 years.

Filipino women obtained the right to vote in elections via the Women’s Suffrage Act that came into being as early as in 1937, ahead of many other nations in the world. In fact, the Philippines recently celebrated the 70th anniversary of women’s suffrage.

The second female President of the Philippines also regaled the group about Filipino women having occupied high positions early on in Philippine society. She thus stressed that “we are justifiably proud of this tradition.”

The President’s Filipina-friendly report is seconded by the 2006 Global Gender Gap Report which ranked the Philippines No. 6 out of 115 countries in terms of gender equality. The report was released by the Women Leaders’ Program of the World Economic Forum.

President Arroyo also acknowledged Lilian Hefti, the latest woman head of the Philippines’ Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), who turned the tide against revenue shortfalls at mid-year this year, according to Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye.

Bunye said that the President also cited the country’s strong laws protecting women, like the laws on anti-trafficking, anti-domestic violence, and anti-sexual harassment.

“We are broadening health care in intensifying micro finance to increase women’s opportunities for self-development. Our Philippine plan for gender-responsive development recognizes women in peace-building efforts.”

President Arroyo cited two US-assisted projects in Mindanao, one of which focuses on conflict prevention in the Mindanao island of Sulu through skills training, networking and economic development.

The other US-assisted project empowers women in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) by providing them with training and technical assistance on livelihood, financial management, and marketing skills, as well as seed loans or grants for their livelihood projects.

Meanwhile, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, chaired by Rice, acknowledges that the education completion rate of girls is 99.9 percent. This, versus the median of 66.7 percent.

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NEW YORK CITY (via PLDT) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo expressed on Friday (Sept.28) her profound thanks to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon for supporting the Philippines’ hosting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development in Manila next year.

The Chief Executive voiced her gratitude to the UN Secretary-General, whom she described as “a good friend of the Philippines” even when he was still a foreign minister of the Republic of Korea, in her speech during the 62nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly here.

“We thank the Secretary General for supporting the Philippines’ hosting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development next year, to which we invite all member states to participate,” the President said.

She said that Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are honored by the Philippine government and the people for their sacrifice and dedication to their work, their family and their nation.

“We welcome their contributions. But we are working towards the day when Filipinos no longer need to go abroad for a job, the day that overseas work is just another career option,” she added.

The President expressed confidence that her administration’s ambitious economic reforms will increasingly keep “our best and brightest in the Philippines, closer to friends and families, helping to build our communities and provide the next generation of leadership.”

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NEW YORK – (via PLDT) – The president of the US-ASEAN Business Council on Thursday expressed befuddlement that public perception in the Philippines does not match reality of the country’s economic growth.

Matthew Daley pointed out: “The statistics tell the story: The Philippines is experiencing the highest average economic growth, the greatest job creation, the lowest inflation, and that is a remarkable accomplishment! And this, of course, happened under your leadership,” he added, addressing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Daley made the observation during the roundtable discussion of the US-ASEAN Business Council with the President at the Waldorf Astoria Towers. The forum was hosted by Martin Sullivan, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of AIG.

Composed of prominent business leaders, some of whom are listed in Fortune 1000, the US-ASEAN business called on the President to exchange views on business prospects in the Philippines.

Daley told the President that the US-ASEAN Business Council will send a business mission to the Philippine next month to further expand public “access between the Philippines and the American audience” on business and investment realities in the Philippines. 

“We will be bringing this mission to Manila in October and we look forward to seeing you and many of your colleagues,” Daley told the President.     

“I think one of the greatest challenges now is to focus (on public) perception to match with the reality of economic growth,” he pointed out.

Daley said the business mission to the Philippine will strive to narrow the gap between public perception and the reality of the Philippines’ economic turn-around.

“That is something that we… will work with you and (the Philippine) government in bringing the access between the Philippines… to the American audience, and that we will be bringing this mission to Manila,” Daley said.

For his part, Sullivan told the President that the Council remains bullish on the Philippines:

“I thank you (President Arroyo) again for being with us this morning. There are great demands on your time… And I think you could see by the attendance today how the US business community sees the Philippines and its importance – not only individually, but also regionally and in a global scale.”

“The President has done an excellent job in running the economy in the Philippines,” Sullivan said.

The Philippine economy “has shown tremendous progress under her leadership, and she also recognizes quite clearly the long-standing bilateral relationships between the Philippines and the United States; and I know that she has continued to work very closely with the (US) administration to continue to expand this relationship and a longer dialogue with President  Bush,” he added.

In a statement, the Council commended the President’s leadership, “especially her guidance of the strong Philippines’ economy built upon sound and fiscal and monetary policies.”

 “The Philippines has the fastest yearly progress in economy; smallest increase in the prices; and the most number of new jobs created in the last 20 years,” the statement said.

The Council leaders said they discussed their business plans in the Philippines with the President and how these would jibe with her administration’s development programs for the country’s super-regions.

Based in Washington DC, the US-ASEAN Business Council and its affiliates “are dedicated to strengthening bilateral and US-ASEAN relations, and building strong economic and commercial ties.”

The Council members include Fortune 1000 companies noted for their support for the promotion of trade, investment, and technology cooperation, advancing US ASEAN relations through strong participation in public-private partnerships, and committed to development and corporate social responsibility.

The council members are “represented in diverse industries, including aerospace, agribusiness, automobiles, computers and information technology, consumer goods, energy exploration and development, express delivery services, financial services, health care and pharmaceuticals, media and entertainment, mining, software, and telecommunications.”

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