MANILA - Typhoon relief is on the agenda; the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) is not.
Typhoon rehabilitation is on top of the agenda of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in her scheduled talks on Thursday with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and other top government officials, according to US Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney.
Clinton’s “first and foremost point in coming here is to show solidarity with the Filipino people in the wake of the devastation of the typhoons,” Kenney told reporters after Wednesday’s Veterans’ Day rites at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial at Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.
“So I’m sure that typhoon relief and how we can continue to work together to get people back on their feet … It’s on top of her agenda,” the ambassador said.
There is one thing they would not talk about—the Visiting Forces Agreement between Manila and Washington.
“We don’t have that in mind. We have in mind a whole lot of agreements between the Philippines and its allies. But I don’t know what the Philippines will want to bring up,” Kenney said.
Asked by the Philippine Daily Inquirer about reports that Washington would provide more aid to storm-devastated areas in the Philippines, Kenney said she did “not want to steal words from the secretary of state.”
“But I think it’s entirely possible she will have more assistance to announce … That’s your hint,” she said.
The US government has given around $16 million worth of relief goods to areas hit by three huge storms. Hundreds of American troops also helped in rescue and relief efforts.
Superb relations
Citing what she called “superb” RP-US relations, Kenney said that “if you want us to look at a good example why our relations grew and why they matter, then you look at how well we worked together during typhoon relief.”
“And not just government-to-government. Just look at how the American people, the Fil-Ams and all the organizations they represent. We’re able to tap people in the US to provide relief,” she added.
At the same time, Kenney cited visits to the country early this year by other top US officials.
“In my mind, that really speaks that US President Barack Obama wants his team reaching out to our allies,” she said.
Human rights
Aside from issues related to Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Clinton and her hosts will talk about human rights.
“Secretary Clinton is a strong advocate of human rights. I’m sure she will talk about ways on how we can all work together on human rights and ways to deal with … like the situation in Burma. How we can work together, not only in the Philippines, the US and other countries in the region,” Kenney said.
The New York-based Human Rights Watch has appealed to Clinton to put the issue on the table, specifically the prosecution of soldiers for the killings of activists.
It said the Arroyo administration had failed to fully investigate the rash of extrajudicial killings blamed on officers and men of the Armed Forces.
Since Ms Arroyo assumed the presidency in 2001, hundreds of political party members, human rights activists, journalists and clergy have been killed or have disappeared, but only six cases have so far been prosecuted, according to Human Rights Watch.
Visiting Forces Agreement
Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago insisted that the VFA would be discussed in the meeting between Ms Arroyo and Clinton.
The senator, chair of the Senate foreign relations committee, said it was natural for officials not to state the real agenda of the talks because of the United Nations charter that “disallows the interference in the domestic affairs of another state.”
“So it would be difficult for them to put the VFA on the agenda,” Santiago told reporters but added that she believed the subject would indeed be discussed.
The senator earlier said Clinton’s two-day visit had to do with US concerns on calls to scrap the VFA, an agreement inked between Manila and Washington more than 10 years ago allowing them to hold joint military exercises.
The Senate has adopted Santiago’s resolution seeking Palace renegotiation of the agreement, which they believed was lopsided and more beneficial to the United States.
But should Washington refuse to renegotiate, senators would want Ms Arroyo to rescind the accord.
Executive Secretary Ermita said it was possible that the VFA would be tackled during the meeting of the two leaders outside of the official agenda.
Other talking points
Other talking points include the two countries’ cooperation in counterterrorism, he said.
Former President Fidel Ramos, the keynote speaker during Veterans’ Day rites, welcomed Clinton “with warm friendship just like we welcomed her as first lady 10-15 years ago on a state visit” here, along with her husband, then US President Bill Clinton.
In his remarks, Ramos asks his fellow vets not to fade away but help the nation fight bad governance and corruption.
Clinton’s Nov. 12-13 visit to the Philippines will be her first as US secretary of state.
She will make her trip to Manila in between her meetings at the Asia Pacific Economic Conference (APEC) in Singapore, scheduled on Nov. 10-19 and will be highlighted by the APEC leaders’ meeting to be attended by Obama, among other heads of state.
Ed Malaya, spokesperson of the Department of Foreign Affairs, said Clinton was scheduled to arrive at “around noon” Thursday.
Goldenberg Mansion
From the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Clinton will proceed to a bilateral meeting with Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo at the Goldenberg Mansion near Malacañang.
Right after a 30-minute press conference at the same venue, she will proceed to Malanday National High School in Marikina City where she, according to Kenney, “will have some good opportunities to talk with community leaders about flood relief and hopefully, meet Filipino students to hear what the next generation of leaders is thinking.”
Education Secretary Jesli Lapus will join students of the public school in welcoming Clinton.
Book fair
At Malanday National High School in Marikina City, Clinton and Mayor Ma. Lourdes Fernando will jointly open a book fair in the public secondary school.
At around 6 p.m., Clinton will call on Ms Arroyo at Bahay Pangarap in the Philippine Security Group compound and will be feted to a state dinner in Malacañang.
Friday morning, Clinton will attend a student forum at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. She “will answer questions from some 800 students from various universities in Metro Manila,” according to the US Embassy.
After the event, Clinton will lead wreath-laying rites at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in Fort Bonifacio. With more than 17,000 graves, it is the largest cemetery in the Pacific for US personnel killed during World War II.
Later in the day, Clinton is scheduled to fly back to Singapore for the APEC forum.
From all walks of life
In her official blog on the Internet, Kenney said the other day that Clinton “would also want to see Filipinos from all walks of life.”
“Our ideas included getting her out to see Mindanao, the Visayas, northern Luzon … And then reality intervened. There are only 24 hours in a day and she would need to sleep and to eat. So getting beyond Metro Manila just wouldn’t be possible. And realistically, she won't be able to see as many Filipinos as she would like to see,” Kenney said in her blog.| < Prev | Next > |
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