|
Stressing the value of their
sustained partnership in the
achievement of greater stability and
security in the Asia-Pacific region,
the Philippines and the United
States are seeking to further
strengthen cooperation in
counter-terrorism and peace and
development.
Following his meeting with United
States Secretary of State Dr.
Condoleezza Rice at the sidelines of
the recently-concluded Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation Ministerial
Meeting (APEC) in Sydney, Foreign
Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo
said Secretary Rice recognized RP-US
cooperation in the global campaign
against terrorism.
“Dr. Rice congratulated the
Philippines for its continuing
success in the campaign against
terrorism and described
Philippine-US partnership in
counter-terrorism as “leading the
way,” Secretary Romulo told members
of the media after his 30- minute
meeting with Dr. Rice.
“This reaffirms both the Philippines
and the United States’ strong
partnership and our willingness to
expand our collabo |
|
ration on the key areas of
counter-terrorism and peace and
development work,” said Secretary
Romulo. Secretary Romulo said Dr.
Rice recognized that in the fight
against terrorism and extremism, the
Philippines and the United States
“together, have made a good impact.”
During the meeting, both Secretary
Romulo and Secretary Rice also
emphasized the importance of
strengthening the “soft approach”
against terrorism and extremism,
along with the “hard approach,”
Secretary Romulo said. “As we
continue to work together to break
the back of international terrorism,
we have to continue our joint
efforts to win the minds and hearts
of peoples against extremism which
breeds terrorism,” Secretary Romulo
explained.
“We have partnered with the United
States in innovative soft approaches
with high impact for communities,
particularly in Mindanao,” Secretary
Romulo pointed out. “Projects under
the USAID which focus on health,
education and infrastructure are
important for our campaign against
extremism and just and lasting peace
in
|
|
Shopper’s Day Bazaar
on Saturday, September 22
|
The United
States Embassy Club (USEC)
will kick off the holiday
shopping season with its
semi-annual Shoppers’ Day
Bazaar on Saturday,
September 22 from 9am to 5pm
at the World Trade Center.
Admission is only PhP100 per
person and children under 12
are free. So dig out your
shopping bags and have a day
of shopping and good food.
Approximately 300 artisans,
exemplifying the best in
Filipino workmanship, will
offer their goods and crafts
at bargain prices. Many
customers have called our
bazaar “shopping at its
best.”
The proceeds from the
bazaar, including those from
the popular Shoppers’ Day
raffle, will fund a variety
of local projects focused on
improving the lives of
indigent Filipino citizens:
• Project Smile (for cleft
palate and
lip operations)
• Friendship Home (for
street chil-
dren)
• Little Children’s Home
(orphan- age)
• Shiphrah Birthing Center
(for |
|
destitute
women)
• Trichet Learning Center
(main
streaming for disabled
children)
• Little Sisters of the
Assumption
(squatter area programs)
• Peace Corps projects
• Merit-based university
scholar ships for children
of U.S. Mis
sion national staff
employees)
Raffle tickets, on sale for
PhP50 each, are available
through USEC members and at
the bazaar. This raffle
gives participants a chance
to win housewares, art,
clothing and accessories,
gift certificates to area
businesses and beach
resorts, and even grander
prizes. You do not need to
be present to win one (or
more!) of our many prizes.
To add to your shopping
enjoyment, there’s a baggage
check area to allow you to
shop “hands free” courtesy
of Lane Moving and Storage.
For details, email
usecbazaar@gmail.com or
usec_help@yahoo.com.ph, call
(02) 834-5096 or visit
http://shoppersday.tripod.com. |
|
|
|
Mindanao. With the sustained support
of friends like the United States,
we will continue to make significant
headway,” added Secretary Romulo.
“This approach strongly supports the
Philippines’ two-pronged approach of
achieving peace and development,”
said Secretary Romulo. Between
2001-2006, USAID provided
approximately USD260 million to
reinforce Philippine Government
efforts to secure lasting peace and
spur and sustain growth and
development for the people of
Mindanao.
Secretary Romulo expressed the hope
|
|
that with sustained efforts of the
National Government, the Philippines
would qualify for additional support
from the United States’ Millennium
Challenge Account (MCA). The MCA is
devoted to projects in nations that
govern justly, invest in their
people and encourage economic
freedom.
During the meeting, Dr. Rice
acknowledged the headway made in
Philippine efforts to achieve key
results in good governance,
investments in people and
encouraging economic freedom,
according to Secretary Romulo.
|
|
RP-US Ties
Leading the Way. Foreign
Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo and Secretary of
State Dr. Condoleezza Rice
meet at the sidelines of the
Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation Ministerial
Meeting held in Sydney,
Australia last September
5–6. Secretary Romulo and
Secretary Rice reaffirmed
the enduring ties between
the Philippines and the
United States and cited the
gains achieved by both
countries in the global
campaign against terrorism
through bilateral
cooperation. Secretary also
emphasized the importance of
sustaining joint efforts in
peace and development,
particularly in Mindanao, to
“consolidate the gains of
peace-building” and to
counteract extremism |
|
 |
|
Dance for the
Environment. US Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney, Tawi-Tawi
Governor Sadikul Sahali, US
Joint Special Operations
Task Force (JSOTF) Commander
Colonel David Maxwell and US
Agency for International
Development (USAID) Mission
Director Jon Lindborg in
good humor joined in
performing an impromptu
instructional dance for
students at a Bongao
comprehensive school during
the launching of Project
L.I.F.E. (Learning
Inter-dependently For the
Environment), an
environmental conservation
initiative spearheaded by
the World Wildlife Fund with
support from USAID’s
Fisheries Improved for
Sustainable Harvest (FISH)
Project. The project reaches
out to children through
traveling exhibits and
multi-media interactive
education programs in
coastal communities to teach
the importance of conserving
the environment |
|
|