Arroyo off to Madrid for meetings with President, King

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo flew to Madrid in Spain Wednesday for a hectic two-day official visit that will be highlighted by a bilateral meeting with Spanish President Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and a meeting with Spanish King Juan Carlos I. President Arroyo flew from Washington DC where she attended the Nuclear Security Summit. Upon arrival at the Madrid Barajas Airport, the President will meet with the Filipino community there to personally check on their conditions and welfare. Her meetings with Zapatero and King Juan Carlos I are scheduled on Thursday. It will be President Arroyo’s third visit to Spain during her nine-year tenure in Malacañang that will end on June 30. She first visited the country in 2006 and then in 2007. On Thursday, Arroyo would start the day with a bilateral meeting with Zapatero, who is currently holding the European Union’s rotating presidency, at the Palacio de Mancloa. It will be followed by a meeting with King Juan Carlos I at the Palacio de la Zarzuela where talks are expected to focus on the dynamic and special bilateral ties between the Philippines and Spain. The Spanish King would also host lunch for President Arroyo that would be followed by the courtesy call of Grupo Leche Pascual President Tomas Pascual Gomez Cuetara at the Ritz Hotel. Grupo Leche Pascual, a Spanish dairy company, is planning to invest some six million euros or about $8.153 million in a yoghurt and soya drink plant in the Philippines. The company is also planning to put up their Asian regional base of operations in the Philippines. Award Before returning to the Philippines, President Arroyo will also be accorded the International Don Quijote de la Mancha Award in the category of Institutional Contribution for her efforts to restore the teaching of Spanish language in public schools in the Philippines. Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza said aside from the President, Peruvian-Spanish writer Mario Vargas Llosa would also be accorded the same award. “The jury recognized the President’s initiative in introducing the Spanish language in national study plans which amplified areas for political constitutional and economic cooperation in developing Spanish language," he said. He added that in receiving the award, President Arroyo would be joining the ranks of Brazilian president Lula Inacio da Silva and Mexican writer Carlos Fuentes who received the same award in 2009. Washington trip During her trip in Washington, President Arroyo conferred to Sen. Richard Lugar the Order of Sikatuna, Rank of Datu, for his steadfast friendship with the Philippines and his determined advocacy for a strong Philippine-American alliance; for his commitment to the peace process in the Philippines; and to the strengthening of Philippine defense capabilities. Lugar was also recognized for his consistent support for Philippine freedom; for being a strong supporter of the cause of seeing justice and recognition for the Filipino Veterans of the Second World War; for his campaign to reduce the threat of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons; and for his advocacy for free trade with ASEAN; The President also conferred on Pennsylvania Rep. Joseph Pitts and Guam Delegate Madeleine Bordallo, the Order of the Golden Heart for their long time friendship to the Filipino and for their support for the Filipino Veterans Act of 2008 and their inclusion of Filipino veterans in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The President likewise extended the Philippines’ gratitude to Senators Daniel Inouye, Christopher Bond and Jim Webb for their long-time friendship with the Philippines and at the same time solicited their support for the passage of the Save Our Industries Acts of 2009 or Save Act which has been pending in the US congress since July 2009 after being sponsored by U.S. Representative James McDermott. The bill grants duty-free treatment, subject to specified conditions, to certain apparel wholly assembled in the United States or the Philippines, or both; if made of US yarns, certain RP apparel will enter the US at reduced tariff rate. A side component of the bill provides duty free entry to the US of certain RP apparel regardless of the source of fabric. The President initially flew to Washington to attend the two-day Nuclear Security Summit on invitation of US President Barack Obama, who has committed his government to the building of a global consensus to counter any possibility of nuclear and radiological materials getting into terrorist hands. - KBK, GMANews.TV