THE government has prepared all security measures for the two-day visit of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the country.

Clinton is expected to arrive at the Ninoy International Airport at 12:30 p.m. Thursday. Upon her arrival, she will immediately proceed to Goldenberg Mansion in Manila.

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Part of her itinerary is the one-on-one meeting with her Philippine counterpart Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo.

Romulo in a statement posted at the DFA website said: "Clinton's visit is a good opportunity for the Philippines and US government to have substantial discussions on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest - disaster management, the Mindanao peace process, climate change and nuclear non-proliferation."

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita in a press briefing on Wednesday said that Romulo and Clinton might discuss matters concerning the long relationship of the US and the Philippines.

Ermita also said they are expecting the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) to be discussed including common aim of US and Philippines to end terrorism.

Clinton and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will hold a dinner meeting Thursday in Malacanang.

The two officials will take up matter of US military assistance to the Philippines and the participation of American soldiers in the rescue, relief, and reconstruction operations in times of calamities.

Ermita meanwhile said other schedules of Clinton were prepared by the US embassy.

Asked what the country could gain in the visit of Clinton, Ermita said President Arroyo will be reiterating the continuing improvement in the bilateral talks of US and Philippines.

"Considering that VFA are issues are always in the talks among government officials of the US and the Philippines, then we could expect that we should get better reaction from the US Government and especially should this subject matter of millennium challenge come in that would be something positive."

This will be the Clinton's first visit to the Philippines as US Secretary of State. She visited Manila in 1996 when her husband then US President Bill Clinton came in the country for Apec summit hosted by the Philippines.

Clinton is scheduled to join US President Barack Obama for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Summit in Singapore on November 14 and 15.

5,000 policemen

To ensure that no untoward incident will mar the visit of Clinton to the country, some 5, 000 policemen will be deployed all over the metropolis.

"The deployment will include a contingent of the civil disturbance management unit as well as personnel from elite units," National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director Roberto Rosales said.

He said the Highway Patrol Group will secure the roadways, which Clinton's convoy will passed through.

The Manila Police, Southern Police District, and the Eastern Police District have already set their security preparations in motion.

These police districts have jurisdiction over Malacanang, University of Sto. Tomas, Marikina and Pasay cities where Clinton is expected to visit upon her arrival.

Rosales said they will also maintain the maximum tolerance policy in dealing with protest actions but cautioned rally organizers to police their own ranks to prevent saboteurs from taking advantage of the situation.

Anti-riot police in Manila earlier figured in a brief shoving match with some 100 members of the League of Filipino Students (LFS) who staged a rally to protest the VFA near the US Embassy along Roxas Boulevard.

LFS Secretary General Terry Ridon said they will stage more protest actions Thursday to "welcome" Clinton and make her hear the sentiments against the military agreement. (Jill Beltran/AH/Sunnex)