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Thursday, November 04, 2004
Arroyo keeps mum on US polls
PRESIDENT Arroyo Wednesday continued to keep silent on the initial outcome of the presidential elections in the US where incumbent president George W. Bush is leading over his rival Sen. John Kerry.
"I don't want to give a comment like that because they're still counting," said Arroyo during a tour of the GMA 7 station in Quezon City.
Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye reiterated that it is Arroyo's policy not to meddle with the internal affairs of other countries.
Arroyo instead expressed hope that the media network would cover her visit to San Francisco on Nov. 18 when she talks about the Philippine-US relationship at the University of San Francisco, where she is a guest speaker. The San Francisco visit would be a brief stopover on Arroyo's way to Chile for the Asia Pacific Economic Conference (Apec).
But radio station dzBB reported that Arroyo, during a one-on-one 15-minute interview, expects to eventually talk with Bush during the Apec conference.
Bunye said Arroyo is expected to meet with almost all of the 21 heads of state who would attend the conference if their schedules would allow it.
Trade Secretary and Economic spokesman Cesar Purisima said it does not really matter whether Bush or Kerry wins as long as the bilateral relationship between the Philippines and the US would continue and remain strong.
Purisima added that the Philippines deal "with governments not with personalities."
"As far as we're concerned, we will continue to work with the US. Our relationship with them is a long one, our bilateral relationship with them is very important to us, they are a major trading partner, they are a major investment group and in terms of opportunity to the country it still offers a substantial opportunity," he said.
He added that in case of a change in US administration, no major policy changes are expected to occur.
Purisima said the US is very stable government and "what we do is we try to grow it".
"Our bilateral relationship with them is important. They have been a major source of investments, they're a major market for our goods, and I think it will remain so the next few years whoever is the President because that is the reality of the world right now," he said. (JMR)
(November 4, 2004 issue)
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