PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has cancelled her September 21 to 27 official visit to the US to attend to more pressing matters in the country including the ongoing pursuit operations and stalled negotiations between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said the President also has several commitments around the country including visiting and checking on the status of the different programs and projects of the government and the implementation of her reform agenda.
"There are pressing matters that the President would like to attend to in our country. One of these would be the situation in Mindanao, the developments that are happening," he said.
He added that Malacañang is not affected by any speculations behind her decision to call off her trip adding that she is focused on her job to be swayed by criticisms against her.
Arroyo was supposed to meet with the Filipino community and some businessmen in Seattle and attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Also in New York, Arroyo was also set to address the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), which would hold its fourth annual meeting on September 23 to 26. She was a member of the panel members in the 7th CGI Annual meeting in 2007 that was organized by her classmate and former US President Bill Clinton.
She was likewise set to attend the UN's Millennium Development Goals (MDG) review where the Philippines would report on its compliance to the eight international development objectives that include the: eradicating extreme poverty and hunger; achieve universal primary education; promote gender equality and empower women; reduce child mortality; improve maternal health; ensure environmental sustainability; combat HIV/Aids (human immunodeficiency virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), malaria and other diseases; and develop a global partnership for development.
Dureza said Arroyo's decision, however, should not be misconstrued that the government is not committed to the UN goals but the President simply needs to focus on recent developments in the country.
He said the government is resolved to meet the MDG objectives. (JMR/Sunnex)
