VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHML #3662/01 3190602
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 150602Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY MANILA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8873
RHHMUNA/USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS MANILA 003662 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL VA RP FCS
SUBJECT: FIRST VETERANS DAY CEREMONY AT BAGUIO RESIDENCE SMASH 
SUCCESS 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY. Ambassador visited Baguio City November 5-7 to host the 
first Veterans Day Ceremony at the U.S. Embassy Residence in Baguio, 
the place where Japanese forces surrendered the Philippines at the 
end of World War II. In addition to honoring American and Filipino 
vets in the region, Ambassador focused on deepening relations with 
the Philippine Military Academy, and with leaders in the local 
education, arts, and business communities. During her visit, 
Ambassador also participated in USAID-supported events to increase 
environmental protection, and visited a children's home that is a 
Peace Corps volunteer work site in the Baguio area. The success of 
these events, many of which generated significant press coverage, 
demonstrates the continuing value of the Baguio Residence as a 
forward base for regional outreach. END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  BACKGROUND ON BAGUIO. The U.S. Embassy Residence in Baguio City 
continues to support Embassy Manila's diplomatic mission by serving 
as an important programming venue. Baguio City was established in 
the early 1900s as the highland summer capital of the Philippines. 
The United States constructed the Baguio Residence in 1940. The 
Residence later served as the site of the official surrender of 
Japanese forces in the Philippines. Today, Baguio City is a major 
education center, boasting five universities and the joint-services 
Philippine Military Academy. Thanks to its highly educated 
population, the city is also a high-tech hub, home to major U.S. and 
international companies such as Texas Instruments, aviation 
suppliers Moog Instruments, and call centers such as Sitel. END 
BACKGROUND. 
 
----------------------------------- 
Honoring U.S. and Filipino Veterans 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  The historic significance of the Baguio Residence provided the 
ideal backdrop for the first-ever Veterans Day ceremony and 
reception held at the Baguio Residence, on November 6. Ambassador 
hosted the event with Veterans Administration officials to honor 
American and Filipino vets living in the Baguio region. (A larger 
Veterans Day Ceremony was held on November 11 in Manila). The day 
began with a private meeting between Ambassador and two local 
American veterans, brothers, who recently served in Iraq. Ambassador 
then presided over the ceremony, which was attended by over 200 
guests, including veterans from every conflict since World War II 
(among them survivors of the WWII Bataan death march), their 
families, city officials, and members of the business community. 
Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Superintendent General Leopoldo 
Maligalig delivered the key note speech. Active duty U.S. soldiers 
and PMA cadets marched together as color guards. Fifty members of 
the press attended the event, which was covered by nearly every 
major Philippine daily the following day (see paragraph 9, below). 
The feedback by the guests was overwhelmingly positive. 
 
¶4. Ambassador concluded the Veteran-themed day by speaking at the 
Philippine Military Academy to over 1,000 cadets. Her remarks 
focused on the core values shared by members of the U.S. and 
Philippine military, such as loyalty and integrity, and the 
important role of the Philippine military. 
 
---------------------------- 
Strengthening Community Ties 
---------------------------- 
 
¶5.  The Baguio Residence also provided an elegant setting for a 
cultural reception hosted by Ambassador the evening of November 5. 
The reception strengthened ties with leaders of the local arts and 
academic communities, many of whom had not previously met the 
Ambassador nor visited the Residence. Guests included distinguished 
artists, filmmakers, university officials, regional officials, and 
NGO leaders. Journalists covering culture for local and national 
media also attended. 
 
¶6.  On the morning of November 7, Ambassador reached out to an 
important sector of the local business community. She visited a call 
center facility operated by Sitel Corporation, a U.S. company with 
the distinction of being the largest employer in Baguio. Sitel 
currently employs over 2,500 Filipinos at their two Baguio sites 
(with 8,000 total employees nationwide), and boasts "A-list" clients 
such as Sony, Expedia, and Hawaiian Airlines. Ambassador met Sitel 
Philippines President Dan Reyes and toured the high-tech call 
center. Ambassador then presided over the grand opening of Sitel's 
employee pharmacy, which is part of a wellness initiative to make 
lower priced medicines available to the company's employees. 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
Supporting USAID and Peace Corps Initiatives 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  Ambassador also supported efforts to protect the environment 
during her trip. First, she launched National Clean Air Month at the 
University of the Cordilleras. The event celebrated the commitment 
made by a network of local academic institutions and youth 
organizations to support sustainable development (the network was 
formed as part of a USAID initiative). Next, Ambassador read an 
 
"Ecodefender" story to over 100 enthusiastic school children, who 
shared their own ideas on how to protect the environment. The Read 
Along program is a successful collaboration between USAID, the U.S. 
Department of Energy, the Philippine Inquirer, and the National Book 
Store. While Ambassador participated in these events, the Embassy's 
Foreign Commercial Service Director attended an event at Caltex, a 
U.S.-owned fuel station, to promote the use of locally produced 
biofuels by jeepneys, the primary mode of public transport in the 
Philippines. 
 
¶8.  To raise awareness for the efforts of the U.S. Peace Corps, 
Ambassador paid a visit on November 7 to the Shepherd of the Hills 
Center, a local school for abandoned and neglected teenagers that is 
supported by the Peace Corps. Ambassador praised the worthy mission 
of the center, applauded the commitment of the Peace Corp volunteer 
who works at the center, and enjoyed the high-energy dance and music 
recital performed by the children (who are clearly thriving at the 
center). 
 
------------------------- 
Generating Positive Press 
------------------------- 
 
¶9. Members of the national and local media interviewed Ambassador at 
the Cultural Reception, the Veterans Day Ceremony and Reception, the 
launch of National Clean Air Month, and the Read Along event. 
Positive press coverage resulted of the Veterans Day ceremony and 
the Ambassador's other public events. Some media wrote about support 
from the Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation to help 
preserve the rice terraces in Banawe, a UNESCO world-heritage site. 
 
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Comment 
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¶10. COMMENT. The success of these events -- which ranged from 
outreach to the American community, to strengthening ties to the 
local arts, education, business, and military community, to raising 
awareness for U.S. government programs that protect the environment 
and contribute to the health and wellbeing of local Filipinos -- 
demonstrates the continuing importance of the Baguio Residence as a 
forward venue for the Mission outreach to northern Luzon. END 
COMMENT 
 
KENNEY