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FM AMEMBASSY MANILA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5076
INFO RUEHZS/ASEAN COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING IMMEDIATE 5980
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA IMMEDIATE 9530
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMFIUU/VA CENTRAL OFC WASHDC IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MANILA 000411 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR R; ECA; EAP/PD AGRIMES; EAP/MTS NDEAN 
 
STATE PASS USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO PREL SCUL RP
SUBJECT: U/S HUGHES VISIT ENERGIZES US-RP TIES 
 
REF: MANILA 000299 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public 
Affairs Karen Hughes visited the Philippines January 24-27 to survey 
Mission's multi-agency, multi-disciplinary public diplomacy programs 
and projects. She met with a wide range of Filipinos, including 
President Arroyo, adult and youth alumni of USG exchange/training 
programs from across the Philippines, and poor Muslim villagers on 
the terror-wracked island of Jolo.  At all stops, she was greeted 
warmly and enthusiastically, and her interlocutors expressed 
gratitude for U.S. assistance that ranges from educational exchanges 
and cultural programs, to veterans' benefits, to development 
projects to U.S. military technical support.  Local and 
international media coverage was extensive and uniformly positive. 
Images of her visit to the Philippines can be seen at 
http://philippines.usembassy.gov. While the visit provided U/S 
Hughes with a ground-level view of public diplomacy efforts here in 
the Philippines, she also reached out to Filipinos one-on-one, in 
group events and through the media, robustly buttressing our 
continuing message that our country is a staunch partner, interested 
in their welfare, and committed to helping them where we can.  The 
warm, personal, and much publicized welcome that U/S Hughes received 
from President Arroyo was a particularly meaningful statement about 
where we stand in Filipino estimation following the summit of ASEAN 
leaders and the state visit of the Chinese premier just days 
earlier.  END SUMMARY 
 
 
Partnership for Peace and Prosperity 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶2. U/S Hughes' program began on January 24 with a small, private 
dinner at Malacanang Palace (reftel).  Afterward, she and other 
guests were invited to join President Arroyo and the Armed Forces of 
the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Esperon, as they 
awarded medals and promotions to the Philippine soldiers and marines 
responsible for eliminating two Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) terrorist 
leaders on the island of Jolo.  President Arroyo's energetic remarks 
at the event urged the AFP to keep up the pressure on the 
terrorists, expressed gratitude to President Bush for sending U/S 
Hughes, and publicly thanked the U.S. for being the "Philippines' 
strongest ally and partner."  These remarks were widely reported in 
the Philippines media, and were particularly significant as they 
came scant days after the state visit of the Chinese premier. 
 
Winning Hearts and Minds: The Key Battle 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. On January 25, U/S Hughes traveled to the island of Jolo, the 
focal point of ongoing AFP efforts to eliminate ASG and Jemaah 
Islamiyah (JI) terrorists.  Her visit with U.S. Joint Special 
Operations Task Force-Philippines (JSOTF-P) and AFP personnel 
underlined their cooperative effort through community relations and 
development programs to deny safe haven for the terrorists and 
actively encourage local support for the AFP's combat operations. 
JSOTF-P's Military Information Support (MIST) team briefed U/S 
Hughes on how their efforts -- in conjunction with their AFP 
partners, USAID, and State colleagues -- have yielded huge dividends 
on Jolo, helping residents to see that a better future for 
themselves and their children is possible by rejecting extremist 
ideology and terrorism.  MIST plays a front line role in Mission 
efforts to promote the Rewards for Justice Program.  U/S Hughes 
received a representative sample of MIST products - comic books, 
posters, trading cards, etc. -- in a book bag of the type given to 
local school children. 
 
Stability and Development: The Civilian/Military Compact 
------------------------- ------------- --------------- 
 
¶4. U/S Hughes' visit to Jolo continued with an extended stop in the 
village of Maimbung, which is on the front lines of the AFP's 
efforts to end the ASG/JI reign of terror on Jolo.  U/S Hughes 
toured a high school connected to the Internet through USAID's 
Computer Literacy and Internet Connection (CLIC).  USAID also 
equipped a home economics room with sewing machines and other 
livelihood skills training equipment, using an Education Awareness 
Support Effort (EASE) grant to match the funds raised by local 
parents.  Subsequently, U/S Hughes spoke to local residents at a 
JSOTF-P and AFP personnel Medical Community Action Program (MEDCAP), 
praising the efforts of all involved in ending terror on Jolo.  U/S 
Hughes was also the guest speaker at the inauguration of a 
farm-to-market road, funded by USAID, where she described the road 
as "not only a highway connecting your village to ports and markets, 
 
MANILA 00000411  002 OF 003 
 
 
but it is also your path to a brighter future."  The senior 
Philippine official present, Under Secretary Virgilio Leyretana of 
the Office of President,  subsequently wrote to U/S Hughes saying: 
"Your visit to Sulu...was historic, and a clear reaffirmation of the 
commitment of the American people and government to the attainment 
of peace and development in Mindanao." 
 
A Partnership Built on Shared Sacrifice 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. U/S Hughes continued her Philippines program on January 26 with a 
moving event at the Manila American Memorial Cemetery attended by 
World War II veterans of the Bataan Death March and the defense of 
Corregidor. The Cemetery -- the largest American military cemetery 
outside the US -- comprises 17,000 American, Filipino and other war 
graves, as well as a memorial for an additional 36,000 whose remains 
have never been recovered.  U/S Hughes had coffee after the ceremony 
with 50 US and Filipino WWII veterans, representing the Defenders of 
Bataan and Corregidor, the American Legion, the Philippine Veterans 
Legion, and the Veterans Federation of the Philippines.  In her 
remarks to them and assembled media, she said, "As the daughter of a 
veteran, and with many relatives who fought in World War II, I find 
it very moving to be here. It's a reminder of the shared sacrifice 
Americans and Filipinos made, standing side by side, for freedom. 
We were friends yesterday, we are friends today, and we will always 
be friends tomorrow." 
 
The Human Bridge between Nations 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶6. After a brief historical tour of the U.S. Embassy, U/S Hughes 
taped an interview with "Bantay OCW," a daily TV show aimed at 
millions of Filipino expatriate workers and appearing on cable 
television networks in the Americas, East Asia, Europe and the 
Middle East. U/S Hughes was the first USG official to appear on this 
important program. Against a backdrop of Manila bay and the U.S. 
Embassy, U/S Hughes discussed US-RP partnership in the global war on 
terror, in development, and her impressions of her visit to the 
Philippines. 
 
Touching Base with Key Partners 
------------------------------- 
 
¶7. U/S Hughes and Ambassador had lunch with key Philippine civic 
activists, all of whom are alumni of various State Department-funded 
programs.  International Visitor (IV) alumni were uniform in praise 
of their programs, saying it had given them a wealth of useful 
information and a much richer understanding of American society and 
culture.  This point was made with particular conviction by FY-06 IV 
alumna, Grace Padaca, who - despite being disabled by a childhood 
bout with polio - became first a successful investigative journalist 
and then governor of Isabela province, defeating the representative 
of a powerful and long-entrenched political clan.  "You can't 
understand the U.S. without a first-hand, in-depth look at it," she 
said.  "Everyone thinks they know America, but what they know is a 
distorted image, a collection of clichs.  To really understand 
America, you have to go there and be immersed in it - and that's 
what the IV program does." 
 
¶8. Among other participants were three leaders of IVP-PHILS, which 
bills itself - accurately, we believe - as the largest and most 
active IV alumni organization in the world.  They reported to U/S 
Hughes on an event they organized, with funds from a State/ECA 
alumni grant, that brought together Muslim and Christian high school 
students from across Mindanao to work on projects to encourage 
mutual understanding and achieve peace in that strife-torn region. 
 
¶9.  Participants also complimented USG outreach activities in the 
Philippines.  One event that had a particularly strong impact with 
youth was the Ambassador's highly publicized presence at the 
Philippine college basketball championship game.  "That was great 
you took time to go to the game," one guest said. "It showed you 
really cared about our country and what matters to us."  U/S Hughes 
described this as an example of the "diplomacy of deeds," in which 
understanding and respect are achieved not by what one says, but 
what one does. 
 
Discovering Shared Values through Exchanges 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶8. U/S Hughes also toured an American Corner, and met with a mixed 
group of Muslim and Christian high school students from ECA's YES 
and YLP programs.  The students warmed to U/S Hughes quickly and 
 
MANILA 00000411  003 OF 003 
 
 
shared their experiences and viewpoints about the U.S.  One member 
of an indigenous tribe in Mindanao said that he was impressed by the 
orderliness and politeness of American society, but "inspired by the 
story of America," which he sees as more ethnically diverse than the 
Philippines. "America has more than one color, one religion," he 
said, and added that the problems of his tribe were small compared 
to the obstacles Americans had faced and overcome.  He is now trying 
to organize his tribal community and tell them "We can do this.  I 
can do this, because I am not alone." 
 
¶9. A Muslim from Mindanao said that she learned that "people suffer 
because of ignorance," and because of her experience in the US she 
wants to bridge the gaps between people.  Citing the example of her 
American host family, who invited her to attend Protestant religious 
services with them, she said "I learned that I respect them despite 
our religious differences."  U/S Hughes asked her and the other 
participants if they were surprised to find that Americans are quite 
religious.  Most students promptly answered "yes."  Another Muslim 
girl added that she even enjoyed the Christian services she attended 
because they helped her to understand her host family's religion. 
She explained, "I like the way they sing their songs and participate 
actively in the service... I was like a Christian, myself, for a 
while...without giving up my [own] religion, of course." 
 
¶10. Another student who has a growth disorder and is less than 5 
feet tall described finding a way to really connect with his 
classmates in small-town Kansas.  He realized that his hosts loved 
American football, so he asked if he could join the team.  At first 
kids laughed at the very idea because, as he pointed out, "I am so 
small."  But, when they saw his earnest desire to take part, 
somehow, they made him the team's student manager. He said that one 
high point of the experience was telling the enormous football 
players, "drop and give me 50, then run 2 laps!" 
 
¶11. The dialogue clearly showed that ECA-funded student exchange 
programs are directly changing lives and laying the groundwork for a 
stronger, deeper understanding and appreciation of the U.S. by 
successor generations of Filipinos.  By promoting mutual 
understanding and respect for diversity, these programs are a key 
element in denying moral and substantive support to extremists of 
all stripes in this country.  As U/S Hughes said in closing the 
session, "We have to wage peace together, in order to win the 
peace." 
 
Bringing It All Together 
------------------------- 
 
¶12. The visit ended on an informal note, with a barbecue hosted by 
Ambassador for Filipino and U.S. public affairs personnel from 
State, USAID, and the U.S. military.  U/S Hughes thanked everyone on 
the multi-agency team for ensuring that the story of America is 
heard in the Philippines. 
 
 
Maximum Impact at an Opportune Moment 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶13. U/S Hughes' visit breathed additional life into a vibrant 
US-Philippine partnership marked by shared values and history.  At a 
period in time when China's rise as a world power and dominant 
regional player is center stage, her presence reminded the 
Philippines and beyond that the relationship with the U.S. is not 
only relevant but also central to achieving peace and prosperity. 
U/S Hughes' combination of gravitas and personal warmth struck a 
strong chord with the Filipino public, as well as the media covering 
events. The impact of this was evident in the glowing press coverage 
of U/S Hughes' activities throughout her visit. 
 
¶14. U/S Hughes did not have the opportunity to clear this message. 
 
 
 
KENNEY