VZCZCXRO6905
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHML #2382/01 3170855
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 130855Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY MANILA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5789
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 002382 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO PEACE CORPS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV KISL KPAO EAID RP
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR HONORS WORLD WAR II HEROES AND EMPHASIZES AN 
ENDURING PARTNERSHIP 
 
¶1. SUMMARY.  On October 20, the Ambassador addressed President 
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and other dignitaries at the 65th 
anniversary commemoration of the Leyte Gulf Landings in Leyte 
Province, in Eastern Visayas.  The Ambassador reminded the audience 
of the shared history between the United States and the Philippines 
and emphasized the United States' commitment to maintaining an 
enduring partnership with the Philippines.  During her first visit 
to the province, the Ambassador also toured America-based APAC's new 
call center, a hopeful sign of an economic upswing for the region, 
and visited 21 new Peace Corps trainees from two regional clusters. 
During a live radio interview, the Ambassador highlighted the U.S. 
role in disaster relief in the wake of Tropical Storm Ondoy and 
Typhoon Pepeng.  Throughout her trip, the Ambassador integrated 
social networking media by recording video clips for YouTube and 
sending Twitter updates.  END SUMMARY. 
 
------------------------- 
HONORING A SACRED PROMISE 
------------------------- 
 
¶2. An enthusiastic crowd greeted the Ambassador in Palo, Leyte to 
celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Leyte Gulf Landings at the 
MacArthur Landing Memorial National Park.  It was on this site in 
1944 that General Douglas MacArthur fulfilled his promise to return 
to reclaim the Philippines from the Japanese, making Palo the first 
liberated town.  The theme of this year's celebration was QA Salute 
to the Valor of Our Last Living Heroes.Q  Prior to the start of the 
program, the Ambassador spoke warmly to local media of the 
historical significance of Leyte Landings.  The Ambassador also 
spoke with Governor of Leyte Carlos Jericho Petilla and Philippine 
Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro. 
 
¶3. The program began with the arrival of the Guest of Honor, 
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.  Arroyo inspected her Armed 
Forces and then led the Ambassador and other dignitaries in a 
wreath-laying ceremony at the shrine of General MacArthur.  Each 
wreath was symbolically given to the people of the Philippines from 
the people of the United States, Japan, Australia and Canada, 
respectively.  In her remarks, the Ambassador emphasized how the 
anniversary of the Leyte Landings marked the day in which Qour two 
nations honored a sacred promise and dedication to one another and 
their pact for liberty for their peoples.Q  After the ceremony, the 
Ambassador spoke with American World War II veterans who had 
traveled to Leyte in honor of the occasion. 
 
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PEACE CORPS IN LEYTE 
-------------------- 
 
¶4. Prior to the anniversary celebration, the Ambassador visited 21 
Peace Corps trainees, from both the Tanauan and Palo clusters, 
during their Waray language training.  (Waray is spoken in the 
provinces of Leyte , Samar, Northern Samar, and Biliran.)  The 
trainees, working on education or environmental projects, were in 
their ninth week of pre-service training, which prepares trainees to 
serve effectively and to be self-reliant, to use the local language, 
to understand Filipino culture, and to live safely in the 
Philippines.  Trainees taught the Ambassador some Waray phrases, 
which she used during her remarks at the Leyte Landings ceremony and 
during her live radio interview.  With the help of the trainees, the 
Ambassador ended her visit by recording a brief video message, 
subsequently posted on YouTube 
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8Nm-gHossM), highlighting her visit 
to the region and the work of the Peace Corps volunteers. 
 
----------------------- 
A LITTLE BIT OF AMERICA 
----------------------- 
 
¶5. Following her visit with the Peace Corps, the Ambassador toured 
the newest APAC call center facility in Palo, Leyte.  The facility 
is one of four in the Philippines operated by APAC, which is 
headquartered in Bannockburn, Illinois.  APAC's other three call 
centers are located in Metro Manila.  The Leyte facility is the 
first call center in Eastern Visayas and represents the start of a 
new era of development in the region after worsening poverty trends 
over the past few years.  During her visit, the Ambassador met new 
and veteran staff members from as far as Manila and observed 
real-time customer calls from the U.S.  The Leyte facility, which 
can accommodate 1,000 agents, has hired 700 employees since opening 
in March 2009.  The Ambassador ended her tour by recording another 
short video message for YouTube highlighting APAC's success 
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TixhOTVQvCY). 
 
¶6. After the anniversary ceremony, the Ambassador stopped for lunch 
at American franchise Shakey's Pizza Parlor.  The Ambassador met the 
franchise owner and thanked the restaurant staff for all of their 
hard work. 
 
 
MANILA 00002382  002 OF 002 
 
 
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TALKING TO EASTERN VISAYAS 
-------------------------- 
 
¶7. During the Ambassador's live radio interview with DYVL-AM, the 
top radio station in Leyte, she spoke warmly of the historical 
significance of the Leyte Landings and emphasized the strong and 
enduring relationship between the United States and the Philippines. 
 She also highlighted U.S. disaster assistance to the Philippines in 
the wake of Tropical Storm Ondoy and Typhoon Pepeng, through our 
military cooperation with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). 
 The assistance included family food packets, clothing and water, in 
addition to financial donations through USAID.  The Ambassador 
emphasized U.S. respect for Philippine sovereignty and explained 
U.S. troops were in the Philippines at the invitation of the 
Philippine Government to support and advise the AFP and to help 
develop and sustain the AFP's counterterrorism capacity. 
 
KENNEY