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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 000125 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/21/2020 
TAGS: PREL PGOV RP
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S FAREWELL CALL ON PRESIDENT ARROYO 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney, reason: 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: The Ambassador paid her farewell call on 
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at Malacanang Palace 
January 21.  The President praised the excellent state of 
U.S.-Philippine bilateral relations, and lauded U.S. 
leadership in organizing an "excellent" aid effort for Haiti. 
 She said a Philippine medical team would arrive in Haiti 
January 25 to join the disaster response.  The President 
voiced deep appreciation for the success of our joint 
counterterrorism efforts in Mindanao, citing in particular 
the importance of the "hard/soft power" paradigm that joined 
development assistance with military efforts to deny 
safehaven to extremists.  The Ambassador praised President 
Arroyo's efforts to improve bilateral ties, her strengthening 
of key economic sectors and the development of a "nautical 
highway" to link the Philippine archipelago.  She urged the 
President to continue pursuing a comprehensive peace accord 
with Muslim insurgents, and not to let up on counterterrorism 
efforts even as her presidential term winds down.  Following 
the meeting, the President conferred upon the Ambassador the 
Order of Sikatuna (Gold Grand Cross), the highest honor 
conferred by the Philippines for contributions to diplomatic 
affairs.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (U)  President Arroyo was accompanied by Secretary of 
Foreign Affairs Alberto Romulo, Executive Secretary Eduardo 
Ermita, Secretary of National Defense Norberto Gonzales and 
Department of Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Lourdes 
Yparraguirre.  The Ambassador was accompanied by the DCM, 
USAID Acting Mission Director, JUSMAG Chief and Political 
Counselor. 
 
BILATERAL TIES STRENGTHENED 
--------------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) President Arroyo opened by congratulating the 
Ambassador for her successful outreach to the Philippine 
people over the course of nearly four years.  Few Ambassadors 
had achieved such popularity, the President noted.  She 
voiced deep appreciation for the growing strength and depth 
of U.S.-Philippine bilateral ties, which had clearly 
rebounded from the difficult years after the closing of U.S. 
bases in the early 1990's.  That improvement had been aided 
by the many high-level visits arranged during the 
Ambassador's tenure, both at the Presidential level at the 
White House and Malacanang, as well as through many 
Cabinet-level meetings and visits.  The high level of 
contacts and discussions manifested the importance and 
strength of our relationship. 
 
EXCELLENT U.S. RESPONSE FOR HAITI 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (C) Turning to the recent earthquake in Haiti, President 
Arroyo congratulated the United States on leading an 
"excellent response" to the massive disaster.  Noting that 
this was a team effort by an array of nations and 
international organizations, Arroyo said that the Philippines 
was determined to do its part to help repay the extraordinary 
help her country had received from a U.S.-led assistance 
effort following damaging storms last fall. 
 
¶5. (C) President Arroyo said a 21-member Philippine medical 
team would arrive in Haiti January 25 to supplement the 
efforts of the large Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) 
peacekeeping contingent already in place.  The Philippine 
government was also planning to send additional police forces 
to augment their peacekeepers in Haiti, as requested by the 
UN.  The President noted that Philippine Marine Major General 
Natalio Ecarma had recently been confirmed as the head of the 
UN peacekeeping operation in the Golan Heights, and that this 
was just one of eight peacekeeping operations in which the 
Philippines was participating.  The Ambassador welcomed the 
Philippine contributions to Haitian relief, and praised the 
unstinting efforts of Filipino peacekeepers in Haiti and 
other UN missions around the world. 
 
IMPROVED MILITARY, STRONGER ECONOMY 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (C) The Ambassador welcomed the Philippines planned 
expansion of its peacekeeping efforts, and said the AFP's 
excellent peacekeeping record was indicative of the growing 
professionalization and capability of the armed forces 
evident in the nearly four years she had served as 
Ambassador.  That positive trend had been matched on the 
 
MANILA 00000125  002 OF 002 
 
 
diplomatic front by the Philippines, important role in ASEAN 
as a voice for democratization and human rights in Burma and 
throughout the region, its leadership in the Nonproliferation 
Treaty Review Conference, and its continuing success in 
moving toward a Millennium Challenge Corporation compact. 
Economically, there was good news in the massive growth in 
call centers and other business process outsourcing 
companies, many with U.S. ties, as well as the President's 
development of a &nautical highway8 of roll-on/roll-off 
container ports to improve business and economic potential 
throughout the Philippine archipelago ) though the issue of 
maritime safety remained a major concern. 
 
BUT MUST CONTINUE EFFORTS FOR PEACE, JUSTICE 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (C) While noting the many positive achievements in the 
Philippines in recent years, the Ambassador also stressed 
that there was still much to be done during the remaining 
months of the Arroyo administration.  Key among these was 
achieving a comprehensive peace agreement with the insurgent 
Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Mindanao, as well as 
bringing to justice those responsible for the tragic massacre 
in Maguindanao province in November.  The MILF peace talks 
were showing slow but steady progress, the Ambassador said, 
and a ceasefire was back in place and many internally 
displaced persons had returned home.  The Ambassador pledged 
that the U.S. would continue to provide both military and 
humanitarian development assistance to help counter 
extremists in Mindanao, and was also developing plans to help 
improve governance and health care in Maguindanao, which was 
still under emergency rule. 
 
HARD AND SOFT POWER PAY DIVIDENDS 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (C) President Arroyo concurred on the need to continue 
pressing for peace in Mindanao.  She praised the paradigm of 
"hard and soft power" that the U.S. and Philippines had 
developed in the impoverished region, joining intensive 
development assistance and livelihood programs with 
aggressive military counterterrorism efforts to eliminate 
extremist safehavens and create alternatives to taking up 
arms.  The President welcomed especially the intensive 
efforts of USAID in the region, including the expansion of 
Jolo airport, and other key infrastructure projects. 
 
ORDER OF SIKATUNA 
----------------- 
 
¶9. (U)  Following the meeting, the President conferred upon 
the Ambassador the Order of Sikatuna (Gold Grand Cross), the 
highest honor conferred by the Philippines for contributions 
to diplomatic affairs. 
 
¶10. (U) The text of the citation follows.  Begin text: 
 
Be it known to all men by these presents that I, Gloria 
Macapagal-Arroyo, President of the Philippines by virtue of 
the powers vested in me by law have caused to be inscribed in 
the roster of the Order of Sikatuna the name of her 
Excellency Kristie Anne Kenney, Ambassador Extraordinary and 
Plenipotentiary of the United States of America, with the 
rank of datu (gold distinction).  Done in the City of Manila 
this 21ST day of January in the year of our Lord two thousand 
and ten. 
 
End text. 
KENNEY