Arroyo to speak before women's group in New York

NEW YORK — The Filipino community in New York and New Jersey is preparing for a visit of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo September 28 to 30. She is scheduled to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and other officials in Manhattan. Deputy Consul General Millie Thomeczek said Ms. Arroyo will speak at a gathering of women in Waldorf Astoria Hotel on September 28. She will have a meeting with Rice to discuss security and women’s issues. Reports from Sydney said Rice invited Arroyo to speak before the women’s forum. While in New York, Arroyo will meet with her international board of advisers and American business groups especially those involved in the business process outsourcing industry. The Philippine delegation has prepared a presentation about potential investments in technology, outsourcing, mining, accounting among other enterprises. Arroyo will also attend the United Nations General Assembly to participate in discussion that promotes regional security, economic partnership and peace building. On September 29, she will meet with leaders and representatives of Filipino American organizations in Crowne Plaza Hotel in Secaucus, New Jersey to consult them and ask them to help in nation building and express her thanks for their remittances. The Philippine government said global OFW remittances may well approach $14 billion in 2007, noting the Bangko Sentral’s report that the $1.1 billion remitted in June this year “marks the 14th straight month that OFW remittances have sustained at more than one billion dollars monthly." After the U.S. trip, she will proceed to Shanghai and Shandong in China then to Mumbai in India. Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said Chinese President Hu Jintao is preparing a program for Arroyo in Shanghai, where she will attend the opening of the Special Olympics in October. Bunye said the planned importation of medicines from India is the President’s main agenda in her visit to India. - Philippine News