During the bilateral talks, the two leaders are expected to discuss defense and security cooperation, especially in the fight against terrorism, and other issues affecting the two countries.

The Philippines was among the 20 countries that supported the US-led "coalition of the willing" in the war against the tyrannical regime of Saddam Hussein although it did not send combat troops to the war.

The state visit of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to the United States, which starts tomorrow, is deemed crucial at this time since the new global environment brought about by the March 20 US-led action against Iraq requires a new perspective on regional political and economic security.

The President said that this new perspective must take into consideration the millions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who are contributing to the development of economies in countries around the world.

She said the continuing threat of terrorism and the tensions in the Korean peninsula could further exacerbate the situation and would need more concerted efforts on the part of the countries in the Asia Pacific.

The President said that strong relations with the United States would contribute to regional prosperity and stability, especially in addressing the threat of terrorism.

"A way to support continued engagement with the US must be found at a time when there are strong forces in the region working against this relationship," the President said.

According to the President, the March 20 US-led action against Iraq has led many nations, especially in the Arab world, to believe that the US action was an unjustified aggression against a Muslim country.

She said that unfortunately, many groups "with very dangerous agendas," have already capitalized on this development and have tried to ignite some religious tensions around the world.

Given the region’s religious diversity, the Asia Pacific nations should be resolute in their efforts to promote peace and order within their borders and throughout the region, the President said.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who leaves tonight for an eight-day state visit to the United States, is only the third head of state that US President George W. Bush had welcomed to the White House for a state visit since he assumed office in early 2001.

Although there had been a number of foreign heads of state and government who visited Washington, D.C., and had audience with President Bush, only Mexican President Vicente Fox and Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski have been welcomed by Bush as state visitors.

Fox made a state visit to Washington on Sept. 5-6, 2001 while Kwasniewski was state guest of the United States last Jan. 8, 2003.

After the US-led war on Iraq, the President is the fourth to be welcomed by Bush at the White House, after British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar.

The three leaders were the main allies of the US in the "coalition of the willing" that toppled the Saddam Hussein regime in Iraq.

The Philippines was among those that openly supported the US-led coalition although it did not send combat troops to the war.

As part of its international commitment, the Philippines, however, is sending a 175-member peacekeeping and humanitarian mission to Iraq. The contingent, composed mostly of medical staff, will leave for Baghdad soon.

When asked in a recent press briefing at the White House why the President of a small country like the Philippines is given the "rare honor" of being welcomed for a state visit, US Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said that this was President Bush’s way of thanking the Philippines and the Filipino people for their unequivocal support to the US-led fight against global terrorism and for "being such a good and reliable ally."

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has announced the rescue at dawn today of the remaining Jehovah Witness hostages of the terrorist Abu Sayyaf.

"May progreso ang laban sa terorismo ngunit hindi pa tapos (There is progress in our continuing fight against terrorism)," the President stressed during the signing of Republic Act 9207 or the National Government Center (NGC) Housing and Land Utilization Act at the Commonwealth Elementary School in Quezon City.

"Let’s not take anything for granted in our vigilance against terrorist reprisals," she said as she urged the Filipino citizenry to watch over their communities and be accountable for each other.

She cited the close cooperation of local government units and the national government through synergistic linkages in the anti-terrorism campaign.

She asked the people to be calm but fully alert in their homes and their places of work and livelihood.

The battle against terrorists could not be won overnight and it demanded the utmost sense of duty and concern for each and every Filipino, she added.

"This is not a fight of the government alone, it is a fight of all our people and the whole world," she said.

On the dreaded disease called SARS, the President said the opening of classes would demand among the people another round of alertness to protect the health of students.

"We already scored big against SARS and we must follow through," she said.

She pointed out that all schools and related sectors should focus on cooperation and unified action.

The President directed the Department of Health and the Department of Education to work closely with school administrators, Parent-Teachers Associations and student organizations, emphasizing that the information drive among students must be comprehensive and penetrating.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today said that she would remind top United States officials to be conscious of the fight against poverty which breeds terrorism.

Speaking at the signing of Republic Act 9207 or "The National Government Center (NGC) Housing and Land Utilization Act," the President said: Kaya kung gusto nating tuluyang sugpuin ang terorismo, hindi dapat balewalain ang pagsisikap na mai-ahon sa kahirapan ang marami nating kababayan (If we are to crush terrorism, let us strive to get many of our countrymen out of poverty)."

She asked the new NGC homeowners to share with her the prayer that her trip to the United States with Senate President Franklin Drilon and Speaker Jose de Venecia would be a success.

"Ito ay bahagi ng ating pagtahak tungo sa magandang kinabukasan (This is part of our moves towards a brighter future)," she said.

The President will be leaving tonight for an eight-day state visit to the United States.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today signed into law Republic Act 9207, also known as the National Government Center (NGC) Housing and Land Utilization Act of 2003, confirming the disposition of the NGC site to bona fide residents.

"This forms a big part in the implementation of our priority programs for the urban poor," the President said, stressing that she is doing everything to put into proper perspective various programs for housing despite the many problems facing the nation today such as terrorism and SARS.

The law finally resolved the status of residents in the NGC area. "They are no longer squatters in their own country because government is now giving them the opportunity to finally own the houses they have been living in for so long," the President said.

Aside from confirming the legal status of the possession of lots that have long been disposed of in favor of the beneficiaries, the law also provides the:

• Creation of an NGC Administration Committee to administer and implement the land disposition. The committee is led by the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), the Presidential Commission on Urban Poor (PCUP), the Quezon City Local Government Unit, the National Housing Authority (NHA), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Department of Pubic Works and Highways, and representatives from NGC Westside and Eastside;

• Designation of the NHA as trustee of the NGC Housing Program except the Commonwealth Enterprise Zone under the Home Guarantee Corporation; and

• Grant of tax exemption on the lands sold and to be disposed under the housing program.

Today I authorized the Armed Forces of the Philippines to employ selective aerial and artillery attacks to dislodge embedded terrorist cells that have attacked hapless civilian communities and murdered scores of innocent Filipinos in Mindanao.

This is in support of military operations that have been ongoing, in varying degrees of intensity, over the past week in the Zamboanga Peninsula, the Lanao provinces and Maguindanao.

We’ve decided to use extraordinary punitive forces not merely in view of tactical necessity, but to signify the determination of the government to bring terrorists to justice.

I ask Congress to stand behind the people and the government in this action. The local government units in the areas affected have been informed and many of them have heightened their vigilance against reprisals.

This is a time for all Filipinos to stand together, to fight and sacrifice together.

The relief agencies of government are on alert for a possible surge of evacuees in the affected areas. We shall work with local communities to provide food, shelter and medicine to temporarily dislocated families.

I encourage the private sector to gather resources for humanitarian assistance.

We have seen that terrorism strikes anywhere, anytime, from the remotest barangays in Mindanao to the capitals of the world. The world in the post-Iraq war period has achieved greater strategic stability, but this has driven militant cells to deeper desperation.

Our country has been under terrorist attack—sporadic, intermittent but nevertheless, deadly. Davao City has been bombed twice. Siocon and Maigo have been assaulted with impunity. Koronadal has been attacked. Christians and Muslims have been killed.

Filipinos have also been killed and wounded in a terrorist attack in Riyadh. We’re victims in our own land and elsewhere. We must fight back now or face greater peril in the future.

All Filipinos must be vigilant wherever they are.

Secretary Renato de Villa, my adviser on strategic concerns, will help me coordinate the holistic approach to this campaign.

The holistic approach will encompass the political, diplomatic, military, cultural, economic, humanitarian, and information aspects of the campaign.

Regular information briefings on the tactical and humanitarian situation will be handled by the military division commanders teaming up with the regional directors of the DSWD.

I shall embark on a state visit to the United States tonight bearing in mind the need to bolster our strategic relationship with the United States as well as with our neighbors in the fight against terrorism as we face a new global horizon cast by post-war Iraq.

We have to continue to reach out to the Islamic nations through the OIC to press our principled stand against a common enemy, while seeking consensus for the security and welfare of Muslim Filipinos.

This is not simply a war of guns and bullets. It’s a strategic war of will and vision. We shall tighten the noose of military operations, anti-poverty programs and diplomatic initiatives until the threat of terrorism is beaten.

We will nurture the seeds of a principled, secure and enduring peace. We will banish despair and bring a new light of hope.

We shall build the ramparts of the strong Republic in Mindanao.

I order our soldiers to carry on; I ask our people to stand behind them.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo authorized today the Armed Forces of the Philippines to employ selective aerial and artillery attacks to dislodge embedded terrorist cells that have attacked hapless civilian communities and murdered scores of innocent Filipinos in Mindanao.

The President, who is due to leave tonight for a state visit to the United States, said the order supported ongoing military operations, in varying degrees of intensity, over the past week in the Zamboanga peninsula, the Lanao provinces and Maguindanao.

"We’ve decided to use extraordinary punitive force not merely in view of tactical necessity, but to signify the determination of government to bring terrorists to justice, " she said.

She asked Congress to stand behind the people and the government in this action, saying "this is a time for all Filipinos to stand together, to fight and sacrifice together."

She said local government units in the affected areas have been informed and many of them have heightened their vigilance against reprisals.

Relief agencies, the President said, have been placed on alert for a possible surge of evacuees in the affected areas.

The government, she said, would also work with local communities to provide food, shelter and medicine to temporarily dislocated families.

She encouraged the private sector to gather resources for humanitarian assistance.

"We have seen that terrorism strikes anywhere, anytime from the remotest barangays in Mindanao to the capitals of the world," the President said. "The world in the post-Iraq war period has achieved greater stability, but this has driven militant cells to deeper desperation."

She had asked Secretary Renato de Villa, her adviser on strategic concerns, to help coordinate the holistic approach to the campaign which encompasses the political, diplomatic, military, cultural, economic, humanitarian and information aspects.

Regular information briefings on the tactical and humanitarian situation would be handled by the military division commanders teaming up with the regional directors of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, she added.

The President said the government would continue to reach out to the Islamic nations through the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) "to press our principled stand against a common enemy, while seeking consensus for the security and welfare of Muslim Filipinos."

"This is not simply a war of guns and bullets," she stressed. "It’s a strategic war of will and vision. We shall tighten the noose of military operations, anti-poverty programs and diplomatic initiatives until the threat of terrorism is beaten."