WELLINGTON, New Zealand (via PLDT) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo arrived here this morning in chilly and windy weather and was treated to a lively repertoire of indigenous rituals and cultural ceremonies upon her disembarkation at the Wellington Airport.

The airport welcome party included Philippine Ambassador to New Zealand Bienvenido Tejano, New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines David Pine, New Zealand Royal Navy Commander Tony Hayes, and New Zealand Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade Dr. John McArthur.

From the airport, the President’s party proceeded to the Government House where she is billeted for her three-day stay here.

Upon her arrival at the Government House, the President was introduced by New Zealand Chief of Protocol Warren Searell to the heads of mission to New Zealand of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) member countries.

She also met with several members of the Filipino community here.

At the Government House, the President was also introduced by Mr. Andrew Renton-Green, official secretary to Governor General Anand Satyanand, to the leaders of the Maori cultural group and New Zealand Defense Force Warrant Officer Doug Wallace, who, after rubbing foreheads with the President, explained the elements of the "Powhiri," or the Maori welcome ceremony.

The ceremony started with the "Wero," where three male warriors performed an intimidating and challenging movements with rants, huffs, body, eye, and tongue movements, starting with the offering of a dart in front of the President.

Upon the signal of the Maori leader, the dart was picked up by the President's "right hand man," this time by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, who handed the dart to the President.

The warriors then performed the "whakawaha" (clearing movement) slapping their thighs to signal that the visiting party may enter the area.

The shrill, wailing call of the "Karanga" (call of welcome) greeted the President and her party, and all the Maori group performed the "Haka Powhiri" (dance of welcome), a dance of excitement and joy with body, tongue and eye movements.

The leader of the Maori group, then introduced the President to the members of the cultural group where the President was invited to do the "Hongi," or the traditional rubbing of foreheads. Originally, the hongi is performed by first rubbing foreheads, noses, and the passing of bread or food through the mouth.

The President was then escorted by Mr. Renton-Green to the center of the lawn where she was officially welcomed by Governor General Satyanand and wife Susan Satyanand.

What followed was the full military honors for the President, complete with 21-gun salute accorded to a visiting head of state where the President made an inspection of the Royal Guards.  

The President and the Governor General then proceeded to the Drawing Room of the Government House for their first meeting.

I am honored to share the podium with Prime Minister Helen Clark in a reaffirmation of the deep ties and shared values between New Zealand and the Philippines.

The Prime Minister and I are focused on broader collaboration on environmental management, human rights, indigenous peoples’ welfare, good governance, as well as the great potential of bilateral commerce.

New Zealand under Helen Clark’s vision leads the way in regional Interfaith Dialogue. I am here as a follower and participant to promote interfaith collaboration in education, security, social development and media.

Interfaith dialogue is not just an abstract theory, rather a major contributor to peace and stability in the historically-troubled South Philippine region. In Mindanao, we have taken steps to bring interfaith forces to bear upon a peace process that has resulted in a three-year ceasefire and monumental strides in economic growth. I extol New Zealand’s role in the Mindanao Trust Fund.

And in broader geo-political relations where New Zealand plays a major role, East Asia has been on a determined journey of consolidation since last year. As Chair of ASEAN I have witnessed the warming of ties between ASEAN, China and Japan within the context of common prosperity and collective security.

East Asia is coming of age in this Millennium as a global leader for equitable trade with a clear social dividend and solid security with a soft touch. Our relations with New Zealand are incorporated in this paradigm.

New Zealand brings to East Asia her profound and relentless commitment to human rights and the environment, peace and interfaith dialogue. She brings to the table the soft strategies that guarantee peace, reinforcing the hard elements such as joint military training and law enforcement operations that we share with allies like Australia and the United States.

I am grateful for the Philippines’ environmental cooperation with New Zealand, especially in forestry. I am proud of the success of the Bukidnon Reforestation Project and I look forward to your assistance to the Caraga Forest Plantation Project. Every tree planted grants a sustained livelihood, eases global warming and saves lives. I have launched a Green Philippines initiative to develop an environmental blueprint for our nation for the next 100 years. I could use the help and assistance of New Zealand in this daunting task.

The Philippines’ commitment to fighting poverty is as strong as building a just and humane society based on freedom and democracy. We are a State Party to all seven core human rights treaties and we have abolished the death penalty.

I share with Prime Minister Clark a keen devotion to human rights, and I share her concern for putting an end to the political violence that has plagued the Philippines for generations. We have never condoned and we condemn the killing of journalists, party-list members, or activists. We live in a vibrant democracy that is validated through an electoral process that is free, fair and reflective of the people’s will. We welcome the assistance of New Zealand as we have Europe and the international community at large to work with us in an open and transparent way to advance human rights in the Philippines and around the world.

I underscore the Philippines’ intention to carry forward the theme of "One Caring and Sharing Community" hammered out in an regional charter that will transform ASEAN into a rules-based organization that can unite to defeat terror and poverty as well as help to improve the human security situation in countries such as Myanmar.

Speaking as ASEAN Chair, it is my keen interest to see progress on the current impasse on the ASEAN-New Zealand Dialogue on this issue.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (via PLDT) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said today she is looking forward to heightened trade activities between the Philippines and New Zealand, citing the big growth potential of the two countries’ two-way commerce.

The President, who arrived here today on the first leg of a five-day, two-nation overseas trip to bolster trade and bilateral relations between the Philippines and her host countries, said she discussed this morning with New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark the possibility of processing New Zealand’s milk exports in the Philippines.

Also on the agenda of the discussions were greater cooperation between the Philippines and New Zealand on environmental management, human rights and indigenous people’s welfare.

The two leaders also discussed possible air services linkage to boost tourism between the two countries.

The Philippines is the fourth biggest market for dairy products from New Zealand, and the second biggest market for New Zealand’s milk export.

The processing of New Zealand’s milk exports in the Philippines would reduce the trade imbalance between the two countries now enjoyed by the former.

"Today, we were discussing how some of the milk processing can be done in the Philippines," the President said.

Last year, New Zealand was the Philippines' 25^th trading partner, 30th export market, and ranked 22nd as an import market.

The value of RP exports to New Zealand increased by 36.52 percent from US$38.86 million in 2005 to $53.06 million in 2006 with the bulk of exports being food products and electronics.

On the other hand, imports from New Zealand declined by 1.75 percent from US$276.25 million in 2005 to $271.41 million in 2006. Eighty percent of Philippine imports from New Zealand consisted of food items, mainly dairy products and bird's eggs.

Clark said the Philippines has become an important trade partner for New Zealand and is now its 12^th biggest market with two-way trade worth more than NZ$650 million last year.

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (via PLDT) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo urged today overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) here to become overseas Filipino investors (OFIs) by investing in their home country to
further spur commerce and development. 

The President made the pitch in her meeting with members of the Filipino community this afternoon at the official residence of Ambassador to New Zealand Bienvenido Tejano at 5 Bristol Place in Karori, Wellington. 

"Inaalok natin na kayong mga OFW ay maging OFI at gamitin ang inyong mga inipon bilang puhunan sa paghahanda sa kinabukasan ninyo at ng inyong pamilya," the President said. 

At present, increasing OFW remittances are being used to increase human resource capital with their investments in real estate, housing, financial and capital investments such as in the stock market, government bonds and treasury bills, mutual funds and small businesses, she added. 

The President pointed out that her trips abroad are necessary to attract more investments and create more jobs towards the realization of a competitive and  modernized Philippines. 

She said the implementation of government reforms is concentrated on the development of the economy and the super regions in
the hope that one day, "going abroad to look for jobs is an option and not the only choice for Filipinos."
Now is the best time to invest in the country, the President said, stressing that the Philippine economy has become resilient and mature enough, undaunted even with the apprehensions brought by the conduct of the May 14 mid-term elections.  

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Via PLDT) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Monday made a strong pitch for the promotion of interfaith dialogue to bring about lasting peace, political stability and economic growth in Asia.

In a statement, the President asserted that far from being an abstract theory, interfaith dialogue is a "major contributor to peace and stability in the historically-troubled South Mindanao region."

"In Mindanao, we have taken steps to bring interfaith forces to bear upon a peace process that has resulted in a three-year ceasefire and monumental strides in economic growth," she SAID.

Extolling New Zealand’s role in the Mindanao Trust Fund, the President also hailed the key role New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark plays in fostering interfaith dialogue in the resolution of conflicts, the promotion of peace and economic growth.

The Mindanao Trust Fund is intended for the development of Mindanao.

"I am here as a follower and participant to promote interfaith collaboration in education, security, social development and media," she said

The President said that apart from its assistance to Mindanao, New Zealand plays a major role in East Asia’s "determined journey of consolidation since last year."

"As chair of the Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), I have witnessed the warming of ties between Asean, China and Japan within the context of common prosperity and collective security," she said.

She pointed out that "East Asia is coming of age in this millennium as a global leader for equitable trade with a clear social dividend and solid security with a soft touch. Our relations with New Zealand are incorporated in this paradigm."