President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is expected to encourage India to play a key role in promoting inter-faith dialogue and understanding among people of diverse religions, when Indian President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam makes his three-day state visit to the Philippines starting tomorrow, Feb. 3.

Inter-faith dialogue is a distinct Philippine advocacy which it has been pushing in various world forums, including the United Nations where it has gained recognition and endorsements as a means of creating inter-faith harmony and addressing conditions that give rise to religious extremism and intolerance.

India, a multi-religious society, hosts the second largest Muslim population in the world.

President Kalam’s visit, the first by an Indian head of state in 15 years, is upon the invitation of President Arroyo. It will reciprocate the 1997 state visit to India by then President Fidel V. Ramos.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo said Philippine-India talks during the visit will focus on revitalizing the bilateral ties between the two Asian democracies and to explore areas for regional cooperation.

India and the Philippines are fellow participants in the ASEAN-lndia Summit and the East Asia Summit of Leaders, which the Philippines will host in December this year as the incoming ASEAN chair.

The East Asia Summit is a meeting of the heads of state of regional neighbors China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand, and the 10 member-states of ASEAN.

The highlight of the state visit will be the official bilateral talks between Presidents Arroyo and Kalam on Saturday (Feb. 4) in Malacaņang, with the further strengthening of bilateral trade and investments on top of their agenda.

Romulo said the Philippine government is keen on inviting Indian investments in the health and technology sectors where the economies of both countries can complement each other's strong points. Both countries are considered leaders in business processes outsourcing and have strong potentials in the medical tourism market.

The Philippines has identified India as a major source of affordable quality medicines in line with President Arroyo's program to make medicines accessible to all Filipinos.

Romulo said the Philippines and India are also expected to sign a defense cooperation agreement during Kalam’s visit. The accord, he said, will boost defense ties, deepen naval and maritime cooperation and strengthen the annual security dialogue between the two countries.

On Monday, Feb. 6, the Indian leader will address a joint session of the Philippine Congress.

An eminent scientist in India, President Kalam is also scheduled to visit several educational institutions in Metro Manila including the Philippine Science High School and the University of the Philippines, where he will interact with students, faculty members, and Filipino scientists.

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Investments in health and technology are expected to highlight talks between Manila and New Delhi during the three-say state visit to the Philippines by Indian President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam starting tomorrow, Feb. 3.

Both India and the Philippines are considered leaders in business process outsourcing and have strong potentials in the medical tourism market, factors which could very well be tapped by both countries in their bilateral talks.

The Philippines is expected to enlist India’s support for its initiatives in international fora on inter-faith dialogue, counter-terrorism and maritime cooperation.

It is also ready to engage India on affordable medicines and pharmaceutical raw materials and ICT operations and partnerships with the latter’s "Look East" policy.

Kalam’s visit to Manila is upon the invitation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He will be accompanied by three members of the Indian parliament and officials from the Indian Foreign office.

The Indian President will be accorded arrival honors at Malacanang at 10 a.m. Saturday, followed by the signing of the Palace Guest Book.

An expanded meeting, which follows the one-on-one talk between President Arroyo and Kalam Saturday, will culminate with the signing of Memorandums of Agreement in tourism and defense cooperation, abolition of visa requirements, executive program of culture, renewable energy and between the Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC) and the Indian pharmaceutical sector.

A state dinner in honor of Kalam will be held at the Rizal Hall of Malacanang Saturday starting at 7 p.m.

Upon his arrival in Manila Friday, Kalam will visit the University of the Philippines College of Nursing in Manila and host a reception for the Indian Community at the Philippine Plaza Hotel.

On Sunday, Kalam will visit the International Rice Research Institute in Los Banos, Laguna and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) and Philippine Science High School in Quezon City before addressing a joint session of Congress at 2 p.m.

Kalam will be the fourth head of state to address a joint session of Congress following US President George W. Bush, Chinese President Hu Jin Tao and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.

He leaves for Seoul, South Korea at 3:40 p.m. for the next leg of his three-nation swing which also includes Singapore.

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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will hold a one-on-one meeting tomorrow (Saturday) in Malacanang with visiting Indian President Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam.

The first Indian President to visit the Philippines in 15 years, President Abdul Kalam arrived in Manila this afternoon for a three-day State Visit.

The two Presidents are expected to sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on tourism and defense cooperation, abolition of visa requirements, executive program of culture, renewable energy and medicine.

President Abdul Kalam will be accorded arrival honors in Malacanang at 10 a.m. before his meeting with President Arroyo, who is expected to request India to play a key role in promoting inter-faith dialogue in addressing conditions that give rise to religious extremism.

The Philippines is also expected to make a good case on complementation, rather than competition, with India on the multibillion-dollar information and communication technology industry (ICT).

The country is likewise expected to engage India on affordable medicines and pharmaceutical raw materials in support of President Arroyo’s "Botika sa Barangay" program that offers quality but cheap medicines for common illnesses such as colds, fever and diarrhea.

Also tomorrow, President Arroyo will host a state dinner in honor of the visiting Indian leader at 7 p.m. at the Rizal Hall of Malacanang.

On Monday (Feb. 6), President Abdul Kalam will address the joint session of Congress.

The Indian President’s Philippine itinerary includes a visit to the International Rice Research Institute in Los Banos, Laguna, and the Philippine Science High School in Quezon City.

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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo formally welcomed Indian President Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam in the course of his four-day state visit to the Philippines during appropriate ceremonies in Malacaņang this morning.

President Kalam and his 50-man delegation arrived at 10 a.m. and were welcomed by the President upon embarking at Malacanang’s Kalayaan grounds.

A 21-gun salute welcomed the visiting Indian President as the national anthems of the two countries were played successively.

Afterwards, President Arroyo invited President Kalam for the inspection of the honor guards.

President Kalam was then introduced to the welcoming Cabinet officials and members of the diplomatic corps.

India’s chief of protocol likewise introduced President Arroyo to the Indian delegation.

President Arroyo and President Kalam walked toward the main entrance of the Palace for the signing of the Guest Book.

The two leaders then held a 20-minute one-on-one talk at Malacaņang’s Music Room and a 30-minute bilateral talk at the Aguinaldo State Dining Room.

After the bilateral meeting, the two Presidents witnessed the signing of agreements on defense cooperation, tourism, agriculture, and expanding the Philippines’ supply base for quality but low-priced medicines from India.

President Kalam turned over to the President the improved varieties of sweet sorghum and Asha peanuts from India which are both suitable for commercial production in the country.

The President then guided President Kalam to the main staircase and bid him goodbye.

President Kalam arrived in Manila Friday afternoon for a four-day state visit that includes an address before a joint session of Congress on Monday.

The Indian President and his delegation will depart for Seoul, South Korea on the same day.

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The Philippines and India, building upon their friendly relations as reaffirmed in the current visit of Indian President Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam to Manila, have agreed to expand bilateral cooperation and mutual engagement to include enhanced defense and security cooperation.

The first Indian President to visit the Philippines in 15 years, Kalam arrived in Manila yesterday afternoon.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo formally welcomed this morning in Malacaņang the visiting Indian leader and his delegation.

Philippine Defense Secretary Avelino J. Cruz Jr. and Indian Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, on behalf of Indian Defense Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee, signed a Defense Cooperation Agreement.

The signing of the agreement was the culmination of a two-year effort to formalize existing defense cooperation between the Philippines and India. It is seen as a timely opportunity to build upon the excellent relations between the two countries and to reinforce these ties through active cooperation in defense and security, within the context of their bilateral, multilateral and regional commitments.

The agreement seeks to enhance the bilateral defense relationship between Philippines and India through the mutual exchange of experience and knowledge between the two countries.

Defense cooperation will be promoted through exchanges of military training expertise and information, military instructors and observers, military personnel for purposes of attending military educational courses or programs, among other activities of mutual benefit that promote closer defense ties. In the field of defense related technology, the agreement also seeks to facilitate contact between defense related agencies and dialogue between research institutes.

Previous Philippine Defense officials have visited India to foster better defense relations between the two countries.

Since 2002, the two countries have engaged in information exchanges and security dialogues. Military-to-military exchanges have also been enhanced in recent years through the attendance of various Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) officers in training courses offered by Indian military training institutions under the Other Allied Countries (OAC) Program.

Faculty and students of the National Defense College of India recently visited the Philippines, hosted by their counterparts in the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP).

In 2004, bilateral defense cooperation between the two countries was given an impetus when former Philippine Defense Secretary Eduardo R. Ermita invited then Indian Defense Minister George Fernandez to a formal signing of a defense cooperation agreement in Manila.

Diplomatic relations between the Philippines and India were formally established in 1949 after India gained its independence in 1947. A Treaty of Friendship was signed between the two countries in 1954.

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Four major bilateral agreements were signed today between India and the Philippines following the expanded meeting between the two countries witnessed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the visiting Indian President Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam.

The first document signed in front of the two Presidents at the Palace Reception Hall was the agreement on Defense Cooperation between Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz, Jr. and Indian Minister for Rural Development Raghuvanash Prasad Singh.

While defense and security cooperation between the two countries are ongoing, the new agreement will provide legal framework to enhance defense cooperation through exchanges in military training, expertise and information; exchanges in military instructors and observers; exchange of visits of military aircraft and naval vessels; and defense technology cooperation.

Undersecretary Oscar P. Palabyab, acting secretary of the Department of Tourism, and Minister Singh signed the agreement of cooperation in the field of tourism which is expected to boost the volume of tourists from the two countries.

Manila and New Delhi would jointly promote tourism activities such as exchange of information and expertise in the development of traditional tourism products, crafts and industries, and would undertake joint marketing and promotion programs, exchange of expertise and best practices in the management and operation of tourism businesses.

The third agreement on cooperation in agriculture and related fields, signed by Agriculture Secretary Domingo F. Panganiban and Minister Singh, aims to promote the exchange of agricultural materials and information technology.

It is also aimed at exchanging agricultural scientists, experts and trainees; organizing symposia, conferences and other activities covering the cooperation in rice production and processing, sugarcane technology, multiple cropping, bio-organic farming, horticulture, cotton-growing, dairy development, dairy and livestock development, particularly in dairy buffalo breeding, among others.

The fourth agreement is an effort of the Philippines to expand its supply base for quality medicines from lower-priced source countries like India.

Former Agrarian Reform Secretary and now Philippine International Trading Corp (PITC) Chairman and President Roberto Pagdanganan and Valerian Victor Lobo of the LOB International, PITC representative in India for Pharmaceuticals, signed the documents.

Since 2000, India has been the supplier of multinational-branded medicines to the Philippines under the government’s parallel importation program.

PITC, the only legally authorized entity to undertake parallel importation of pharmaceuticals, purchased such goods solely from India, from 2000 up to present. Total annual imports have grown steadily, reaching close to US$1 million in 2005.

After the signing, President Kalam turned over to President Macapagal-Arroyo the improved varieties of Asha peanut and Sweet sorghum. Sweet sorghum is considered now as the best alternative supplement sugarcane for ethanol production.

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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo received today from visiting Indian President Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam the improved varieties of sweet sorghum and "Asha" peanuts from India, which are both being introduced for commercial production in the country.

The turnover of the improved varieties took place after the two Presidents witnessed the signing of several cooperation agreements this morning at the Reception Hall of Malacaņang.

Asha peanuts, which are almost double the size of the local variety, were introduced to the Philippines last year and being pilot-grown in Cagayan and Isabela for possible commercial production.

Sweet sorghum is a good substitute for sugar and a raw material for the production of ethanol, which is already being blended with gasoline (up to 10 percent) in several Asian countries including India.

The improved variety of sweet sorghum is now being considered the best alternative to supplement sugarcane in line with the Philippines’ plan to establish a national ethanol fuel program.

The cost of producing one liter of ethanol from sweet sorghum is lower that that from sugarcane molasses.

Local distilleries, which only operate at 50 percent efficiency due to the limited availability of molasses, can be fully utilized if cultivation of sweet sorghum is promoted for ethanol production.

Agriculture Secretary Domingo Panganiban, one of the Cabinet officials who attended the bilateral talks with India, said, "sweet sorghum can be a good substitute for sugar."

Panganiban said they are now planting sweet sorghum in Cagayan Valley in commercial scale for animal feeds and eventually for ethanol production.

"The government, through Presidential Assistant (Oscar) Garin, with the DOST (Department of Science and Technology), DOE (Department of Energy), and SRA (Sugar Regulatory Administration) will send a delegation to India to look at their operations (ethanol production) and learn from it," Panganiban said in an interview.

Panganiban said sweet sorghum is very resistant to drought and can be harvested in shorter time than sugarcane.

He said quick planting of the improved variety of sweet sorghum is a good substitute for sugar in case of a shortage, aside from providing animal feeds richer in micronutrients and minerals from the bagasse of sugarcane.

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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo hailed last night the visit of Indian President Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam to the country, saying it highlighted the close political, economic and cultural relations between the Philippines and India.

"Mister President, your visit highlights our closeness in political, economic, and cultural affairs," President Arroyo said during the state banquet she hosted in honor of the visiting Indian leader at the Rizal Hall of Malacaņang Saturday night.

She said "Filipinos share with Indians a love for democracy, a passion to promote the health of our peoples, and a drive for enterprise and excellence in the knowledge economy."

"Filipinos and Indians are both spread all over the world. There are 10 million Filipinos all over the world, there are 20 million Indians all over the world. We can and we should complement each other's strengths and potentials," she said.

As pioneering democracies in Asia, the Philippines and India can help create greater opportunities "for our peoples and the entire regional community," she added.

"India and the Philippines are long-standing pioneering democracies. And we shall continue together to fight soldier-to-soldier the serious threat of religious extremism and intolerance, and to defend the democracy that our two countries pioneered and championed in Asia," President Arroyo said.

She thanked the Indian leader "for putting the Philippines back on the radar screen of India."

She said the Philippines will continue to work with India in making available to the people affordable medicines, developing alternative sources of energy, and promoting mutual visits and tourism.

The Philippines is seeking complementary partnerships in information technology, heavy industries, electoral reforms, and the fight against religious extremism.

President Kalam's visit has elevated bilateral relations between India and the Philippines "to a more meaningful level," President Arroyo said.

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