"Arroyo told her it was painful at first because we had to implement tax reforms but these became our cushion."Arroyo met with the US-Asean businessmen and discussed what the Philippines had been doing to combat the economic crunch.
Clinton also lauded Filipino-Americans Saturday they have made to the United States for many years.
"As you know, the Philippines is one of our closest and most important allies, not just in Asia, but on so many issues around the world. And we are very proud of the role and contributions that Filipino Americans have played in the United States over many years," she said in remarks before her meeting with Arroyo.
"As you said, the Filipino Americans have played a very important role here, but another important thing is they all love you, both the Filipino Americans and the Filipinos in the Philippines. So we're so proud of you," she said.
Arroyo congratulated Ohio's 7th District Representative Steve Austria whose Filipino heritage is rooted in Tiaong, Quezon.
Austria paid a courtesy call on Arroyo in Washington D.C., the fifth leg of her one-week transatlantic official visits to Davos, Switzerland, the Middle East, and the US. Arroyo congratulated Austria in his successful bid for re-election in the House after having served as congressman in 1998, and as senator from 2000 to 2008. He also extended his support to Arroyo and assured her that he will represent the Filipinos in his capacity as a public official under the new administration of President Obama.
Austria is the first first-generation Filipino-American to be elected to the US House of Representatives. He joins Virginia Representative Robert Cortez Scott and Nevada Representative John Ensign as US congressmen of Filipino descent. (JMR/Sunnex)
Reference: sunstar
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