On July 30, 2009, Presidents Barack Obama and Gloria Arroyo of the Philippines will meet at the White House, the first Southeast Asian leader to do so.  The declared agenda according to a top Cabinet member is to tackle substantial matters relating to terrorism and climate change.

The timing of this historic meeting comes only 3 days after the SONA − State of the Nation Address of President Arroyo who has been in constant denial about her term extension intensions via a constitutional change, in constant denial about NOEL or No Elections in 2010, in constant denial about possible declaration of Martial Law with red flags signals already showing. Ever since President Arroyo denied she was not running for President a few years back, Filipinos are wary and suspicious of her intensions to maintain power. Her approval ratings are dismal, what with corruption at the highest levels according to Freedom House, appalling human rights violation according to International Human Rights Watch, and poverty so gut-wrenching millions go hungry everyday.

But to President Arroyo's credit, is the fact that the economy has not sagged with this recession thanks in part to overseas Filipinos' remittances by the billions and to her credit too is the maximum tolerance policy vigorously followed by the army and police that in spite of many street protest have generally been peaceful.

So here's my wish for both Presidents Obama and Arroyo,  that this state visit become another firm link to a long historic relationship and that President Arroyo should be honored as an important guest in the light of the current situation, with only 10 more months to go before her term expires in 2010.