SYDNEY—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo finally got her pull-aside meeting with US President George W. Bush at 11 a.m. September 8, the first day of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit here.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer said that in this meeting, Mrs. Arroyo succeeded in getting a promise from the US President to sign the Filipino veterans’ bills if the US Congress passed them. Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said Bush was seen jotting down notes as he told Arroyo: "Hey, Gloria, did you finish everything we talked about?

Bunye said the two leaders had a chat for between five and seven minutes just before the meeting of the Apec Business Advisory Council got underway at the Sydney Opera House.

Bunye said that based on the Philippine President’s notes, Bush promised to sign the Filipino veterans equity bill that is expected to benefit 31,000 Filipino World War II veterans living in the United States and the Philippines, the Inquirer added.

Arroyo and Bush were originally scheduled to hold a 20-minute one-on-one meeting on Friday but it was cancelled at the last minute on the American side’s request.

Arroyo and other Filipino officials said later the aborted meeting was no longer necessary as the two presidents “talked all the time” during a luncheon Bush hosted for leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Mr. Bush extended his invitation to Asean leaders to visit him at his Texas ranch at their own convenience in connection with the 30th anniversary of US-Asean relations on Sept 26. Mrs. Arroyo indicated her immediate acceptance saying this was “great” because it will give her an opportunity to thank a Texas-based firm which has invested $1-billion in the Philippines.

Bunye said that it was also during this luncheon that Arroyo urged Bush to immediately sign into law the two bills that will benefit Filipino veterans once they are passed by the US Congress. Bunye said the two leaders discussed the bills - the Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2007 and the Veterans’ Benefits Enhancement Act of 2007 - at the sidelines of the 15th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit here.

Bunye quoted Mrs. Arroyo as saying to Bush: “Passed into law, this will be a profound gesture reflective of the deep and abiding relations between the Philippines and the United States and the Filipino and American peoples’ shared commitment to uphold the values of democracy and justice for all." The presidential spokesman said Mrs. Arroyo also stressed the importance of the passage of the bills to the Filipinos, adding that signing them into law will end the decade-long struggle of Filipino veterans to be recognized for their contributions during World War II, according to Bunye.

SYDNEY, Australia – President Bush has invited Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and other Asean leaders to his Texas ranch to mark the 30th anniversary of US-Asean relations.

He extended the invitation during the lunch he hosted Sept. 7 for Asean leaders at the Intercontinental Sydney Hotel prior to the meeting of the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit meeting here Mrs. Arroyo immediately indicated her acceptance by telling Mr. Bush the invitation was “great.” She said this would give her an opportunity to visit Texas Instruments, Inc., and thank the computer chip manufacturer for the $1-billion investments in the Philippines.

The US State Department will host a reception in Washington D.C. to mark the 30th anniversary of the US-Asean relations from 6-8 p.m. on September 26. Asean is made up of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Mr. Bush said: “I’m inviting ASEAN leaders to Texas at their convenience and am looking forward to continuing constructive conversation whether on democracy, fighting terrorism or expanding trade or avian flu or climate change.”

Mrs. Arroyo later told reporters that the luncheon meeting went well, and they covered issues ranging from counter-terrorism, economy to climate change.

She said the first thing they discussed was Bush’s praise for the country’s anti-terrorism campaign in his speech at the luncheon, and she replied that it was because of the US’s “strong partnership in the South.”