ACTING GOV. HON. TINA MUÑA BARNES, MY COLLEAGUES FROM THE CONSULAR CORPS, MEMBERS OF THE GUAM LEGISLATURE AND JUDICIARY, THE  FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,THE GUAM NATIONAL GUARD, OTHER EQUALLY DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, MY COUNTRYMEN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

AS MOST OF US ARE AWARE, GUAM AND THE PHILIPPINES HAVE A SHARED CULTURAL HERITAGE THAT DATES BACK TO THE SPANISH COLONIAL ERA.

THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS ON GUAM  THAT REMIND A FILIPINO OF THE  PHILIPPINES, FROM THE SMILING FRIENDLY FACES YOU ENCOUNTER ANYWHERE YOU GO,  TO THE RICH FOOD AND WARM  CLIMATE.

-     THUS, WHEN A FILIPINO FIRST SETS FOOT ON GUAM, HE NEVER FEELS A STRANGER ON THIS ISLAND;

IT IS THEREFORE NO WONDER THAT MORE THAN  40,000 FILIPINOS HAVE CHOSEN GUAM TO BE THEIR ADOPTED HOME.

AND I AM PROUD TO NOTE THAT THEY HAVE BEEN AND CONTINUE TO BE PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

TO MY COUNTRYMEN WHO HAVE CHOSEN GUAM AS THEIR HOME, THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT IS VERY PROUD OF YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS.

WE RECOGNIZE YOUR VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO GUAM AND THE PHILIPPINES,

WE SALUTE YOUR DETERMINATION TO UPLIFT THE WELFARE OF YOUR FAMILY AND COMMUNITY.

TO THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF GUAM WE THANK YOU FOR THE HOSPITALITY YOU  HAVE EXTENDED AND THE OPPORTUNITIES YOU HAVE MADE AVAILABLE TO MY COUNTRYMEN.

TODAY, ON THE OCCASION OF THE 110^th ANNIVERSARY OF THE PROCLAMATION OF PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE, IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT RELATIONS BETWEEN GUAM AND THE PHILIPPINES, WHICH HAVE ALWAYS BEEN EXCELLENT, HAVE REACHED NEW HEIGHTS.

DURING THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS A NUMBER OF EVENTS HAVE MADE THE TIES BETWEEN GUAM AND THE PHILIPPINES MUCH MORE CLOSER AT DIFFERENT LEVELS.

LAST NOVEMBER, FOR THE FIRST TIME A SITTING CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE PHILIPPINES VISITED GUAM AS GUEST OF THE ANNUAL PACIFIC ISLAND JUDICIAL CONFERENCE.

IN JANUARY, LT. GOV. MIKE CRUZ VISITED CEBU AND WAS ABLE TO TRACE HIS RELATIVES IN CARCAR, CEBU.

LAST MARCH, SOME 200 BUSINESSMEN FROM THE PHILIPPINES ATTENDED THE GUAM INVESTMENT FORUM TO SEE FOR THEMSELVES THE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES THAT WILL BE BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE MILITARY BUILD UP ON THIS ISLAND…

IN APRIL, SOME 200 MAYORS FROM THE PHILIPPINES ATTENDED THE PACIFIC ISLANDS MAYORS CONFERENCE ON GUAM.

ON THE SAME MONTH, THE GOVERNOR OF CEBU, WHO WAS THE GUEST SPEAKER OF THE MAYORS CONFERENCE, SIGNED A SISTER PROVINCE AGREEMENT WITH THE GOVERNOR OF GUAM TO CARRY OUT EXCHANGES AND COOPERATE IN THE FIELDS OF TOURISM, SCINECE AND TECHNOLOGY AND AGRICULTURE, AMONG OTHERS.

AS I SPEAK, A PLATOON OF GUAM ARMY NATIONAL GUARDS ARE PARTICIPATING IN COUNTER-TERRORISM EXCERCISES BETWEEN THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES AND THE UNITED STATES IN SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES.

AS PART OF THE GUAM NATIONAL GUARD-ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES STATE PARTNERSHIP PROJECT THE GUAM NATIONAL GUARD IS ALSO HELPING BUILD CLASSROOMS IN MINDORO PROVINCE.

AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, RELATIONS BETWEEN THE PHILIPPINES AND THE UNITED STATES HAVE NEVER BEEN BETTER.

THE UNITED STATES CONTINUES TO BE OUR MAJOR TRADING PARTNER AND SOURCE OF FOREIGN INVESTMENT. IT IS THE ONLY COUNTRY WITH WHICH THE PHILIPPINES HAS A MUTUAL DEFENSE TREATY.

THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE PHILIPPINES HAVE JUST COMPLETED LAST MARCH THE 8^th JOINT BALIKATAN EXERCISE PURSUANT TO THE PHILIPPINES- US MUTUAL DEFENSE TREATY. PLANS ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY FOR THE NEXT JOINT EXERCISE IN 2009 IN PALAWAN.

SOME 2 MILLION FILIPINOS NOW CONSIDER THE U.S. THEIR  HOME MAKING FILIPINOS THE 3^RD LARGEST ETHNIC MINORITY FROM ASIA  IN THE UNITED STATES.

ON JUNE 24, 11 DAYS FROM NOW, PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO WILL MEET WITH PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH IN WASHINGTON D.C..

ACCORDING TO THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE PRESIDENT BUSH WILL  WELCOME PRESIDENT ARROYO IN WASHINGTON, D.C. FOR DISCUSSIONS ON  ISSUES OF GREAT INTEREST TO THE PHILIPPINES AND THE U.S., PARTICULARLY  ON WAYS TO FURTHER STRENGTHENING OUR LONG STANDING AND HISTORIC BILATERAL RELATIONS.

ON THIS NOTE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE JOIN ME IN A TOAST TO THE UNDERSTANDING AND FRIENDSHIP AMONG OUR PEOPLES AND TO THE HEALTH OF HIS EXCELLENCY GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AMERICA. - END -