Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07MANILA379
2007-02-01 09:12:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Manila
Cable title:
GENERAL SANTOS CITY WILL WELCOME USS BLUE RIDGE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0007 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHML #0379 0320912 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 010912Z FEB 07 FM AMEMBASSY MANILA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5038 INFO RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS MANILA 000379
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL MARR RP
SUBJECT: GENERAL SANTOS CITY WILL WELCOME USS BLUE RIDGE
REF: 06 MANILA 4126
UNCLAS MANILA 000379
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL MARR RP
SUBJECT: GENERAL SANTOS CITY WILL WELCOME USS BLUE RIDGE
REF: 06 MANILA 4126
1. (U) South Cotabato provincial governor Daisy Avance-Fuentes and
General Santos City Mayor Pedro Acharon, Jr., in separate meetings
on January 31 with an Embassy delegation composed of Pol/C, JUSMAG
chief, and DATT, voiced enthusiastic support for the February 17-18
visit of the USS Blue Ridge to General Santos City and predicted a
warm welcome. Governor Fuentes admitted that a few leftist groups
may stage some protests, but opined that these would be small scale
and not reflective of the views of most inhabitants. Mayor Acharon
pledged full security support, while noting interest in moving a
projected Blue Ridge band concert from the pier to a downtown
location so that more people could enjoy it.
2. (U) Pol/C expressed our condolences on the January 10 bombing
in General Santos city that killed six and injured 30. Governor
Fuentes said that such bombings "set General Santos back 2-3 years"
in terms of attracting investment and tourism, but she commented
that a high profile visit like the Blue Ridge's could help
counteract this image. She underscored that this ship visit, the
first by a U.S. Navy vessel in many years, would also dispel the
impression that the U.S. Government was only interested in the Sulu
Archipelago, the focus of many counterterrorism and developmental
programs. Both Governor Fuentes and Mayor Acharon were appreciative
of the new U.S. Government reward - up to US$50,000 - for Abdul
Basit Usman, believed to be involved in the January 10 bombing.
3. (U) Mayor Acharon joined Pol/C at a separate event to
inaugurate a USAID-funded Computer Literacy and Internet Connection
(CLIC) program at the Training Department (high school) of the
College of Education of the Mindanao State University campus in
General Santos City. This school is now among the 489 schools
throughout Mindanao, including 17 in General Santos City, to benefit
from this program, which has brought the internet and computers to
about 440,000 students and 12,000 teachers already. Pol/C
underscored the importance of partnership - with the school and its
Parent Teacher Cooperative Association and with private and
corporate sector donors, as well as between the U.S. people and
government and the Philippine people and government - especially as
our two nations celebrate the 60th anniversary of our bilateral
friendship.
Visit Embassy Manila's Classified SIPRNET website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm
KENNEY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL MARR RP
SUBJECT: GENERAL SANTOS CITY WILL WELCOME USS BLUE RIDGE
REF: 06 MANILA 4126
1. (U) South Cotabato provincial governor Daisy Avance-Fuentes and
General Santos City Mayor Pedro Acharon, Jr., in separate meetings
on January 31 with an Embassy delegation composed of Pol/C, JUSMAG
chief, and DATT, voiced enthusiastic support for the February 17-18
visit of the USS Blue Ridge to General Santos City and predicted a
warm welcome. Governor Fuentes admitted that a few leftist groups
may stage some protests, but opined that these would be small scale
and not reflective of the views of most inhabitants. Mayor Acharon
pledged full security support, while noting interest in moving a
projected Blue Ridge band concert from the pier to a downtown
location so that more people could enjoy it.
2. (U) Pol/C expressed our condolences on the January 10 bombing
in General Santos city that killed six and injured 30. Governor
Fuentes said that such bombings "set General Santos back 2-3 years"
in terms of attracting investment and tourism, but she commented
that a high profile visit like the Blue Ridge's could help
counteract this image. She underscored that this ship visit, the
first by a U.S. Navy vessel in many years, would also dispel the
impression that the U.S. Government was only interested in the Sulu
Archipelago, the focus of many counterterrorism and developmental
programs. Both Governor Fuentes and Mayor Acharon were appreciative
of the new U.S. Government reward - up to US$50,000 - for Abdul
Basit Usman, believed to be involved in the January 10 bombing.
3. (U) Mayor Acharon joined Pol/C at a separate event to
inaugurate a USAID-funded Computer Literacy and Internet Connection
(CLIC) program at the Training Department (high school) of the
College of Education of the Mindanao State University campus in
General Santos City. This school is now among the 489 schools
throughout Mindanao, including 17 in General Santos City, to benefit
from this program, which has brought the internet and computers to
about 440,000 students and 12,000 teachers already. Pol/C
underscored the importance of partnership - with the school and its
Parent Teacher Cooperative Association and with private and
corporate sector donors, as well as between the U.S. people and
government and the Philippine people and government - especially as
our two nations celebrate the 60th anniversary of our bilateral
friendship.
Visit Embassy Manila's Classified SIPRNET website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm
KENNEY