Honorable Chargé d’Affaires Joseph A. Mussomeli
Excellencies, Honorable Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Distinguished Guests
Officers and Staff of the U.S. Embassy
Friends, Colleagues
Ladies and Gentlemen:

On behalf of the Philippine Government and the Filipino people, I wish to express our warmest congratulations to the American people in the celebration of their 229th Independence Day.

Relations between the Philippines and the United States have remained healthy and vibrant amidst the varying contours of the international landscape, from the global bipolar era to the current borderless world, with its attendant opportunities and concerns.

I am confident that our warm bilateral relations, particularly in the political, security and economic realms will continue to flourish in a mutually beneficial manner.

Both the Philippines and the United States aspire for peace and prosperity in the world at large, and in the Asia-Pacific region in particular, as demonstrated in our two countries’ active participation in the ASEAN Regional Forum, the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conferences, the ASEAN-US Meetings, and the APEC.

On this note, may I invite you all to a toast to the good health of President George W. Bush and to the prosperity and happiness of the American people.

Mabuhay!
 
 

/jay