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MANILA, Philippines -- Presidents Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Alvaro Uribe of Colombia discovered they are addressing the fallout from the global financial crisis and their country’s insurgencies in the same way -- by uplifting the lives of the poor -- Malacañang said Tuesday.
Arroyo and Uribe "exchanged governance tips amid banter" during a one and a half hour meeting in the coastal city of Cartagena, and concluded that while their two countries are "worlds apart," they have "many similarities and strengths and share common challenges and solutions," the Palace said in a statement.
When asked by Arroyo, Uribe said he was extending "direct help" to the poor, including conditional cash transfers, and ensuring food security. He also said that his government was "addressing" its insurgency problem, the statement said.
"Yes, we are doing exactly the same thing back home. In fact, we adopted the good practices of South America to deal with our present day challenges," the statement quoted Arroyo as telling Uribe.
Arroyo also told Uribe that two famous Colombians are married to Filipinos, former Miss International Stella Marquez de Araneta and Lizzie Zobel, who married businessman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala.
The Zobel couple hosted Arroyo at their Cartagena home, while her official delegation, including Trade Secretary Peter Favila, Press Secretary Jesus Dureza and five lawmakers were billeted at a century-old monastery-turned-hotel.
