US President Barack Obama signed a ‘thank you’ note in the official guestbook of Malacañang during his first day of his state visit in the Philippines. Photo from Aquino’s official Facebook account.
MANILA, Philippines – US President Barack Obama wrote on the official guestbook of Malacañang his “Thank you” note to the Philippines for welcoming him on the start of his two-day state-visit on Monday, calling the country America’s “oldest alliance in Asia.”
In the note posted in the official Twitter and Facebook accounts of President Aquino, Obama wrote: “I thank President Aquino and the people of the Philippines [for] welcoming me.”
“May America’s oldest alliance in Asia always be renewed by our friendship and mutual respect,” the note read, with Obama’s signature affixed below.
Obama wrote on the guestbook after arriving in Malacañang to meet President Aquino. The two presidents were expected to strengthen the ties between the ally countries.
The US president made the note despite protests by militants against Obama’s state visit held at the Mendiola bridge near Malacañang.
Obama’s state visit is the last stop of his Asian tour, part of the US bid to rebalance its forces in the region amid China’s increasing political and military might.
The US president started his state visit just hours after the signing of an agreement between the Philippines and US allowing an increased presence of American troops in this former US colony.
The US used to have military bases in the Philippines until the Senate voted to boot out the bases in 1991. Meanwhile, a treaty was signed in 1999 allowing temporary visits by US troops in the Philippines.
RELATED STORIES
Aquino welcomes Obama in Malacañang
Philippines, US sign defense pact