Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Wednesday said the Philippines has arrived at a "higher kind of maturity in its strategic partnership" with its allies.

In her speech during the 60th anniversary celebration of the Leyte Landing in the central Philippines, Arroyo acknowledged thatthe return of the Philippines contingent from Iraq ahead of schedule caused some friction in the country's relations with the United States and other partners.

These allies, she noted, disagreed with the decision to put thelife of a Filipino truck driver first before the exigencies of diplomacy.

"But we do owe that freedom to decide our national interest to the bloodshed by Filipinos and Americans and Australians in the Second World War," she said.

"And we do appreciate that as the controversy has ebbed, we have arrived at a higher type of maturity in our strategic partnership," Arroyo added.

The Philippines' commitments to freedom and the war against terror are unflagging, Arroyo said, adding that the government would be determined as well in the search for a just and honorablepeace with rebels and insurgents.

"We will put down terrorists by the sword, at the same time; weseek to turn the rebel swords into plowshares," she said.

Arroyo said the historic bond between the Philippines and Americans forged 60 years ago in the flames of war lives on, noting that the Philippines continues to conduct joint military exercises and training with the United States to further hone the country's capability against terrorism.

She also stressed the vitality of the Philippine-US bilateral relations. She said the Philippine government is also working withthe United States to ensure the safety and security of the ports, the transfer of passengers and cargo, which enabled the Philippines to have arrested suspected terrorists, defeated the leaders of Abu Sayyaf kidnap-for-ransom group and preemptively seized bombing devices and explosives meant to kill thousands of innocent people.

Within six months from now, 30 helicopters accompanied by spareparts, would arrive in the Philippines from the United States, Arroyo said, adding that for the next six years of her administration, the United States would provide the Philippines with a wide-range type of defense reforms worth about 4 billion pesos (71.43 million US dollars).

Arroyo also noted the bilateral cooperation accord against money laundering between the two countries even as the US government is helping put together system to make it easier and cheaper for Filipinos abroad to remit money to their families backhome.

At the ceremony, US Ambassador to Manila Francis Ricciardone said US President George W. Bush underscored the importance of remembering the Allied landing on Leyte's shores, saying the occasion is a "pivotal moment in the history of the War in the Pacific and in the human struggle for liberty, and also a central event in the long history of friendship between the peoples of thePhilippines and the United States.

Other foreign representatives from the embassies of Australia, New Zealand and United Kingdom, nations that took part in the Allied landing led by US General Douglas MacArthur, also participated the ceremony.

Source: Xinhua