Presidents Arroyo and Bush. AFP Photo There seems to be a new warmth in Philippines-American relations. Presidents Arroyo and Bush sat in animated conversation over dinner during the recent APEC summit in Santiago, Chile. Bush reiterated his promise for more military aid to the Philippines as he thanked Arroyo for her initiatives against the terrorist insurgents in Mindanao. He said he wants closer relations between both countries. With the US spearheading the global war on terror, the Bush administration needs its former ally almost as much as the Philippines needs US assistance. Astute politicians would say now is the perfect time for the Philippines to do some arm-twisting of its own. The Philippine Veterans Equity Bill is one that immediately comes to mind--and with the Republicans now in control of both houses of congress, the passage of this bill should be nothing short of a slam-dunk for this US President. The Philippines must be more forceful in its quest for economic and social progress: externally, as it interacts with other nations such as the US, China and Japan; as well as internally by making an honest effort to stamp-out graft and corruption. And the success of the external initiatives will depend greatly on the successes of the internal ones. Getting foreign governments and businesses to aid or invest in the country will be extremely difficult if not impossible if it is mired in graft and corruption; and even if we somehow do get aid or funding from abroad, any positive effect it may have will be greatly reduced if those funds are tied-down by a corrupt, incompetent bureaucracy or worse still, diverted into the pockets of a few dishonest individuals. Both Presidents are now in the glare of public scrutiny on these issues. Can Bush show the Filipinos that American aid and assistance will be there during his second term in office, and can he right the decades-long injustice heaped on our aging Filipino veterans? And can Arroyo show the world that her country is a nation that prosecutes and jails thieves and plunderers, be they presidents, generals, and the high and mighty. Published 2004