A reunion of sorts will happen this weekend in Singapore with the confirmed attendance of US President Barack Obama and President Arroyo at the US-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting on November 15.

Nearly four months after their first meeting in Washington DC, Arroyo is set to hold another meeting with Obama but this time she will be joined by other Southeast Asian leaders.

Deputy Presidential Spokesman Anthony Golez said the US-ASEAN summit will focus on discussions on regional cooperation on climate change, security, and trade and investments.

But Golez said in a radio interview that he is unaware if President Arroyo would have a pull-aside meeting with Obama at the sidelines of the APEC meeting. The last time the two leaders met was last July when Obama invited President Arroyo to a meeting at the White House.

The President is expected to depart for Singapore on Friday to attend the annual meeting of Pacific Rim leaders on economic and security issues.

“I don’t know if there is a meeting being arranged between President Arroyo and President Obama. Only the Department of Foreign Affairs knows if there is such a move,” he said.

Asked if the brief visit of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was a prelude to a possible Obama-Arroyo bilateral meeting, Golez said it will depend on the arrangement of the DFA.

Malacañang earlier confirmed that Clinton will visit Manila on November 12-13 before flying to other countries in Asia.

Clinton, wife of former US President Bill Clinton, is scheduled to hold talks with President Arroyo to tackle matters about the 2010 elections, rehabilitation of typhoon-hit provinces, and the Mindanao peace process, according to Press Secretary Cerge Remonde.

The Philippine government is optimistic of a fruitful dialogue among US and ASEAN leaders next week in Singapore following a special meeting among senior officials here in Manila, which ended over the weekend.

Senior officials of the ASEAN and US held a three-day special meeting in Makati City from Nov. 5 to 7 in preparation for the 1st ASEAN – US Leaders’ Meeting to be held in Singapore on Nov. 15 on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

“The ASEAN senior officials had a very productive meeting with our counterparts from the United States and we look forward to a successful 1st ASEAN - US Leaders’ Meeting in Singapore next week,” Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Enrique Manalo said.

Manalo and US Ambassador to ASEAN Scot Alan Marciel co-chaired the Special ASEAN-US Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM). The Philippines currently serves as the Country Coordinator for ASEAN - US Dialogue Relations.

The Special Senior Officials’ Meeting was attended by Permanent Secretary Osman Patra of Brunei Darussalam; SOM Leader Soeung Rathchavy of Cambodia; Secretary General Imron Cotan of Indonesia; Assistant Minister Alounkeo Kittikhoun of Lao PDR; Secretary General Tan Sri Rastam Mohd. Isa of Malaysia; Undersecretary Enrique A. Manalo of the Philippines; Ambassador to ASEAN Scot Alan Marciel of the United States; Director General Min Lwin of Myanmar; Deputy Director General Desmond Ng Wee Kwang of Singapore; Director-General Vitavas Srivihok of Thailand; Deputy Director-General Tran Duc Binh of Vietnam; and Head of External Relations Keo Chhea of the ASEAN Secretariat.

Senator Francis Pangilinan said that President Arroyo should include the controversial RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) as part of her agenda in her meeting with Clinton.

Pangilinan said Mrs. Arroyo should indicate to Clinton of the essentiality of reviewing the military treaty for stronger bilateral relations.

A Senate resolution has already been adopted early this year calling on the Department of Foreign Affairs to renegotiate the VFA with their US counterpart.

“The Senate resolution gives President Arroyo the leverage to bring the matter of revisiting the 10-year - old document and addressing the matter of its legality and constitutionality,” Pangilinan said.

“The VFA is grossly lopsided. Japan SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement) provides for the creation of a joint committee as a means of consultation between the US and the Japanese government on all matters requiring mutual consultation, a provision which is not found in VFA,” he pointed out.