Loida says speech also aimed at RP

By Joseph G. Lariosa
CHICAGO, Illinois – Filipino American leader Loida Nicolas Lewis says the inaugural speech of President Barack Obama on Jan. 20 “affects every Filipino American in the sense that he is restoring the sense of honesty, accountability, transparency and competency in the United States government.”
In an email to this reporter Jan. 23, the lawyer-businesswoman also said, “for Philippines-U.S. relations, “bato-bato sa langit, ang tamaan huwag Magagalit”. (He, who gets hit with stones thrown in the sky, should not be angry.) The part of his speech, which is addressed to other nations of the world, is addressed to the Philippines as well. Depending on your point of view, it is cause of rejoicing or sorrow.”

Ms. Lewis, who attended the reception of the Inaugural event in the Philippine Embassy and afterwards the Pearl Presidential Inaugural Ball at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel both in Washington, D.C. on Monday, Jan. 19, eve of the Inauguration, also said, “President Obama’s speech was solid, sober and spelt out what the vision, mission and objectives are for the next four years. He was gracious to President Bush in thanking him for the cooperation during the transition days and then proceeded to say all the things to undo the harm inflicted on the American people and the rest of the world by President Bush’s eight years of ‘reign of error.’”
On the confirmation of Sen. Hillary Clinton as U.S. Secretary of State, Ms. Lewis said that “President Obama chose the best person for the position. I am annoyed that the two Southern Republican Senators who voted against her confirmation could not go above their bigotry and partisanship.”
She dismissed speculation that she is angling for a position at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), an independent federal government agency that receives overall foreign policy guidance from the U.S. Secretary of State, saying, “Whoever gave you that rumor? I was never offered; I never requested.”
Ms. Lewis said Mrs. Clinton’s appointment is also good for the Philippines because while first lady, she visited the Philippines twice.
While she was a Senator, she co-sponsored the Filipino Veterans Equity bill every time it was filed in Congress.
She said she gave up attending the Inaugural Ball as she was “too exhausted after four hours of waiting in line to enter and another three hours to return to the hotel that my sister Imelda” had to go thru.
“Besides, the apex of the day was the swearing-in of President Barack Obama and every things else were anti-climactic after that.”
She was also disappointed to know that the new Fil Am Rep. Steve Austria (Rep.-Ohio-7th) arrived in the Philippine Embassy after she left for the Pearl Presidential Inaugural Ball at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on Monday, eve of the Inauguration.
But she was glad to meet the host, Philippine Ambassador to the United States Willie Gaa, and his staff and other prominent guests, among them teen singing sensation Charice Pempengco.

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