ASSOCIATED PRESS Sharing a toast yesterday at a reception for heads of state in Helsinki, Finland, were Myanmar's Foreign Minister U Nyan Win, left, the Finnish president's spouse Pentti Arajrvi, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Finnish President Tarja Halonen, Maltese Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. European Union leaders and their Asian partners opened a two-day Asia-Europe summit meeting that begins today.

Welcome prepared as Arroyo begins travels

A sakada statue that she will dedicate on Saturday has arrived from the Philippines

Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is in Helsinki, Finland, today on the first leg of a nine-day, five-nation trip that will bring her to Hawaii on Saturday to celebrate the Filipino Centennial.

There are two confirmed public events for Arroyo's visit. The highlight is expected to be at the Filipino Community Center at 2 p.m., when Arroyo will make remarks to invited guests in the ballroom of the center and then dedicate a statue of a sakada in the courtyard of the building.

Geminiano "Toy" Arre, the president of the Filcom Center, said he expects the public will show up to get a glimpse of Arroyo, even if they cannot get into the ballroom or the immediate area of the courtyard.

RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM A sakada statue arrived at the Filipino Community Center on Friday from the Philippines.

She will lay a wreath and dedicate a memorial marker at the cemetery to veterans who served in Bataan and Corregidor.

The marker will be installed on a rock from the Malinta Tunnel in Corregidor, the last stronghold in the Philippines, where President Manuel Quezon and General Douglas MacArthur led the fight against the Japanese invasion in 1941, the Philippines consulate said in a news release.

Also scheduled to speak at the ceremony are Gov. Linda Lingle, U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, Honolulu mayor Mufi Hannemann and officials from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The forum could provide an opportunity for Arroyo and Inouye to mention the fight in Congress to give equal benefits to Filipino scouts and other veterans who fought alongside U.S. soldiers during World War II. Inouye recently received a medal from the Philippine government for his role in helping secure benefits for Filipino veterans.

The statue that Arroyo will be dedicating arrived at the Filcom center yesterday and was uncrated in the courtyard this weekend, Arre said. It was shipped by air by the Philippine government to arrive in time for Arroyo's visit, Arre said.

The bronze statue, which was designed and cast in the Philippines, shows a worker with a machete cutting a piece of sugar cane.

The ballroom where Arroyo will speak is booked for a kick-boxing fight later in the evening, so the ring will be used as a press platform, Arre said.

During the visit, Arroyo will also meet with Lingle, Hannemann and military officials.

A dinner at Washington Place is being organized for Arroyo for Saturday night, but plans have not been finalized.

Her arrival and departure times also have not been finalized. She is expected to spend the night in Waikiki before leaving Sunday morning for the Philippines.

The Secret Service and police said earlier this month they expected minimal traffic delays as roads are closed to allow the presidential motorcade to travel through Honolulu.

Arroyo is in Helsinki for a two-day Asia-Europe meeting with other heads of state. According to a news release from the president's office, today she was to talk about trade, international terrorism and ways to address human rights violations.

Tomorrow Arroyo is scheduled to leave for Brussels, the second leg of the trip. She will also visit London and Cuba, where she is scheduled to meet with President Fidel Castro and attend a summit of the Non-Alliance Movement Ministerial Conference on Friday, according to Philippines media reports.

Arroyo left Manila yesterday accompanied by First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Trade Secretary Peter Favila, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla and Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye, according to a press release from her office. She was also traveling with a Philippines senator, eight congressmen and two provincial governors.

This will be her second visit to Hawaii as Philippines president; she also has visited here as vice president.