U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is scheduled to pay a brief visit to Manila Mayor Lim today (November 15), hours after President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III’s slated arrival from  the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii.

According to Connie Bungag, chief of the media affairs division of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), Aquino will be arriving at 1:25 a.m. at the NAIA Terminal 2 while Clinton and her party will arrive at the Balagbag area at around 5 p.m.          Clinton has earlier announced plans to visit U.S. treaty allies Thailand and the Philippines before attending the annual East Asia summit in Indonesia.                     

Her visit to Manila will also mark the 60th anniversary of the U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty and the following day, she will go to Bangkok.              

The State Department was reported to have said that her visits underscore U.S. efforts to strengthen key alliances in the region.       

Bungag said necessary preparations are already in place to receive Clinton and her entire delegation.