SYDNEY. The much touted one-on-one between President Macapagal-Arroyo and US President President George W. Bush finally materialized yeasterday in a brief lounge chat as the two leaders arrived at the Sydney Opera House for the opening of the 2007 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders' summit.

But in that brief period, the President managed to extract from Bush a commitment to support and sign into law a US congressional bill that would grant long-delayed pension benefits to 18,500 surviving Filipino veterans who fought with the United States Armed Forces during World War II, including those living in the Philippines.

"Hey, Gloria. Did you finish everything we talked about?" Bush was quoted by Ambassador Marciano Paynor Jr. as greeting Ms Arroyo upon their arrival at the leaders' waiting lounge of the Sydney Opera House. Bush could be seen taking notes while Ms Arroyo talked, Paynor said.

The "pull-aside" made up for the disappointing cancellation of an expected bilateral meeting with Bush last Friday that was canceled at the US's behest.

In lieu of the 20-minute meeting, the two leaders briefly chatted during a lunch that Bush hosted on Friday for seven leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) member-countries that are also members of Apec.

Ms Arroyo tried to hide her disappointment, telling reporters on Friday that a pull-aside meeting with Bush Saturday would not be necessary as they had already covered much ground during their informal chat at the luncheon.

But a pull-aside did happen Saturday. Bush and the President chatted for about 5 to 7 minutes at the leaders' waiting lounge while Australian Prime Minister John Howard talked on the podium, welcoming the 20 other Apec leaders to the two-day summit.

When Bush heard his country being called, he put his notes in his suit pocket and said goodbye to Ms Arroyo.

An aide of Ms Arroyo, who was able to take a photograph of the President talking with Bush, sent this message to Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye: "This was taken at western foyer of the opera house. President Bush taking notes as GMA giving instructions."

An aide memoire, or summary, of the meeting supplied by Palace officials said the two leaders talked about US House Resolution 70, the Filipino Veterans Equity Act, sponsored by Rep. Bob Filner, chair of the US House of Representatives veterans affairs committee, and Senate Bill 1315, the Veterans' Benefits Enhancement Act of 2007, authored by Senators Daniel Akaka and Daniel Inouye.

The House bill is a stand-alone measure intended to cover benefits for Filipino veterans who fought with US forces during World War II, while the Senate version is an omnibus bill covering benefits for all veterans of that war, both Americans and Filipinos.

Philippine officials, veterans and Filipino community leaders are lobbying for the two versions to be reconciled into one that would hew closer to the House version which provides higher benefits for Filipino veterans.

In her notes, Ms Arroyo had this message to Bush: "When passed, the law will finally provide pension benefits for Filipino veterans. It is hoped that once the final version of the veterans' bill is sent to the President of the United States, he will sign it into law immediately."

Ms Arroyo said the law will benefit about 18,500 surviving Filipino veterans, of which some 6,000 are living in the United States and around 12,000 are in the Philippines.

"This issue is very important for the Philippines and the Filipino people, as it will finally mean the end of decades-long struggle for Filipino veterans to be recognized for their meaningful contributions to the campaign for democracy during the Second World War,'' Ms Arroyo said in her aide memoire.

"Through the Filipinos' valor and courage, fighting side by side with American soldiers, the ramparts of freedom were strengthened in Asia,'' she said.

"Passed into law, this will be a profound gesture reflective of the deep and abiding relations between the Philippines and the United States and the Filipino and American peoples' shared commitment to uphold the values of freedom, democracy and justice for all," the President said.

No mention was made of the Filipino veterans' bill when Ms Arroyo reported about her chat with Bush last Friday. She said Bush had commended the Philippines' antiterror campaign, had asked about how the economy was doing and about her position on the climate change agenda at Apec.

She said Bush offered reforestation aid but that she had requested instead for funds for the construction of roads and an airport in the conflict-affected provinces of Sulu and Basilan.

The President will have separate meetings today, the last day of the Apec meeting, with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi.

The meeting with Hu was a last-minute inclusion in Ms Arroyo's schedule. It was not known whether the controversial P330-million national broadband network contract awarded to the Chinese-based ZTE Corp. will be discussed.

Ms Arroyo, in an interview with an Australian newspaper before she left for Sydney, said China was an important ally both to the Philippines and the region.