HONG KONG – Former US President Bill Clinton introduced President Arroyo as a “college classmate who looks 20 years younger than me” during the opening plenary session of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Asia Meeting on December 2nd.

Mrs. Arroyo flew here upon Clinton’s invitation for a sit-down discussion of global issues, including the financial crisis triggered by the credit crunch that hit major US banks and financial institutions.

In presenting Mrs. Arroyo, Clinton remarked: “I’m especially proud of her extraordinary leadership. But I’m embarrassed to say this, she is my college classmate who looks 20 years younger than me.”

While Mrs. Arroyo walked to the stage, dressed in black top and pants with red coat over it, Clinton hastily added, “Make that thirty years less.”

The 62-year-old Mrs. Arroyo laughed softly. She and Clinton were classmates at Georgetown University in Washington where she pursued her foreign relations degree while her father, the late Diosdado Macapagal, was the president of the Philippines.

Mrs. Arroyo, meantime, told Clinton that the Philippines under her leadership has done its “homework” which is now helping the country weather the looming economic crisis.

Eleven former and present heads of state were invited to the CGI Asia Meeting being held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Wanchai.