Malacañang said President Arroyo is not meeting US President-elect Barack Obama during her four-day trip to the US.

Speaking before boarding the commercial flight with the president Monday night, Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said the congratulatory message relayed last week to the Obama camp is enough.

Mrs. Arroyo will proceed to Obama's home district of Chicago after an overnight stopover in San Francisco.

Nevertheless, the Palace said US-Philippine relations will remain strong even if the chief executive does not meet the next leader of the US.

President Arroyo will meet the local Filipino community in Chicago before proceeding to New York for the UN interfaith dialogue conference.

In her last trip to the US during the US presidential campaign, President Arroyo failed to meet with then Senator Obama.

Dureza revealed that Mrs. Arroyo was personally invited by the King of Saudi Arabia to speak at the conference because of her support for interfaith dialogues all over the world.

Dureza said only he and Trade Secretary Peter Favila will join the president along with four congressmen for the short duration trip to the US. Mrs. Arroyo is expected back Friday.

Dureza said she leaves unfazed despite rumors of destabilization plots, an impeachment case and the Jocjoc Bolante controversy.

Prior to her departure Monday night, the president held bilateral talks with visiting Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat in Malacañang.

Dureza said the two leaders discussed the prospects of a joint visa for non-Asians travelling to ASEAN countries similar to the Schengen visa in Europe, as well as tourism and trade prospects for the region.