1.
MV PAN..WELCOMING CROWDS AT MANILA AIRPORT
0.09

2.
MV GIRLS WITH GARLANDS
0.14

3.
LV PRESIDENT TSIRANANA & WIFE DOWN PLANE GANGWAY
0.30

4.
PRESIDENT MACAPAGAL INTRODUCES TSIRANANA TO FILIPINO DIGNITARIES (3 SHOTS)
0.49

5.
MV TSIRANANA AND MACAPAGAL WALK TOWARDS HONOUR GUARDS
0.45

6.
MV MADAME MACAPAGAL AND TSIRANANA LOOK ON
0.48

7.
LV TSIRANANA INSPECTS GUARD OF HONOUR
1.01

8.
MV FILIPINO DIGNITARIES
1.04

9.
MLV TSIRANANA INTRODUCED TO DIPLOMATIC CORPS (2 SHOTS)
1.10

10.
MV TSIRANANA WITH HAT IN HAND WAVES TO CROWD ALONG ROAD
1.22

11.
LB WELCOME ARCH ACROSS ROAD TO RIZAL MONUMENT
1.28

12.
MV TSIRANANA ARRIVES AT RIZAL MONUMENT
1.38

13.
LV TSIRANANA WALKS TO MONUMENT AND LAYS WREATH (3 SHOTS)
2.10

14.
MV TSIRANANA LEAVES MONUMENT
2.20



Initials PC/V/PW/BB



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: FIFTY-FOUR YEAR OLD PRESIDENT PHILIBERT TSIRANANA OF MALAGASY RECEIVED A WARM WELCOME IN MANILA ON THURSDAY WHEN HE FLEW IN FROM HONOLULU FOR A THREE-DAY STATE VISIT TO THE PHILIPPINES.

THE FIRST AFRICAN CHIEF OF STATE TO VISIT THE PHILIPPINES. PRESIDENT TSIRANANA WAS RETURNING THE VISIT MADE TO HIS COUNTRY BY PHILIPPINES PRESIDENT MACAPAGAL IN DECEMBER LAST YEAR.

THE MALAGASY PRESIDENT'S PARTY INCLUDED HIS WIFE, LADY JUSTINE TSIRANANA, AND TWENTY-TWO TOP GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. THEY WERE MET AT MANILA AIRPORT BY PRESIDENT AND MADAME MACAPAGAL. SCORES OF OTHER DIGNITARIES, INCLUDING PHILIPPINES VICE-PRESIDENT, MR. EMMANUEL PELAEZ, WERE AT THE AIRPORT TO WELCOME THE AFRICAN VISITORS.

AFTER THE CEREMONIES AT THE AIRPORT, THE TWO PRESIDENTS RODE TOGETHER IN A MOTORCADE TO THE MALACANANG PALACE. LATER IN THE DAY, THE MALAGASY PRESIDENT DROVE TO THE RIZAL MONUMENT TO LAY A WREATH BEFORE PROCEEDING TO THE TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER AND TO HISTORIC FORT SANTIAGO.

(AS FOUNDER OF THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN 1956, PRESIDENT TSIRANANA WAS ELECTED TO THE FRENCH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY -- A MOVE WHICH AFFIRMED HIS FRIENDLY RELATIONS WITH FRENCH LEADER, INCLUDING PRESIDENT DE GAULLE. THE AMICABLE TERMS BENEFIT HIS COUNTRY GREATLY AS MALAGASY IS EVEN NOW HELPED ECONOMICALLY BY FRENCH FRANCS.

UPON PROCLAMATION IN OCTOBER 1956 OF THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT IN MALAGASY, HE ASSUMED THE PRESIDENCY. A YEAR, HE WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE PUBLIC BY THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY. HIS SEVEN-YEAR TERM ENDS IN 1966.

A FORMER SCHOOL-TEACHER, PRESIDENT TSIRANANA SPEAKS FLUENT FRENCH. MARRIED SINCE 1933, HE HAS EIGHT CHILDREN AND THREE GRANDCHILDREN.)