PHILIPPINES: ARROYO MAKES FIRST CABINET APPOINTMENT (V)

Описание: (21 Jan 2001) Voice and effects
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VOICED BY: Louise Bates

The new President of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, has made her first cabinet appointment - Finance Minister Alberto Romulo, underlining her pledge to make the restoration of the economy her top priority.

He brings some government experience to the post, having served as budget minister for President Corazon Aquino after the downfall of Ferdinand Marcos in 1986.

Macapagal- Arroyo, an American-trained economist, has pledged to restore business confidence by ending the Philippine culture of corruption.

VOICE OVER

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On her first full day in office, the new Philippines president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo attended mass in Manila.

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Arroyo was swept to power on Saturday by mass protests and the resignation of key military and political officials which forced Joseph Estrada from office.

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Speaking at mass she praised the determination of the people that brought her to power.

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Arroyo took her oath as the country's 14th president on Saturday, the same day a new president was being sworn in in the USA.

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SOUNDBITE: (English)
Q: How do you feel about assuming the Preidency on the same day as Mr Bush?
A: "Well, that really is quite a coincidence isn't it, or providential, because it is two president's children. "
SUPER CAPTION: Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Philippines President

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Her father, Diosdado Macapagal, served as president in the early 1960s, until being defeated by Marcos in 1965.

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Wasting no time Arroyo began to assemble her new Cabinet on Sunday.

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One of her first decisions was to name a finance secretary, Alberto Romulo, to boost business confidence devastated by the political crisis that led to Estrada's downfall.

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But, political commentators predict the fate of Estrada will haunt the early days of the Arroyo presidency.

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SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I think the most disturbing fact is that Estrada remains on Philippine soil and for so long as he is on Philippine soil then the Arroyo presidency cannot move onto the agenda of healing or consolidating its mandate because it will have to face the question "Well, what do you do with Estrada?"
SUPER CAPTION: Nelson Navarro, Political Analyst

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Arroyo has to deal with a growing budget deficit, high interest rates, inflation and unemployment.

Her success is vital for the tens of millions of Filipinos living in poverty.

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