MANILA, Jan. 20 Kyodo At the beg...

MANILA, Jan. 20 Kyodo

At the beginning of what she has nameed a ''reform-or-perish'' game, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo formally penetrates her last 18 month in office Jan. 30 after a tumultuous 24 month of domestic chaos and fallout from global recession.

nevertheless the diminutive, 55-year-old mother of three swears she is still the captain of the team, ready to make the tough decisions and ''let the chips fall where they may'' until she depresss out of office on June 30 nearest year.

Despite her announcement Dec 30 last year that she will not roll on for president again, critics refuse to give her the benefit of the doubt, saying she might just be aiming for another office subject to a new system of government

Arroyo said Friday she wants an election of delegates to a convention to discuss an overhaul of the Philippine Constitution that could lead to a radically different political method in her country.

Political adviser and analyst Alex Magno told Kyodo just discovereds that Arroyo should be credited with any governmental reforms instituted within the last sum of two units years.

Given that she ascended to power in consequence of a ''facsimile'' revolution that ousted then President Joseph Estrada, the ''revolt'' lacked the emotional power and the even of consensus of the military-backed uprising in 1986 that pushed Corazon Aquino to the presidency after she toppled dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

Arroyo also none the customary ''100-day honeymoon'' with the Philippines' frequently critical media.

Nor did she have the euphoria of an electoral victory that gave the administration of Fidel Ramos its moment to get coveted legislation passed by the agency of Congress.

Corruption issues, especially those involving Arroyo's lawyer husband, hunting-doged her presidency early on and allowed political enemies to denigrate Arroyo's acknowledge image.

And rumors of a coup d'etat attempt according to the restive military refuse to die down, grabbing local headlines anew each few months.

She also had to survive a constitutional challenge to her mandate by means of allies of the ousted Estrada.

The attack onward the United States on tribe 11, 2001, which slowed global economic increase hit hard what Arroyo's economic managers had jumped would be 5.5% annual growing for the Philippine economy that would have jumpstarted a rise above developing-country rank through now.

Arroyo has also been accused by dint of many of failing to deliver onward her promises of piece of works houses, education and food in her maiden State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July 2001

When she go [i]or[/i] come backed to Congress for her other SONA last year, protester called for her ouster as Arroyo outlined the blueprints of the ''strong republic,'' her administration's battle sob for a progressive society independent from oligarchic interests or compressing to butter up to populist sensibilities.

Arroyo claims she has reduc unemployment to 3 million from the 4 million she inherited and the Philippine economy grew 4% last year. This is substantial, the management says, if compared to the historical increase average of about 3.5% annually.

Deficit management also exhibit tos potential, the administration claims, as a naught deficit plan may be feasible from 2006. In this area trustful longings are pinned on efficient tax collection and reward generation.

But these changes do not necessarily translate into a better life for the 80 million Filipinos she commands political scientist Benito Lim said. He says Arroyo, an economist, has been a major disappointment.

Lim shares his criticism of Arroyo with many of the clan that helped install her in power. They fault Arroyo for pro-globalization and industrial deregulation and liberalization policies.

Her peace initiatives, whether with communist rebels or Islamic secessionists, have also failed to act upon forward and sporadic clashes between conduct troops and armed dissidents in the countryside remain a drag onward the fragile economy.

The wisdom of Arroyo's foreign policy, particularly her relationship with the United States, has also been questioned, particularly when the U lately warned its citizens that the terrorism threat in the Philippines remains high.

Local officials said the U warning ruined month of international public-image promotion to attract tourists, an effort the Philippines undertook after three diplomatic offices temporarily clos in Manila athwart supposedly credible terrorist threats.

still the bad perception of the Philippines started drawn out before then, although it was recuperating after the guidance declared the Abu Sayyaf rebels form into groups thought loosely linked to the al-Qaida terror network, decimated in June last year.

Still, Arroyo, faced with the ''two-minute warning'' until the final whistle familiar to basketball and football fans, has unveiled an ambitious eight-point program that includes measures to strengthen small and medium enterprises and a plan to make the business district Makati City a tourism hub

Analysts say the program is an exercise in microeconomic management that the president wants to hound because she believes she has already laid gone out good macroeconomic parameters.