Philippine President Joseph Estrada Saturday reshuffled his cabinet by replacing three cabinet members and sacking all presidential advisers and consultants with no regular functions in a bid to improve the government's popularity.

In his televised "Report to the Nation," Estrada said that the cabinet revamp was in response to the call from the people, as conveyed to him in the results of recent surveys, particularly on the popularity rating of the members of his official family. "My gift to our people is this: in the new millennium, I give you a new and honest government. This is also what I have heard (and it) has been the call of the people. That message has reached me through the ratings in the latest survey on my government," he said.

According to a survey by the Social Weather Stations last December, around 44 percent of Filipinos are satisfied with Estrada's performance, down 56 percent from last October and 78 percent from last June.

In his speech, Estrada appointed Trade and Industry Secretary Jose Pardo as new finance secretary to replace Edgardo Espiritu, who resigned three days ago.

Estrada named Rep. Manuel Roxas II to succeed Pardo, and appointed former Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim as Secretary of Interiorand Local government to replace Ronaldo Puno.

In a shocking announcement, the president sacked nearly 100 presidential advisers and consultants with no regular functions.

He followed up the shocking announcement with a stern order to all his former advisers and consultants to discard their official stationeries and other paraphernalia bearing their names.

"I now ask them to destroy and discard all their calling cards and stationeries bearing their titles as such," he said.

The president also replaced several heads of government agencies. Bureau of Internal Revenue chief Beethoven Rualo was replaced by Dakila Fonacier, a businessman; Bureau of Customs chief Nelson Tan was replaced by Ramon Farolan, who had served thepost once; and Florecita Flores was named the chief on Investment.

At the same time, Estrada announced the creation of the Councilof Senior Economic Advisers composed of leaders in the private business sector, and the Economic Coordinating Council composed ofthe president, and the government's key economic managers.

"I've created a high-powered Council of Senior Economic Advisers composed of five internationally-respected leaders of private business sectors ...They have consented to be at the service of the president whether individually or collectively," Estrada said.

This is the first major cabinet reshuffle made by Estrada since he took office in July 1998.

The reshuffle, which is part of Estrada's bid to improve his popularity rating, also aims to bolster the government's performance and stimulate the country's economic recovery process, analysts said.(Xinhua)