Philippines' New President Starts First Work DayPhilippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo formally started her first office Monday by leading an 8 a.m. flag-raising ceremony in the presidential palace.In her short speech delivered to the staff members of the presidential palace, Arroyo stressed the need to unite and work hard. "Let us not be divided. Let us work together to bring our country to normal scene. Let us be united, because we must stand together, we must lead the nation, we must build the nation and that is the task ahead of us," she said at the ceremony. During her first working day as the president, Arroyo is set to meet with officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). She is also expected to meet leaders of the various groups that helped organize the popular uprising at the Edsa Shrine which caused the AFP and key cabinet members to withdraw support for former President Joseph Estrada last Friday. Arroyo was sworn in on Saturday at noon, two hours before former President Estrada and his family left the presidential palace. The oath-taking ceremony took place at the historic Edsa Shrine, site of the peaceful and bloodless "People Power 2" that led to the transition of government to her from Estrada. President Arroyo met with close advisers Sunday, a day after Joseph Estrada's ouster, to form a new cabinet, focusing on reviving the stagnant economy and restoring national unity. Arroyo has named Eduardo Ermita as National Security Adviser and Paul Dominguez as Presidential Adviser on Regional development. She has also named Laguna Governor Joey Lina as the new secretary for the Department of Interior and Local Government while Renato de Villa was named as Executive Secretary. Meanwhile, former Budget and Management Secretary and senator Alberto Romulo has been named as Finance Secretary, replacing Jose Pardo. According to Business World, the following have been included in the "short list" of possible heads of key economic agencies of the government: University of the Philippines professor Dante Canlas as director-general of the National Economic and Development Authority and concurrent Social Economic Planning Secretary; Budget Undersecretary Emilia Boncodin as Budget and Management Secretary; former Customs commissioner Guillermo Parayno as head of the bureau again; and Corazon dela Paz as Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner. The newspaper said National Treasurer Leonor Briones, who resigned, may be asked to return to her post. Earlier, Arroyo said in a televised interview that she was " considering" activist Dinky Soliman as secretary of Social Welfare and Development. She was also "considering" Quezon City Representative Michael Defensor to take charge of the government's housing program, a cabinet-level portfolio. Other reports said Deputy Director General Leandro Mendoza will replace Panfilo Lacson as Philippine National Police Director General. Meanwhile, Arroyo said she was retaining the service of Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado. |
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