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Estrada warned on public disenchantment

MANILA: Philippine Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo urged embattled President Joseph Estrada on Monday to respond to public dissatisfaction with the government, warning the spread of disenchantment "may tear our nation apart."

But Macapagal-Arroyo stressed she remained loyal to the constitution which allows Estrada to serve a full six-year term until 2004, and dismissed as improper opposition calls for the formation of a "shadow cabinet" as an alternative if Estrada was forced to step down.

Although she is a top official of the opposition Lakas party, Macapagal-Arroyo is also a member of Estrada's cabinet, holding the post of Secretary of Social Welfare.

Both she and Estrada were elected to six-year terms in 1998 under a system which provides for separate election of the president and vice president.

Macapagal-Arroyo has refrained from any criticism of Estrada and her remarks on Monday marked the first time she spoke out openly on the issue of public discontent with the administration.

"With the passage of time, dissatisfaction began to grow among many of our citizens despite the country's favourable macroeconomic numbers," Macapagal-Arroyo told a news conference.

She said public concerns "generally pertain to the style of governance - whether it is consistent and orderly, whether actions match rhetoric, whether public favour or largesse flows to the poor and helpless rather than to the powerful and influential."

GOVERNMENT MUST ADJUST

"Lines are drawn between public satisfaction and dissatisfaction and a responsive government must adjust its governance accordingly," she added.

Macapagal-Arroyo expressed concern that dissatisfaction with the government might spread.

"The fundamental issue that may come to tear our nation apart is the question of preserving the constitution," she said.

"There are fears that dissatisfaction with our government is now creeping into society's middle sectors ... We cannot allow these strategic sectors to even begin to lose their sense of ... identification with our duly constituted government," she warned.

Macapagal-Arroyo said she was sworn to defend the constitution under which she and Estrada were elected.

"Accordingly, I do not believe it proper to encourage or participate in any move that has the substance or form of a government-in-waiting," she said.

Both Estrada and Macapagal-Arroyo were elected by overwhelming margins but while her popularity has remained in the high 70s, Estrada's has fallen below the 50 percent level in recent months.

Political analysts said perceptions of corruption and cronyism in government and lack of coherent policies have eroded Estrada's credibility.

This has provoked opposition calls for Estrada to step down and sparked the establishment of a protest group calling on him to "shape up or ship out."-Reuters